Ok, so it's been another long time. Lots more to write!

We had a great summer and Maddie loved it. She learned to swim, went on two long vacations and started school ready to work. She knows many sight words and is in gymnastics. She is having a great time! She became a US Citizen on August 13, 2009 and got her Social Security Card about two weeks ago.

The family is adjusting well. Maddie also loved Halloween and was a beautfiul CLEMSON cheerleader! She thought getting candy for virtually nothing was wonderful! We are still eating it all. We are now in Memphis for Thanksgiving and she is enjoying that as well. I think she feels very secure in her role as little sister and knows that her family loves her very much. She is now looking forward to Christmas. Santa Claus did visit Shishu Mandir, so she knows all about him and what he might bring her. Her list is not too long, so I think Santa will be able to handle it.

Well, that's a really quick update, but I have been so busy just being a mom, etc. that it's been hard to find time to write. I am grateful for the busyness, though. I will continue to post as more of life's "firsts" happen for the Indian Angel. Love to all, Ashley

It's been too long- lots to update!!!

Everyone please forgive me for not blogging sooner! Maddie finished school well. She will get a full year of Kindergarten next year, but already knows about 30 sight words and is ready small books. She is at Grammy and Pop's lake and pool during the summer and loves to swim. She also went to Jefferson's cheer camp last week and had a great time.

Here are some pictures from her at cheer camp and at her sixth birthday party. It was big fun and lots of her friends were there! I think she is really settling in nicely. There is also one picture of her with Dipti, the girl who lives in Augusta and lived in the Shishu Mandir orphanage with Maddie. We all went to an adoption picnic together last weekend. It was great to see her and her family!

Maddie has grown so much, not only physically, but emotionally, in the last 4.5 mos. It is great to see the progress!

I promise not to be so late on the updates next time!

All rise- court is now in session!

Maddie's court case went great. We told our story to the judge, he agreed she should be with us, and then he signed the papers. That was it. Our families were there to support us and so was one of our good friends! Thanks to so many of you who prayed for court that day. It was terrific. Now, we are settling in and learning how to be a family.

Maddie spent the night over at a friend's house for the first time on Friday night. It went well and I was very proud of her. Here are some pics of her and mommy before church this morning and some of the court proceedings.

Our court date is set!

Our attorney filed our petition for adoption on Friday and was given a court date of March 6. This means that Maddie will offcially be ours on this date. As you know, we have guardianship of Maddie in accordance with Indian law. Once we have the hearing, she will formally adopted and will have an US Birth Certificate. She will also have her new name, Maddie Ambika, printed on it. After this, we can file for her citizenship certificate and get her Social Security Card.

We are really excited that Maddie will be ours formally so soon. Of course, she has been ours in our hearts for months!!! If you are in town and can join us, please do so. Respond and I will give you all the details. We look forward to seeing anyone who can share this day with us!

The tooth fairy gave the $ to daddy!

Maddie lost a tooth on Saturday. We were very excited about the tooth fairy coming to see her for the first time, but she was not. In fact, she had a lot of trouble going to bed thinking that someone was coming into her bedroom in the middle of the night, even if it was to give her money. Therefore, Daddy "emailed" the tooth fairy and told her not to come, but just to mail the money to Daddy instead. So, even though the payment was delayed, Maddie was paid for her tooth.

She also saw the dentist and pediatrician again. She is doing well and now has five fillings (poor kid). She also had her first playground accident today. She has a big shiner under her eye, but she is doing fine.

We have made plans to see Dipti, from Maddie's orphanage, in April. Dipti lives with her mom, dad, and brother in Augusta, and even better, they are CLEMSON FANS!!!! We are very excited about getting together to visit with them!

Brand new heart and silver hat!

Today Maddie had a LOT going on. Poor thing, her mean mother made her go to two doctor appointments! First, we went to see Dr. J at the Sibley Heart Center. They did an EKG of her heart, then an ultrasound. It was a very kid friendly place and Maddie was a trooper most of the time. She became very hungry and restless during the ultrasound but overall, did great.

