Day three with JP
brought more baby steps forward. We went out to do some shopping. We
have to watch her closely, because she does not want us to hold her
hands, but she will wander off if we don't keep a close eye on her.
Shopping was fun, and then we headed over to the clinic again. The
doctor called to let us know that the embassy would also require an
X-Ray TB test. That seemed pointless, as the X-ray is only supposed to
be necessary if the skin test was reactive. Still we were thankful that
the doctor called and told us (which is unheard of) so we wouldn't waste
time. After the X-ray, we headed back to the hotel to relax. I got out
the bubbles, and JP lit up. She was laughing and chattering away all
afternoon. We also started to see her ornery streak come out. That is
also normal for a child from a hard place to test you with bad behavior
just to see if you'll stick around. It was mostly just mischief, getting
into things she knew she shouldn't, but we did have some full out
defiance as well. We were so happy with the thought that we would get
her test results the next day, and hopefully her visa. We were already
looking at switching our flights to leave out the next night, Thursday.
The
next morning, we went back to the clinic to get JP's medical report to
take to the embassy. Her skin test was fine, as was her X-ray. That's
when the doctor told us that he had discovered a CDC requirement that
all people with her specific medical need were also required to take the
TB sputum test, no matter what. That test takes three days to collect.
We were devastated. I don't think I can properly communicate how
desperately S and I wanted to be home. It had been a hard week. We were
exhausted. And even though the hotel staff here is AMAZING, we were
ready to be in our home with both girls in one place. Our hearts have
been split between two continents for far too long.
We
begged the embassy for an exemption, but they did not have the
authority to give it. Only the CDC could, and we may as well have asked
them to let us go to the moon. The wheels turn oh so slowly with the
government, and taking the tests would be quicker than waiting for a
response from the CDC. So S and I had another good cry that night,
emailed my parents to tell them dad would need to take off more work,
emailed our travel agent to try and change our tickets to Monday night
in the hope we would have JP's visa by then. And $2,000 later we had
changed our tickets and extended our stay with the hotel.
We
put our heads down to push on through, and tried to focus on enjoying
our time with JP, even if we were running very short on entertainment
and emotional energy. JP is two different people here: quiet and
unresponsive around others, boisterous and energetic around us. I can't
wait to be home where we can let her run and play in the yard and expend
some of that energy! Still, as difficult as it is to be couped up in a
hotel room for 10 hours a day with an energetic five year old, we are
thankful that she has come out of her shell with us. She is not
physically affectionate yet in the form of hugs or holding hands, but it
is beautiful to see her make an effort to connect with us in other
ways. She will write words, blow up a balloon, or put her jewelry on her
animals and then call "Amma!" to show me what she's done. She will
offer us the after dinner mints that come with room service, or help us
clean things up without being asked. Even seeing her ask me for help in
the bathroom or getting dressed is a very positive sign. She may not be
ready for parent-child affection, but she has begun to rely on us and
trust us to provide for her very quickly. Those are excellent steps
toward attachment. I look down the road even a few months and years, and
dream of the child she will become. I pray the Lord gives her joy she's
never even imagined, and that she finds her freedom, her identity in
HIM, her heavenly Father.
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