Tomorrow is the Big Day (We Think)

DJ: Candace's cell phone went off this morning at around 3:15, waking her up. I woke up at 5:00, C was still awake, I couldn't get back to sleep, slipped into some clothes and went out to sit by the elevators on our floor and smoke. Thought to myself: "This is the day I meet my son (or daughter)," and I welled up. We got some sleep until 9:00 or so and Candace called Zoya, our translator, and found out our appointment was at 2:00 pm. Sagat and Zoya picked us up, pulled out of the hotel and immediately drove us across the street.

CD: There are extra days built into our schedule. Today was one of them. We did not go to the baby house, although we did complete our interview with the Department of Education. Interview was scheduled for 2; we got in at 3. Government offices look the same, and the same people work in them everywhere. A one hour interview, so no time to go to the baby house.

The delay (and the interviewer's initial instinct to postpone the interview until tomorrow! successfully dissuaded by Sagat and Zoya) apparently had something to do with yesterday's big graduation ceremony. As far as we could make out, her son had graduated, he had kept her up all night with his friends, she thought she was losing her voice, perhaps she was hungover.......)

The interview had its tough moments - mainly the questions dealing with our ages/activity level and, I guess it should have been expected, but still odd, American racial attitudes vis a vis our willingness to adopt a child of any "nationality." However, at the end, the actually very decent interviewer (who would not let us take her picture), gave us our permission slip (really, that's what it's called) so that we can go to the baby house tomorrow AM.