Dr. J said her heart was perfect. He told me that if I looked at it, I wouldn't even be able to tell that she had surgery. The reason she is growing so well now (remember those first pictures?) is because her heart is strong again. He said it was the right size and was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. She is clear to run around and be a complete monkey, which is exactly what she usually does.

After Sibley, we ran through McD's drive thru for free fries (on Tuesdays) and a chocolate dipped ice cream. Yes, we were on the way to the dentist and that's probably the worst thing I could have given her, but it's what she will eat and what she wanted to eat and she'd had a hard day, so that's what we did!

What I didn't know was that the day was actually going to get even harder. At the dentist, Maddie had to have three cavities filled and get a silver hat (crown) for one of her teeth. Needless to say, when she was finished, she was in some pain and looked a little beat up. However, after some ibuprofen and TLC, she is doing fine.

She seems to be enjoying school and is doing well. She is reading beginning books and has learned about ten sight words. Most of all, I think she enjoys being where M1 and M2 are. I think it's comforting for her to know that big brother and sister are close.

Tnings are really starting to get settled now and as much as it's crazy sometimes, I am really enjoying being a mother to three. The gray hairs may come earlier, but that's why they make Clairol!

First day at school

Today, Maddie attended her first Kindergarten class. She did well and had a great time, it seems. Her teachers were very complimentary of her and all seemed to go well. She has also qualified for ESOL services so that will help with her language. Here are a few pictures from her class today.

It's official- Maddie is an All-American Kid! She loves McDonald's!

Maddie had her first doctor appt. today and she did great! Dr. H just loved her and she impressed everyone with how adjusted she seemed. She's 36 pounds, but is up two pounds from last week, so that's good. Dr. H said her heart sounded great and her scar looked good. We will see the pediatric cardiologist and ENT doctor in the next couple of weeks, then we will do a follow up appt. with Dr. H.

After the doctor appt, we went to McDonald's. Of course, she had never been to one. I ordered a cheeseburger and gave her a bite. She liked it, so I bought her one, too. This was the first time the child has ever eaten meat, so I was really excited. A few more of those, and she won't be 36 pounds anymore! She loved playing on the playground and she especially loved the fries. Overall, I would say her first experience at the Golden Arches went well!

Maddie's first week- starting school and doctor appts.

The first week has been good. Maddie has finally moved to M2's bed and is sleeping with her throughout most of the night. She always gets up to see her brother and sister off to school, then usually helps me around the house. She will begin school on Thursday. Today and tomorrow we are going to the doctor and the dentist.

She went bowling for the first time on Saturday and bowled a 106. Not bad! She had a great time. She also went to her first birthday party on Sunday and seemed to really enjoy herself! So far, there haven't been many squabbles between the siblings, but it's bound to come sometime.

Her first day at church went well too. There were a lot of people who wanted to meet her, but she did fine. She will go to AWANA tomorrow. I think she'll be fine there as well. She seems to embrace new situations quite well.

Here's some pics of her first week. Keep checking in. Also, we had our family pics made yesterday and it went really well. We had some individual ones done of her too, and she did great. What a smile!!!

Bethel Church - Bangalore, India

Zoo Pics

Maddie and Shalom

Friends in Chennai

Day 1 - Shishu Mandir School

It's good to be Home!

Saju's Birthday

Leaving on a jet plane-again!

As I write it is 8:46 PM Blore time. Daddy is giving Maddie a bath and we are getting ready to catch some quick sleep before Saju takes us to the airport. Our flight leaves at 3:23 am- oh boy!

We have had a wonderful time here in India. Honestly, it's gone better than I had imagined. It really is true what God's word says that He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, more than we have ever hoped or imagined. I think KW would agree with me when I say that we have felt the presence of God and experienced the blessings and protection of God at every turn.

