Last Moments as 3

The world is round,

and the place which may seem like the end,

may also be the beginning.

--- Ivy Baker Priest

Here we are in Kolkata.. coming to you from a non-smoking room that smells like a cigarette butt. Sigh.. what can you do! Anyhow, we are here and the excitement is mounting!

Maya spent most of the plane ride yesterday bouncing around in her seat talking exuberantly about her new sister. :) {Aka.. she did not sleep allll day until the moment our driver pulled us up at the hotel entrance!}

A little baby toddled over to play with maya in the airport earlier that day, and she had so much fun! She is def. in big sister mode. She was super- sweet.. didn't get upset or smack at the child when it played with her beloved stroller and kept smacking at maya's nose. I was most pleasantly relieved by this!!

We flew Kingfisher airlines, btw, for those who are planning their travel. It was a much better experience for us than Jet was a couple yrs ago. Jet might be better now also - and they were not bad, they are the #1 airline in India for good reason - just not as accomodating at that time. Kingfisher has their own porters and are very helpful thru your entire airport saga. And sometimes it IS a saga.. so think about this. On the flight TO Goa, they had no record of our reservation, but they worked with us quickly and efficiently. Anyhow - last trip the airports were on the top of my 'worst part of the trip' list, and this time they are at the bottom. The planes are also new and nice - and tv screens on every seat. They feed you way too much also. Still having some heartburn, 12 hrs later.
Can't forget the landings on the return flight either (we had to stop in Mumbai on the way to Kolkata).. bounce - bounce - bounce. It was lovely. NOT.


So now we wait until it is time to call Anju and schedule our visit to ISRC!! We rec'd a couple updated Devika photos yesterday (Satarupa..I need to get into the mode of calling her that for awhile until she is used to the transition..yikes) - and again she was not smiling. :( We have only rec'd one photo where she was slightly smiling.. the rest have not looked very happy. I'm praying that this is an odd coincidence and that she really is not an unhappy child. Poor little whoo - she just needs her family! Thank god we are almost there. And thank god our first child was super-happy and helped us thru our 'first-time parents' mode! Maya was SUCH an easy baby - I know we are in for something more challenging this time.. my parents have always told me that paybacks are hell.. haahaa!
No worries though, seriously. I don't care what her personality is.. I love her to bits already! Can't wait to hold her in my arms.
Update: we are scheduled to be at ISRC at 2 pm. ACK! Leaving right now! :)))

Side note ~ my mom rec'd some not-so-happy news today from a recent head MRI. Please, please pray for her health and strength. Mom, if you are reading this - we're thinking about you and keeping you in our prayers. This is def. the place to pray - prayer is part of every moment of life it seems in this country. I can actually hear someone outside singing prayers (bhajans) right now.