Mexico Trip 1

The baby is perfect!

She is beautiful, she is sweeeeet, she is calm, she is curious, she has fun and expressive eyebrows.......

We had her for only four days and we are both head over heels for her.

As for the trip, it was a nightmare. Our interpreter is manipulative and money-grubbing. She got our caseworker to talk us into renting her (interpreter's) apartment for the week. It was dirty, there was no a/c so we had to keep the windows open, it was hot, it smelled like gas, the furniture and beds were very uncomfortable, and not on a very safe street (think screaming and sirens).

We were not in a tourist-y part of town, which I think we really need. And we both got SICK. I went down on Wed, the day of our court appearance. So I'm throwing up and running to the bathroom all morning, then we have to get in the car for the 1 1/2 hour drive to the judge's office. Then wait for the judge's secretary (we didn't actually see a judge for this) for an hour, then the interview, then an hour drive home. It took so long to get here b/c truckers were protesting the cost of diesel in downtown Mexico City. Our crazy interpreter, however, told us that they were protesting the US. Why? Who the fuck knows.

Wed afternoon I started running fever along with everything else. So what does that mean? I couldn't touch the baby. Mike kept trying to get our passports back so we could move our flight up, but our crazy interpreter was not helpful with this. The longer we stay, you know, the more money she makes.

They came to pick up Cassie Thursday. I can't even go into that day. I didn't get out of bed due to both physical and emotional pain. Mike tried to get our passports back but no dice, the lawyer wasn't done with them yet. Finally Friday we got our shit and we went to the airport as early as the interpreter would take us just to do stand-by. We took a few Flat Stanley pics for Jack in the airport and got in trouble with security! We finally flew out at noon. But it was a really bad plane ride, I've been on lots of planes and I've never been so scared I've sobbed. Think dropping into air pockets and loud engines gunning scary. For most of the trip.

I can't believe we have to go back. I feel so desolate and defeated when I think about going back. I would give anything to never have to return and it breaks my heart. I wanted to fall in love with my daughter's birth country but here I am, a failure and not worthy of her because of this. It was the worst week I've had since my heart failure diagnosis when they were all "let's check you into the hospital and see how you are at the end to the week, we'll know by then if you go on the transplant list".

I am finally feeling better, but I am not back to my normal self. Mike got hit Friday and couldn't get out of bed Saturday and most of Sunday. Tonight a social worker is coming over to do a homestudy update because all this bullshit has taken so long we have update our information. I am quite cheerful about the mini crab cakes I picked at Sam's for the visit, though. :)

I have many pictures, but I forgot to bring my camera cord to work today. I'll try to load them tonight on Mike' s computer or load some tomorrow after four.

Thank you for all your well wishes. I appreciate all of you!!