So many people have contributed to bringing Ambika home and I know that their reward in Heaven will be great. That contribution began in America, but it continued overseas. From Lou on the plane letting us borrow his camera, to Saju, Ruban, and Sam and their families, to Nevan the Christian driver we had all week, God's blessings were evident. My heart is so full as I write this because truly God is good, all the time. When His people are faithful to His work, His blessings overflow. I have always known this adoption was ordained by God, but now I truly have no doubt. I can't wait to see all the rewards that are given out in Heaven because of the love given to this little child, even by perfect strangers. I also can't wait until I can worship again in Heaven with the folks at Bethel AG. That Sunday service was just a taste of what Heaven will really be like with every tribe and tongue shouting praises to God! How awesome!

Lastly, I can't wait to share Maddie Ambika with all of YOU! Here's our information. On Tuesday, January 27th, we are flying flight 444 from Frankfurt to Atlanta. We will arrive at 4:20 PM and should come up through the main escalator area. However, we have to go through customs and we have a BIG packet we have to hand over to immigration on Ambika's behalf, so that might take a minute. It probably won't, but I wouldn't plan on being at the airport before 4:45 at the earliest. I will call my mom as soon as we land at the gate so everyone can stay informed. If you don't know what she looks like, look for M1 and M2 and you will find her.

We are so excited about seeing everyone. This will be our last post. Thanks again for going on this journey with us. It's sooooooo glad to have you along. We'll see you in Atlanta on Tuesday!!! Much love to all!!!

Bethel AG Church International

We went to church with Sam this morning. This was a wonderful experience. We arrived about 25 minutes early, took a couple of pictures and waited until the first services were completed. There were two worship buildings (one in English and one in the local language), a couple of small out building for children(one English speaking and the other in local language), a 20x30 prayer tent/guest reception/council time area and a couple of resource and ministry tables outside covered in books written by Max Lucado, Joyce Myer, etc. People travel up to three hours to come to church on Sundays. Once inside there were about 800 plastic "patio" style chairs in four sections.

The service began, I thought we were back in the US. The music sounded just like you would here at Zion with a bit of a accoustical bounce. First song was "Arise" - the people cried out for God to fill this place and God showed up to inhabit the praises of His people. By the middle of "Arise" the place was packed and the echo of the voices and music was awesome. These people came to worship and it didn't matter what type of building it was in, or if the HVAC was too hot or too cold or how good the Audio Visual equipment performed. These people came to worship Jesus. The second song was "I am Free" and I couldn't help it but all I was thinking about was how Jesus set me free and how He is doing that in Maddie's life. The last two songs were "Open the Eyes of Heart" and "Alleuia, for the Lord God All Mighty Reigns". Satan, the Hindi and Mussilum gods didn't have a chance in this place. The message was on honoring God in everything you do (worship, quiet time, service, work, relationships) and how God has a Full Measure of blessings he wants to give us, if we are willing to honor God in every part of our lives.

After a whirl-wind week in India, it was so nice to go to a church that was so authentic.

The digtal camera's batteries finally ran out before church started. So, our picture taking has been completed.

Keith

getting the slide show bigger

Just an FYI- thanks Ellison! To see the slide show pics bigger, just double click in the square and that will do it! I will try to do another slide show with recent pics, but don't hold your breath. KW has some of them on his email and I think Julie is sending out some as well. Just email him if you want them. Nana and Pa, we don't have your email address with us, please advise.

Shopping in Indian Malls, going on a safari, Indian Chinese food, and going to the chemist- again

As it is now 5:30 am Sunday Blore time and I have woken up, I thought I would add some thoughts to the last two comments Keith posted.

Yesterday, we visited the Banergherra National Park. It's like a zoo, but all natural. As you drive in, there are several vendors all along this dirt road, where you can buy fruits, chips, drinks, ice cream, even coconut. By the time our day was finished there, we had eaten two different bags of kettle type chips (one spicy, one not) bought three large bottles of water, two ice creams and four coconuts. All of this costs us about $2.50.

The zoo part of the National Park was typical, except for the cheetahs. That was neat. Also, you will see by the pics that they had two elephants just walking by that you could pet and pose with. They also had a playground right in the middle that Ambika loved to use. She is quite the adventurer and doesn't seem worried at all about heights. She loves the swings, jungle gyms, etc.

