Mission "Twin Retrieval": A Busy 24 Hours

Well, the past 24 hours have been very busy and productive for us here in Delhi!  It's Tuesday night here as I write this.

One Indian Tuk Tuk

Yesterday (Monday) Ken spent the afternoon darting around Delhi running errands. Now, you should understand that Ken is quite happy darting around a foreign city seeing what he can see.  And if he has the excuse of “running errands”, why, that’s even better!  And better still?  Darting around a foreign city running errands in an Indian tuk-tuk!  So, off he went, to "run his errands."  

The first stop was the bank at the GK-2 M-Block

Many Indian Tuk Tuks

market (which is just down the street from our hotel) to get a cashier’s check to pay for the DNA tests at the US embassy on Tuesday.  It actually turned out to be stops at three different banks before Ken successfully completed the transaction.  He  mentioned to me later that standing in line at the last bank was like standing in line for a drink at a bar: you elbow your way up to the counter along with everyone else until the teller gets around to you and then it’s your turn.  

The next stop was SCI to
pick up the twins’ birth

M Block Market

certificates.  Then Ken dashed off to the M-Block market in GK-1 for baby formula and a couple of extra bottles.  While there -- and  because he had some time before he had to be anywhere else -- he did a bit of shopping for baby clothes.  And, wouldn’t you know it?!  Baby clothes in India are both cute and inexpensive!  I think he bought about six pairs of leggings for Cornelia for $1.50 each.  He came home with two shopping bags and quite happy with his purchases (although then I reminded him that we would have to fit his purchases into our luggage).

After shopping, Ken was off to meet with Ms. Poonam, the woman who will help us through the process to get the twins’ Indian exit visas through the FRRO.  Fortunately, she worked at the US embassy here in Delhi for 22 years and knows all the ins and outs of the SCI surrogacy / DNA testing / US passport / FRRO visa process. 

Ken made it home just in time for us to leave for our “five-days-after-discharge-from-the-hospital-to-make-sure-you-can-keep-your-babies-alive” appointment with the pediatrician.  (No, we did not take a tuk-tuk to this appointment.)  The twins are doing great.  They've both put on more weight; Flynn is now 6lb 3oz and Margot is now 5lb 15 oz.  Yes, Flynn has caught up to Margot and is even slightly bigger (or his diaper was heavier at the time . . . ).

"Worried"

"Stunned"

Finally, we wrapped up the day with the passport photographer.  It was great.  He came to our hotel, took the necessary pictures and was back within a couple hours with all the copies we needed.  Flynn’s and Margot’s passport pictures are pretty funny.

 Today (Tuesday) we were off to the U.S. embassy for our 10:00 a.m. appointment for the twins' DNA tests.  When we arrived, the folks at the embassy told us they would go ahead and complete the additional steps and paperwork necessary to issue the passports as soon as the DNA test results are returned.  In other words, we would not have to go back again tomorrow (Wednesday) for our second appointment.  Hallelujah!  So, after swabbing lots of cheeks for DNA samples (four swabs for everyone!), filling out a lot of multi-page forms (including, for each twin, an application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, an application for a U.S. passport, an affidavit of support (i.e., we promise to take care of these two until they are are at least 18), and an application for a social security number), attaching a lot of passport pictures, and signing a lot of documents in a lot of places - and two hours later -- we were done!

U.S. Embassy in Delhi

Now we wait for the DNA results so that we can get the passports and then complete the exit visa process. At this point I'm optimistic that we will fly home as scheduled.