It is true; we
have a baby on the way! That was a surprise we discovered 2 weeks ago. Jonathan
is super excited and once I got over the initial shock and feeling of being
overwhelmed, I got excited too. It is funny how the Lord changes our plans,
even when we have a great one in place. Someone told me that “Life happens when
you are making plans”. How true that is! Now at 7 weeks along, I am anxious to
hear the heartbeat and as soon as possible, know the gender of our little
bundle of joy.
I know
pregnant women get weird cravings and suddenly don’t like certain things.
However, what I have found interesting is that of all things, the one food I
cannot stand the sight, smell or taste of, is rice. RICE! I used to like rice a
lot. Now, I can’t stand it! It is the one food that will make me run away from
it! It is particularly awkward to have an aversion to rice in a Latin American
country where they eat large helpings of it every, single, day! It is a
difficult thing to avoid for sure!
As you all
probably already know, I am currently in the States. I flew to NYC on Thursday
to begin the process of Dominican Residency. It was a Hollywood worthy day with
all the (now) humorous things that happened. Basically, 4 hours and $200 after
landing in NYC I found out Residency was not going to be possible to obtain on
this trip. Fortunately, Mom had sent me money for airfare to come see her if
possible, so I called her and booked a flight for the next day. Friday morning,
I left NYC and headed to Nashville. I will be here until March 2nd
then I fly back to NYC and leave for the DR on the 3rd. I am
spending my time here in Tennessee seeing family and friends, eating and
resting. It is glorious! I have not been this relaxed in a long time so just
resting has done amazing things for my health and mental welfare! I will
include a more detailed account of experience below if you are interested.
In my absence
I gave Jonathan the okay to get a second kitten. Our first one we got for my
husband’s birthday in January. However, she really needed a play buddy because
she was being rough with me. Kempurr is a dark calico and has been queen of the
roost. When Jonathan brought home Aria (left), a light calico, there was/is some “I am
boss, I was here first” stuff. However, Aria is super sweet but pushing back
against Kempurr some, so hopefully in the next few days they will settle down
and be best friends. They were playing last night but every now and then there
is a little “take that” going on!
Kempurr
I was going to
add a philosophical tidbit, but I think I will hold off on that until next
week. Right now, my baby is hungry so I am going to see what weird thing sounds
good to eat…not rice for sure!
My
first 36 hours back in the States
I left for the Dominican
airport at 3:45am (Eastern time) Thursday morning. I got checked in and cleared
security with no issues. Immigration charged me $57 to leave the country (not a
surprise, because I stayed past my 30 free days). The plane was late departing
due to an unwell passenger who chose to leave the plane as we pulled away from
the gate. She and her husband and baby all left. This made us about 20-30
minutes late. The flight itself had 10 minutes of really bad turbulence, I mean
really bad. After we landed we were not allowed off the plane for 30 minutes
due to an unruly passenger that needed to be removed first. Also, customs
decided to x-ray each bag individually because someone packed something they
should not have, in their checked bag. However, after the unruly man was
removed, we were finally allowed off the plane.
I got through the customs kiosk and
first officer with no problems. However, the second officer was a native
Spanish speaker and was interrogating me as to why I was coming to the US. (I
am thinking to myself, lady, I have a US passport that says birth place: Tulsa,
OK, I speak with a slight southern twang, and perfect American English. I am
obviously a US citizen. What is the deal?) But I was nice to her and she asked
me what my job was, I said teacher. She stared at me..."profesora"
and she started talking to me in Spanish. (Officer, I just said the Spanish
word because you did not respond to the English word). When she caught on that
I had no idea what she was saying, she switched back to English and asked why I
was here. I explained I married a Dominican and I needed to visit the Dominican
Embassy to start my Residency papers. "So you are applying for his
papers". "No. I want papers to have Dominican Residency. I was told I
had to come up here to get those" (a glare). "Do you have any food?"