At 11 am, we boarded a bus to go on the safari. This is where we saw lions, bears, and tigers in their natural habitat. We were given front row seats, which was great and we saw some awesome things. The tigers would walk right up to the bus. They didn't look nervous or seem ready to jump you. It was like they were used to it. The lions stood back a little, but they were still about five feet away-very close. Ambika (she has decided she likes the name Maddie, so I will refer to her as both as we continue) loved it. She would get so excited every time she saw a new animal and she would constantly say, "Mommy, take photo".

The best part was the elephant ride. At first, Maddie didn't want to ride at all. I think she thought the animal was too large. But, once she saw that I was going and she was going to be left out, she joined in. Then, she loved it so much, they let us ride her around a second time. It was great. Now, I can say that I have ridden an elephant! By the end of our time at the park, we were very dirty, but we had big smiles on our faces.

One more thing about the park. For those of you who have never traveled outside the US, you may not realize that in many countries you have to pay for public toilets. That was the case at the park. There was an attendent and for two rupees each, you could use the toilets. However, ladies need to understand that sometimes there are western style toilets out in public and sometimes, there aren't. At the park, the toilets were India style. If you don't know what I am talking about, look it up on Google Images. Every time I visit one of these, I think of my sister and CH and just laugh. Don't worry, I had my Charmin to Go and lots of hand sanitizer so all is well.

We ended our day out by going back to Bangalore Central Mall. This is just like our malls back home except a lot more people work there and all the prices are in rupees so you have to convert in your head. The first time we went to the mall, we went with Saju, Nissi, Shalom, and Jotham. We went to a department store and bought a small suitcase for Maddie, a skirt for Mommy, and a matching skirt and top for Mallory and Maddie. However, when I got home, I noticed that I had picked up the wrong size, so yesterday we had to exchange it. There was only one exchange counter in the whole place so KW had to wait in line for 30 min. We also bought Maddie some shoes. There were so many choices and so many people helping that it was a bit stressful. Daddy finally found her some that we liked and she liked and didn't cost too much. The ones we brought for her were too big, so we had to back up and punt.

After the national park, we relaxed at the hotel until bed. We were able to rent some movies. I could rent three for about 2$ each and buy one (Tom and Jerry) for $3.00 so that's what we did. Maddie watched two Barbie movies last night (She loves Barbie) and we spent the rest of the time eating Chinese food and trying to get these pictures to upload. The Chinese food was basically the same and tasted very good. Also, I have noticed that Maddie eats with her right hand and writes with her left.

I have to say that the staff here at the hotel has gone above and beyond. They helped KW with the pictures and offered to go the pharmacy for us. They even called from the rental store when the movies we requested weren't in. Honestly, Indians are such nice people. They think nothing about helping others. One might think it's because they want tips, but I have experienced this with those who would stand to gain nothing as well.

After dinner, we decided to walk it off by venturing to the chemist (pharmacy) ourselves. Let me just say that every time we venture out on our own, which we have done several times now, I always think of CH and get a big chuckle. If it goes sucessfully, I can say assure her everything is fine. If it doesn't, I am imagining this big "I told you so" look coming from her. So, here's the pharmacy story.....

Our hotel gave us directions. It wasn't but a five to ten minute walk from our hotel, but just like in places in Atlanta, once can go from very nice places to very bad places quickly. Keep in mind this was also about 8:30 PM, so it was already dark. We had to cross a major intersection, but that was fine. We just moved when everyone else did. Finally, we came to the pharmacy, but we had to walk through some dimly lit areas to get there. This pharmacy was actually bigger than the one we went to in Chennai but it's still an open air type of place. There's no front door that you walk into. They just roll up the steel door at the start of the day and there's a counter. We told them what we needed and it was no problem. They also asked us a lot about Maddie, how much we had to pay the orphanage, if American adoption would have been cheaper, how she is doing now after the surgery. They were very nice and even gave her a Cadbury chocolate bar (one of the best in India).

