Our flights were booked, we were leaving October 13. By the time we were ready to go, we still did not have our embassy appointment for your visa and passport. It didn't matter, We were going to pick up our baby! We were over-the-moon and just floating thru the motions. Packing was fun, the airport was fun, it was all good. Of course, we couldn't actually LEAVE Guatemala until the visa was issued but we didn't care. We knew it would only be a week or so. As soon as we checked into the hotel, we got a call from the Julio saying he was unable to obtain the appointment needed. We used that as an opportunity to take our first family vacation. We booked a couple of nights at the tourist-y town of Antigua. A cute brightly colored town with cobble stone streets and historical churchs. We spent our days wandering in and out of the craft stores, visiting historical sites and enjoying all the wonders of our perfect baby boy.
After our brief retreat in Antigua, we headed back to the Marriot in Guatemala City to prepare for the important embassy trip. Our facilitator advised he will pick us up bright and early the next morning to avoid any major delays. 'Bright and early' turned out to be 5:30am and we were literally the first family in line outside the embassy. As the morning passed, hundreds of newly adoptive parents with babies in hand filed behind us. It was an uneventful trip which means everything went as planned and we returned to the hotel with the elusive visa. Mission accomplished: we were free to return home.
We had the pleasure of upgrading to first class on our flights home. I had no idea flying first class could be so damn good. It took awhile to get used to the service. Heated Hand Towels! I thought the attendent was being sarcastic. Roasted peanuts served in mini china cups that were warm! Are you kidding me?! Free wine! It was shock and awe to my system. I had no idea. I don't ever want to fly coach again. Never ever again. But of course, we will. We are, after all, just commoners in the real world.
We arrived in Houston with 45 minutes to go through customs, declare Tristan a full-fledged American Citizen, pick up luggage and run to the far end of the airport to catch our plane to Newark. And when I say run to the far end of the airport, I mean if you looked at the map of the Houston airport and picked out to the 2 gates furthest distance from each other, that would be our gate. Tristan travelled like an angel. Never fussing. Sleeping and being breathtakingly beautiful all the while.
I remember the plane touching down in Newark and remembering how awesome it felt to be really home as a complete family.
