Update: Part 1

The last week has been a whirlwind, so I haven't had a chance to catch everyone up the remainder of our trip AND on our new life with Lola. I will be doing this in a two part series.... 

Part 1 (remainder of trip)

Here is a quick rundown on our last week:

Wednesday:

Gotcha Day = most incredible day ever

Thursday: 

Visa hearing at US Embassy=

Spent about 2.5 hours in a room with 11 other adoptive families in order to process the paperwork to get Lola home. It was a very laid back environment and fun to see all the other kids being adopted. Lola and our friends from TN were the only two girls....the rest were boys! Unfortunately, they took our phones, so I wasn't able to get any pictures at the actual embassy. 

After our visa hearing we took the subway to the IFC mall near our hotel and got some grub at the food court. We then headed back to the hotel for the night. 

Friday:

Our last day= "free day"

Lola tended to go to bed around 9pm each night and then sleep until 9:30am so Casey and I took turns at the breakfast buffet. We then headed to Times Square Mall where we picked up some essentials for Lola and some toys for the boys at E-Mart, which I would equate to a Super Target.

Casey and I were very impressed by their escalators. 

We met up with our TN friends for lunch at a Korean Bento Box restaurant and then spent the rest of the day at the Yeoido Park. It was truly a gorgeous day and the park was spectacular. Our girls enjoyed playing together and we cannot wait to meet up with our friends again soon. I already miss them! 

Saturday: departure day

Everyone has asked how the flight was so here goes. Imagine 3 flights. Imagine 24 hours of total travel time. Imagine 17 hours on airplanes. Imagine waiting in long boarding pass lines, long security lines, long immigration lines AND then a separate visa line for your daughter. Imagine having to check/claim and then recheck your bags at different airports. Then imagine doing this with a 19 month old. Next, imagine doing this with a 19 month, newly adopted child. 

Let's just put it this way. THANK THE LORD it is OVER. Lola did as good as anyone in her situation would likely do. She slept some but tossed and turned A TON and fussed as any 19 month old grieving child would. But we made it and we are all still in one piece, so I'd call that a win. And God did bless us with some wonderful play areas near our departure gates at each layover. Lola adores play!!! 

Part 2 (update on Life with Lola) to come....