We walked back to the hotel, looked at all our pictures from the day, gave Maddie a bath and went to sleep. That's probably why I am up as early as I am. This morning, we are going with Sam to an Assembly of God church that has 2K members. We are riding another rickshaw there (Lisa would be so proud of me) and then we are going shopping again at the Garuda Mall, which is another one right near our hotel. We are also going to Star City with Saju, Nissi, Shalom and Jotham in the evening. Think of it as an Indian Chuckie Cheese-oooohhhh boy!

Pics available via email

The pictures files are simply too big. Everytime we try to up-load, it makes internet explorer time-out before the task is complete. So, email is what we have come up with until we return. I know this will bog down some computers, but we want everyone to share in the joy of this experience. I was able to put 15 pictures on a pin drive and use the hotel's check-in desk computer and outlook mail to resize the files to am more manageable size. I emailed them to myself and are ready for distrubuiton.

My email list is limited, so if you want to see the indain angel in pictures, then email me and I will send these to you. My email address is kware@truevine.net

Keith

Friday Night Lights

We went to a dancing fountain show with Saju and Nissi after shopping. This was very nice family experience away from the crowds of people. Ambika and Shalom had a great time dancing to the music. The fountain show was in a nice park that allowed the girls to swing, slide and act silly after the show.

We ended our evening by going to the KFC. It was located directly across the street from the Central Bangalore Bus Station. Let's just say, I feel for Tom, Dana, Mike, Robbie and the others that went on the mission trip to India a few years ago. I thought the traffic was crazy, the bus station is beyond crazy.

We are staying- please come see us on the 27th

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to let everyone know that we are staying in Blore until the regularly scheduled time. The flight change was possible but it was expensive. We have found a zoo/safari to go to and a theme park, so we are going to do those things on Saturday and Sunday.

We went back to Shishu Mandir briefly today. I was a little worried of how things would go, but she did great. We went when the kids were at school and only the "aunties" were there. We picked up her clothes, got a quick picture, got the picture book and said goodbye. She was ready to go and she did great!

We took a rickshaw going and coming back. It's a short drive from our hotel but it's still a crazy experience. The driver on the way back couldn't understand us, so I was a bit worried, but we guided him back. We went to SM and back to the hotel for about 1 dollar.

We are now chilling in the hotel and will be going shopping in just a few mintues with Saju and Nissi. We have to get Ambika some shoes as the ones we have brought are way too big. Keep sending the comments- we love to hear from you!

Ambika's slide show

The pics and the computer are not in sync/Ambika is sleeping like a baby

Well, I am not sure what KW and I have done differently from the first time we sent pictures, but for some reason, we can't post them. Sara, if you have any suggestions, let me know. I am doing it just like I always have. We even tried to go to our email accounts and send pics from there but it's still not working. Take our word for it- she's cute, tiny, and seems to be having a great time.

It's almost 9am Blore time and Ambika has been asleep for 11 hours. She shows no signs of waking up. Eventually we will have to rouse her, but for now KW and I (who have been up since 5:30 am) are really enjoying the quiet and the time to chill.

We are still debating about Ambika's name. We learned that she was able to tell the police who found her that her name was Ambika, so it seems she has had that name at least for a little while, probably since birth. However, we think we are still going to speak with her about the name Maddie and keep Ambika as her middle name. She's already very good at telling us what she likes and dislikes and what she wants, so we are thinking we will broach this subject on the plane ride. After all, we have 8 hour flights, so we have plenty of time to discuss it.

Speaking of planes, my travel agent tells me that the change fee will be 380 per person. We will save on hotel of course, but it's not a 380 per person difference. In a minute, I am going to call the Lufthansa field office here in Blore and give them my speech and see what they can do. After I speak with them, I will let everyone know via the blog.

If we end up staying, there is a zoo and an amusement park that we could visit. Today, we are going to the famous MG Road where all the shopping is. If we can't get it all done today, then we can always go back.

We are also going to take Saju, his wife and children, to a colored fountain water show. Saju says it's great for the kids. We are then going to KFC! I want to see if it's the same here.

I will let everyone know what I find out about the flights. As for the pictures, if someone has a suggestion, I am all for it.

