single parenthood

The story begins with me deciding that I wasn't ready to take on a new country, pick up a child who was 8 1/2 months old, fly for 24 hours in air time back to MN, and then try to be a new mom. First mistake!!! Looking back I should have gone to India and picked up my baby by myself. My friend's mom, Joan, went into escorting for the agency I was using to bring Kiran home. She wanted to be the one to bring my baby to me. This woman lived in the same town my parents grew up in, knows all my relatives but through adoption we became friends. Not only that but she met Kiran 3 times before I did and brought home several special photos of my girl in the nursery. Guess what, the agency wouldn't let her go because they had a former employee who wanted her granddaughter to see India. Pissed me off big time and I yelled a lot. Her granddaughter was also escorting a baby to MPLS, she was only 17!! Our homecoming was delayed for 2 days because of that.

The morning of August 10, my dad and I left for the airport around 11:45 to wait for the 12:30 arrival of my daughter coming via Amsterdam on Northwest. Soon, I have around 30 people surrounding me anticipating the escorts and my daughter to walk through the international gate anytime. At 1:30 an employee with the airport comes down and tells us that all the people are through customs and there is no one left. OK, WHERE IS MY CHILD!!!

I proceed to a check in desk to ask someone what is going on and that my child was suppose to be on that plane. Due to privacy laws we cannot tell you that information. But IT IS MY CHILD!!! Sorry.

The first photo is me on the phone with the agency to find out if they knew anything. NOPE! My SIL finds someone who works for Northwest, tells him the situation and he comes through. Be back at the airport 7:30, they will be on a plane from Boston.

I am so damn mad but for some strange reason, I am the calmest one in the group. I start having thoughts that they were kidnapped or murdered in the streets of Kolkata or Delhi. I am relieved, a little when they tell me to be back at 7:30. We get back to my house, most of the people went home and won't be back for the next homecoming. My SIL gets on the computer and finds out that flight to MN is cancelled. I am a nervous wreck, where is my daughter, I have waited for this my entire life....... My cousin, calls a friend who works for Northwest, my adoption agency is working on it also but is having no luck tracking them down, she tells us that she has to make a few calls. In less then 15 minutes she calls me back with the seat assignment, flight number and all the details.

It is back to the airport at 6:30. Shortly after 6:40 an attendant from the customs office comes down to tell us that the two babies are almost done and should be out soon. I am about ready to jump out of my skin at that point. When she asked if anyone was waiting for a baby, I almost fainted....Our time had finally come.

The escort doesn't apologize she just says that she faxed the agency. Wait you had my home and cell phone number, why didn't you call ME! She didn't have an answer...... Anyway, my daughter made it home and was in my arms around 7:30. The other family is late getting there and by the time they arrive, the two escorts have taken their child to a hotel. They have no way of finding them. From what I understand it took them until 9:30 to track them down.

About a month later, I call Dillon and ask them to make sure that doesn't ever happen to another family again. They were so rude to me and then 9/11 happened and it didn't seem so important to fight with them anymore, my daughter was home and we were happy....

This story is becoming a great tale to tell Kiran. She doesn't really understand it at this point but some day we will laugh about it.

Until next time friends......

# posted by sjobs @ 4:16 PM