Just four more days!

Got confirmation that Junior's passport was ready about three days after I was told that there would be NO WAY it could be ready before mid-April.   Talk about under-promising and over-delivering.

Next step was to book place tickets.  The good news...caught a decent plane fare for both my return ticket and Junior's one way ticket.  The bad news...evidently you can't buy a plane ticket for someone with only one name (I bet Madonna never has this problem).  So here I am, explaining to the Delta agent on their super-secret customer service line for frequent fliers that I don't HAVE a last name for Junior, because she doesn't have a last name.  Thus commenced the most Kafkaseque conversation I have had since that unfortunate incident in 1992 in the Madras airport (that's a story for another time).

Agent: "Does the child have a last name?"
Me: "No, none of the documents have a last name."
Agent: "Well, we can't write a ticket without one."
Me: "Why not?"
Agent: "Because the name on the passport won't match the visa."
Me: "But the State Department hasn't issued a visa yet.  I will ask them to make sure that the visa matches the passport."
Agent: "We still can't write the ticket."
Me: "Why not?"
Agent: "Because there's no last name on the passport or the visa."
Me: "I had the same issue with my first adopted child 6 years ago.  What is the problem now?"
Agent: "We have to follow Department of Homeland Security regulations."
Me: "But I have documents from Homeland Security with only one name one it."
Agent: "Well we still can't write the ticket."
Me: "Why not?"
Agent: "Because the child is not an infant."
Me: "What difference does that make?"
Agent: "My supervisor told me not to write the ticket."

At this point I was in tears and seeing red.  I hung up, called a friend who had recently been through the same process (no help there - his son had a middle name) and then left three or ten frantic phone messages for my adoption coordinator.

Took several deep breaths, then called Delta again. Different agent, different result:

Agent: "She has no last name?"
Me: "No - I am adopting her."
Agent: "OK - we'll just put your last name on her ticket -- just make sure you have all of your documentation that you will be adopting her when you arrive in the United States."

Surreal...

Since then, have made hotel arrangements and flights in India.  Also finished Junior's room  -- color scheme: green and pink (soooo cute....Rain is showing signs of demanding redecorating).  Of course, Dad threw a curveball as I was inches from a clean getaway.  After sharing with him my moment of triumph over the evil empire known as Delta Airlines, he changed the subject.

"Your cousins and aunt in Ludhiana (city 200 miles north of Delhi) will send a car for you and Junior so you can spend a few days with them."
Me: "What?  Dad, I don't think there will be time on this trip for any extra excursions."
Dad:  "Well, they want to see you."
Me: "I promise, the next trip when the whole family is traveling, we will visit."
Dad: "But they want to see you this time and meet Junior."
Me: "I just don't think it's feasible."
Dad: "I guess I shouldn't have told anyone you are coming to India."
Me:"What do you mean?  Who did you tell?"
Dad:"Uh, well, everyone."

I guess flying under the radar is no longer an option.  Don't get me wrong - I love my family in India, and Dad had only best of intentions.  So we compromised - instead of traveling to see family, I will be throwing a party over the weekend between the first and second visa appointment.  Thank goodness for my cousin - she's arranging a banquet room and catering at my hotel and inviting everyone in the family who wants to visit me.  It will be hard on Junior, but it will a lot harder to make multiple social calls over 8 days in New Delhi in 100 degree heat.

Finishing up packing over the next couple of days, with a couple of last minute errands for late requests from the cousins.  My personal favorite: a bottle of hot sauce that is as hot going out as it is going in.  Maybe you have to know my family (on both sides of the planet) to understand why that is so funny...

More to come...