NYC cab drivers have nothing on Indian drivers

If you think the traffic in Atlanta is bad, you haven't seen anything. There is no ryhme or reason to the driving here. It's very crowded. Seat belts are not worn. Families of five will get on one scooter. And the horn is used often. At first glance, it seems scary and awkward, but after awhile you get used to it.

I am going to try to post some pics now. We have been having a bit of trouble with it. Also, news flash, I am going to check about us coming home early. If the change fees are outrageous, then we won't. But, if they are less than staying in the hotel again, then we might do it.

Tomorrow, we are going shopping with Saju and his wife Nissi. We are going to the Garuda Mall, which is a really nice one, I am told. We are also going by Shishu Mandir again to get the rest of Ambika's clothes and a photo album we gave her.

I will let everyone know if we are heading home early.

Praise God- the visa is complete!!!!

Wow! What a day! We began with a GREAT American Breakfast. Again, the Radisson Chennai is worth the money. They had steak, bacon (can you believe) and everything else you would ever want. They gave Ambika hot tea with milk which is how it's served here and offered her hot chocolate. She didn't like the hot chocolate, but we did discover that her favorite breakfast treat is choc. covered donuts. Of course, we can handle that, no problem.



After breakfast, we headed to the Embassy. We had a 10 AM appt. Let me stop right now and say that TIME MEANS NOTHING in India. In a way, that's great. In a way, it's frustrating. We finally make it there amidst all the traffic (more about driving later- those of you who have been here know) about 30 minutes late. But, we went to the front of the line, being an American, and after about 3 security checks we were inside. We had every document they wanted and then some. The consulate office was very nice! You could tell they enjoyed doing their job. Basically, after about two hours, it was all done.



While we waited for the consulate to finish, we walked down a bit of street in Chennai. Yes, CH we did this WITHOUT our driver or Ruban. Let me tell you, it was interesting. We were walking because we were trying to find a chemist (read in American language-pharmacy). The doctor yesterday gave Ambika a prescription for cold and cough medicine because she is coughing a little and has a runny nose that we want to take care of. We found the chemist and let me just say that you would be blown away at this place. It's a hole in the wall and it looks like a shop from Little House on the Prairie. Her medicine costs 65 rupees, which is about 1.50. Can you believe? Anyway, it looked like a scary place, by our standards, but I am trusting the Lord and God is taking care of her.



Once we got the visa, I couldn't help myself, I just cried and cried. I was so happy and so glad that it was all settled that emotion just took me over. Now, we are relaxing in our wonderful hotel and getting ready to leave for Bangalore. Keith is now going to post some pics. Overall, another great day. She is fabulous and God is very good!

Let's start at the very beginning

As you know, I am a very detailed person. I want to tell you how the trip has gone from the start and this is the first real chance I have had to sit down for any length of time and describe our trip. We left Sunday at 2:15 from the house. It was uneventful until we got to the airport. Then Keith realized that he forgot the digital camera. He had taken it out of his bag when he was taking pics of Ambika's new room and forgot to put it back in. After some discussion, we just decided we could buy one there. After all, we had to have it.

Well, this is where God steps in. On the flight from Frankfurt to Bangalore, we sit beside a man from California. This man didn't know us at all, but through talking with him and getting to know him, we discovered that he was a Christian and just a really nice guy. We had some great conversations with him. His name is Lou and he is in India on business. He knew we were meeting Ambika the next morning and offered to give us his camera. Can you believe that? A perfect stranger giving us his camera. That just goes to show how God moves to glorify himself.

The flights were uneventful. Lufthansa is a great airline. The service was great and we actually took off and landed early! I would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs to fly overseas. Also, we had to check four bags. We were overweight on one of the carry ons and we were REALLY worried (Christina) about our bags being lost. The man assured us all our bags would arrive. I read an article on the plane about the efficiency of the bags and after reading it, I felt MUCH better. Sure enough, the bags arrived in top form.

