Days Flying By

Somewhere around last Thursday, we were starting to feeling restless. Now the days are flying by! We leave in 2 days!  As I mentioned before, the Marriott room smelled moldy and mildewy and had me ready to scratch my eyes out. There was nothing to do around our hotel that didn't require a fair amount of running (except the pool but it had rained a couple days), Jeff was getting antsy about our paperwork, and we were really starting to get that itch to come home. Ruby was also restless and cranky for a few days and I wondered if she felt it or if the mold was getting to her too.  Monday morning I woke up at 5am and just looked at Jeff and said, ya know what? Let's move! And so we did. We hustled to get everything packed and organized (LOL, the most we have been organized since we arrived!) and checked out of the Marriott and into the Plaza Athenee. What a difference! Wish we had thought of it sooner, but oh well. We are here now and very happy. I can breathe again, my eyes are clear, Ruby is happier, and we are a short 5 minute walk to the Embassy and USCIS which makes us ALL happy. I used to sing at this hotel and the mgr gave us a good deal on our last night. The first 3 we got on latestays.com and it's only $99/night plus free breakfast for a super 5-star hotel with incredible food and service. Again, VERY happy here.

Today we went to the pool and stayed a long while. Ruby was in heaven and so were we. Had lunch poolside, went back in for a bit, and now she is napping while Jeff is still at the pool getting a little sun. He is so happy today as he schlepped around the 20 lbs bag of paperwork for the last time today! We met with USCIS on Mon, had our appt with them on Tues, dropped a letter to the Embassy yesterday, then had our official "interview" with the Embasssy this morning. Piece of cake! We were there for a 1/2 hour but when it was our turn, we talked to them for all of 2 minutes. Jeff will go back at 3 pm to pick up Ruby's official Visa and we are good to go! And I mean that literally...we are good to leave the country now! Since we moved, we are pretty together now so packing up again will be a snap. 

A little recap of the last few days...

Got together with fellow adoptive family Liz, Matt, and Lyla at Ocean World on Saturday. We were late and thought we'd never find them but they spotted us coming out so we were able to do a little shopping and dinner with them. Ruby is not a fan of a crowded shopping center and melted down a bit. I really should have known better, but was dying to get here some authentic Thai outfits. We found them and they are WAY cute! Ocean World was really cool, but I think it will be something Ruby will appreciate much more when she is older. She did seem to like it but I think was just in awe. She was pretty much quiet and open-mouthed the whole time. It was cute.

Yesterday we went to Mercy Centre. What a place. What incredible people there. The kids were all adorable, of course, and your heart just aches for the things they have been through in their young lives. Many victims of rape, extreme poverty, HIV/Aids, and/or losing a parent or two. But incredibly, Mercy is not a sad place. It is a happy, happy place full of sweet, polite kids laughing, singing, dancing, and playing. They do such an amazing job there. I was glad we took time to visit. I didn't do a show or anything but sang a few songs to individual groups. The kids were sweet. The staff does an incredible job there for the children and the community, but there is never enough cash, of course, for such a big place and so many kids and families. We gave them a little something, but I am more motivated than ever to sell a lot of CD's and do much more. Oh, and I got to meet Father Joe! Wonderful man. We didn't think we'd get to meet him, but he got back just as we were about to go. It was really nice.

Ruby was an angel yesterday. After her TOTAL meltdown at Central dept store on Monday (we only went for diapers and dinner upstairs) I was a little nervous how she would be. Her fit that day was worse than any before and I had to carry her out screaming at the top of her lungs feeling like the worst mommy ever for taking her near another crowded shopping place! She didn't even want to eat and she LOVES to eat! Well, turns out the poor kid needed to have a good poop! Forgive me for sharing, but we had been trying a few new things -like eggs, yogurt and ice cream - the day before and they didn't got down well. She even pointed to her belly once and I didn't know what to do or if she was hurt or itchy (she has a rash) or what??? There are times I so wish my Thai was better!!! We are staying clear of dairy for awhile. She is back to our little sweetheart again and we are not straying far from the food she is used to. 

Back to yesterday...

Before we went to Mercy, I had the hotel doorman tell her in Thai that we were going to visit some children, but would then come back to the hotel (all 3 of us together). She just hugged me and then smiled up at me. Talk about melting Mommy's heart! She toured Mercy with us like a good little girl, then sat on Daddy's lap while I sang to the kids. It was amazing. So lucky to have this little one in our lives! 

This may be my last post till we get back cause the internet has cost a fortune! We fly out Friday at 6am and are home by Sat around 8 or 9 pm. Please don't call us till at least Sunday! Jet lag is worse on the trip back for some reason and we have no idea what it will be like with a toddler! Wish us luck! Much love from Thailand! Hope to see many of you in the coming months and introduce you to our daughter: Ruby Kate Suphawadi Kitzmiller. (Yes, you can just call her Ruby. She knows her name well now and responds to it). And it's almost official! Still have to finalize in the states 6 months from now, but for all intensive purposes she is ours and we are headed HOME! Hooray!