This morning I went on a 20 minute run with my friend. It was so nice to run again!
Soon after, we all piled in the car and headed to Ambience Mall. Their oldest had a birthday party to go to there. They gave me a stroller to use and Lyla and I went and did our own thing. Having a stroller is lovely!!! Right after arriving at the mall, I received a huge blessing. A friend here called and said they felt led to help me with my flight home. They said I should just go ahead and book my flight in faith that I will get to leave late Tuesday/Early Wednesday to head home, and if it does not work out they would pay the change fee!!!
I am totally blown away by their generosity. It really helps in a lot of ways to go ahead and book the flight ahead of time… it gives us a lower ticket price, secures us a seat on a flight that might be full on a same day booking, and it also does my heart some good to know that home is just around the corner! We have been so blessed by our friends here in India in so many ways. Most of these friends I have never met until I arrived here this trip, and one I have never met, and of course our friends in Jaipur that we have known for some time have been praying for us and giving us some sound advice…God is so faithful! This group of friends have blessed us spiritually with prayer and encouragement, fun fellowship, great shopping, great advice, helped us save money, found places for Lyla and I to stay, housed us, fed us, driven us around, washed our clothes, and now one has offered to help pay for a flight change. Again, we serve an AWESOME GOD who is FAITHFUL!!! To all my old and new friends in India… thank you for caring about us so much! You all became my church family here and helped meet all of our needs. I will always be thanking God for you in my prayers for many years to come!
Back to the mall… I was strolling Lyla around and what do I see, A Starbucks. No need to ask if we stopped. I had a Pumpkin Spice Latte and Lyla had warm milk which was served to her in a Starbucks cup. She looked so cute drinking it, like such a big girl.
Then we just walked around and looked at a few stores, and it was time to head back to the Max Med Center for the reading of Lyla’s TB test. In the back of my mind, I was a little worried her test would be positive and we would have to stay here longer… but I had been looking at her arm where they pricked her and there was no sign of a bump… I was pretty sure we were going to be in the clear! 🙂
My friends told me before I left the mall just to ask around where I could catch an auto (rickshaw) from. I asked several people and at first it was like they could not understand me. I would say, “where can I get an auto?” And they would just stare at me confused. Sometimes they would motion for someone they thought spoke better English. Then I would say “Auto?” thinking that eliminating the full sentence may help. I would say “Auto?” again. Then they would say back questioning me, “an At-oh?” So I realized I must be saying auto real country, and I need to say it like “oh-To” with the emphasis on To. 🙂 But you see when Indians give directions they wave their arms around like you are supposed to know what they mean, even though you have never been there before. The other thing they do… keep in mind I just asked them a question and it was very obvious that I don’t speak the same language… I can’t even say the word auto correctly. But then they proceed to give me directions to catch an Auto in Hindi. All of that to say they my whole “At-oh, Oh-to” conversation happened several times as I walked through the mall navigating all the hand waves. But we made it to the right place, and I had some good laughs at myself along the way and mumbled “Oh-to” over and over again to practice!
Lyla and I caught a taxi (After all that auto talk, the taxi was just sitting right out front!) from the mall to go to Max Med. On Thursday when I left the doctor’s office, they gave me a paper and told me to bring it back, and I was to also bring the form from the embassy that I picked up Thursday too. I went down to the Immigration Office area at Max Med, and they told me to go to the first floor for the reading. So I had to go two flights up. a floor I had not been on yet. (The lobby and help desk area, and nurses station is on the ground floor) I am pretty sure they told me to go to room 1214, but I could have the numbers backwards. Just ask before you go up or stop at the nurses station and they will tell you. I walked in this tiny room, that looked like a patient room. There were eight men in their. I said I am here for our read. He asked for my paper that Max Med gave me, and looked at Lyla’s arm and told me to go back down to Immigration and wait. I went back down, and the man at the counter told me to wait and he would call me when he needed me. The doctor came out about 10 minutes later and asked for the form from the embassy. Then I sat about another 30 minutes and they handed me my packet for the Embassy. It is a big greenish sealed envelope that you can not open, only the Embassy can. Great news…we’re clear or they would not have given us that packet!
I do want to stop right here and make a little more fun of myself. 🙂 I totally think I am hip with the Indians now. I have mentioned the Indian bobble they do with their heads when they are saying yes, or that they understand, or are in agreement.. But you are really cool when you just tilt your head to one side, and say “Ha” (which means yes in Hindi) or you can say “Acha” (good), or Tik-hey (ok) all at the same time. I am totally rockin’ the one tilt thing. I must have done it 35 times today at Max Med. Too me, I feel cool, but to them they are probably like… what is wrong with that girl’s neck? And I am sure I am pronouncing the words wrong in a southern accent and with the wrong emphasis on syllables.
I had my taxi man wait on me, so he was out front of the doctor’s office. He took me by the bank and then took me home. I was in the car with him a total of an hour to an hour and a half. So we had some good conversation, because he was interested in our adoption process and why my husband was not there. Eventually, I shared about Jesus with him. The adoption is always the perfect segue for me! He agreed that Jesus was a great man, but that was it. I left him saying that he should find a Bible to read or listen to while he drives so he could learn more about Him.
The family was gone most of the whole day, so we had the house to ourselves. Well, not completely, their house helper was there too. Lyla adores her! Lyla played barbies for an hour, colored, and played with some of the other toys. Then the whole gang arrived. We had a great supper together, and Lyla put on her necklace, bracelet , and ring that Scott and I gave her. She prissed around for a bit and had to show everyone, and then it was time for bed.
She had a great day emotionally. I really enjoy getting to spend time with her by myself with out a lot of distractions around. It was a super day!