We met Saju John in Bangalore and his brother Sam. They got us a driver and we headed to our aparment. We had rented a two bedroom apartment that was a part of a bed and breakfast. What I didn't realize was that it was a service apartment. In India, that means something different. When we arrived at 2am, there was, (are you ready for this) a MAN sleeping in the floor of the den of the apartment. (CH I see you laughing already!) It was explained to me that this man was our butler, basically. He would be making us breakfast and would be available for whatever we needed. So, if I wanted breakfast in the morning this man was going to have to sleep in the den. Of course, I am mortified, but KW is thinking this is no big deal. He just wants to go to bed.

So, after about three hours of sleep, we get up. The man begins to make our breakfast and he stays and hovers until we leave for the orphanage. I explain to Saju that when we get back with Ambika, this man is NOT to be here. I know the intentions were good, but it was creeping me out.

So, you know what happened at the school. Once we left the school, we wanted to go ahead and take Ambika back to the orphanage and get her things. Ambika kept saying, "I want to go". So, Hella said we could take her back to the orphanage, but she sent two of her friends with us so she wouldn't be scared. We stayed at the orphanage until about 4:30. I was waiting to get the papers I would need for the Embassy and waiting to get Ambika's clothes. We did get some of her clothes, but the others were hard to find, so we are getting them later. All that to say, Ambika did come back to the apartment with us.

BUT, we didn't stay at the apartment too long. We ended up finding a much better place, and when I told them my sob story, they gave me a GREAT rate on a penthouse suite. MUCH better.

The next day we left for Chennai. We took off about 30 min. late but the flight was great. Kingfisher is a great Indian airline. When we got to the airport,we had to pay a local fee that we didn't know about. It was about 15 bucks for all of us, but it was a shocker. We couldn't get through the doors without it. Also, the security screening is a girl/guy thing, so that was interesting, but again, not a big deal.

Ambika, love the flight and I will post pics later. They had movie screens so she watched Tom and Jerry the entire one hour flight. We were given a lunch and drinks plus they gave her a kid's book from Disney that had HSM and HM in it. Of course, she had not heard of either of them. She will. She ate something that KW and I didn't think looked good at all, but she loved it. She also wanted Ketchup all over it.

Our hotel in Chennai is great. We are staying at the Radisson and it's worth the money. We saw the medical doctor and he filled out all the forms he needed to on Ambika. All of that went well. We tried the pool but she didn't like it. She does like the bath and shower though. She is much more talkative and demanding (comfortable) around me than Keith, but we knew that might happen.

Last night, we had dinner at the hotel restaurant with Ruban, and AWANA worker and his wife. Ambika ate French Fries and ice cream and loved it. She has now been asleep for a little less than ten hours and still doesn't seem to want to get up.

Today, we are going to the embassy to get her visa. We will leave for Blore again at 5:30 tonight. I will post pictures soon. I promise. Now, you know the rest of the story.....Keep checking in and thanks to everyone for the comments. Love to all!

Incredible India- Incredible Ambika

India is wonderful. I feel like Ashley and I went into the "Zone". The place where you know it's God's calling, placement, blessings raining down. We arrived at the orphanage around 11:00 AM and explored Ambika's living arrangements and caregivers. Ambika was at school. I can tell you that Shishu Home is a wonder place, with wonderful people that love God's children. We drove about an hour to get to Ambika's School. We met with Hella the School and home founder and Anand the school director. During that meeting, a wonderful smiling face popped into the door. It was an incrediable moment that I will never forget. It only lasted just a moment, then Ambika took off to tell her friends. Excited and la ittle bit shy - Ambika took off to tell her friends that we arrived. We met Ambika in the court yard where she was eating lunch. We were surrounded by faces of God. Ambika was introducing us to all her friends. She climbed in

Ashley's lap and that was the end of it. Fabulous.

We will write more later. We are on our way to Chennai. Ashley will fill you in from the beginning and we will send more pics soon.

Leaving on a jet plane!!!

Our plans are set. We are leaving this Sunday, January 18 at 6PM. We will fly to Frankfurt through the night and arrive in Bangalore on Tuesday morning, Jan. 20. We will visit the orphanage later that morning. Please continue to check the blog daily as I will make entries when I can get to an internet connection. I will also do my best to post pictures. Thanks for taking this journey with us. She's almost here!