"I have tea in here [my suitcase]” (another glare...hands me my passport,
points to the exit and calls the next person forward).
I step out into the bitter cold and
head to the buses. I look at the prices and decide a taxi is better due to me
having no idea where I am going. The taxi takes me to the address where I would
be staying for $60 plus tip. I get out and go to the wrong door first (oops,
that was an awkward moment) but finding the correct apartment door I
knock...knock again...a third time... still no answer. I quickly connect to
roaming to call Jonathan. 2 minutes later we are disconnected. I knock two more
times and someone answers. She hadn't heard my previous knocks.
I get inside, connect to wifi, and call
Jonathan again checking in. I spend the next hour and a half eating, talking
with Jonathan and filling out my visa application. I then go to walgreens to
get pictures for the visa ($14) then realize I can't get a taxi from there and
go back to the house to call a taxi. Ride to time square/embassy $55. Go to the
Embassy (hard to find, btw) and spend 15 minutes or so getting information. I
find out some documents are wrong, some I don't have (that I knew, they were
going to be mailed to me), the application is $150, the translation is $83 and
the legalization of the translation is $80 per document. They asked if I was
living in NYC. I said no and they were surprised I came up here just for the
Visa, as most of it can be done in the DR. That contradicted what we had been
told by an immigration lawyer in the Dominican. I still have to come in person
to officially apply, but everything else can be done there. (So basically, my
trip to the States was not needed) One person asked if my husband was in prison
because my marriage license looked odd (thank you Hamilton County). I could not
say no fast enough!
After gathering the info I took the documents
and went to hail a taxi. I am thinking “I do it all the time in Santo Domingo,
it has to be similar right?” Well, it was not. I finally got one and he refused
to take me because he did not know the address (the only cab driver with no
GPS???), another refused because he did not have enough time, but finally, 30
minutes after leaving the Embassy and standing in the cold, a third taxi took
me for $50.
I call Jonathan and explain everything
the Embassy said. We both reached the conclusion that Residency is not
happening on this trip. However, I have a non-moveable, non-refundable ticket
to the DR for March 3rd. Mom had sent me money to visit her if possible so
Jonathan and I agreed the best use of my time would be to go to Nashville and
rest. I booked the flight that night to leave the next day.
The lady I was staying with was kind
enough to book a taxi for me to take me the airport at 6:00am. She explained
(in Spanish) to the driver where I was going, that I spoke no Spanish and that
I was pregnant so not to let me carry the suitcase. All was good. He spoke no
English but tried to talk with me; and through my 3 year old Spanish we were
able to talk about Santo Domingo and how much warmer it was there, where in
Santo Domingo I lived (the cabby was Dominican btw) and that yes, this is my
first baby, and yes my husband is in Santo Domingo. Then, as we were driving,
his GPS was a little slow so he was asking me how to get to the airport. I was
a little annoyed because there were signs, but then I realized he could not
read English. So between the GPS, hand gestures and my broken Spanish, he got
me to the airport and unloaded my suitcase.
I go to the delta self-check in and the
kiosk could not find me. I go to another line and they find me immediately. 1
checked bag = $25 (???) but fine, whatever, I pay it and go to security. I ask
the security man if I can opt out of the full-body scan. "If your
pregnant". "I am" "Go stand over there. (raising his voice)
We have an opt out". I am pulled aside, my things taken from the boxes and
put to the side. I am patted down for a good 5 minutes. (apparently, opting out
raises alarms?) I clear security, buy a juice and head for my gate. I confirm I
am in the right place and get a bagel and hot tea. Realizing when I checked in
the man said I had 2 minutes from landing on my first flight to departing on my
second, I go over to confirm at the desk. Fortunately, he was wrong, but as I
am explaining the lady says "Ms. Hardin?" I am like how do you know
that? You haven't seen my boarding passes or my ID. But the issue is cleared up
and all is good.
Boarding time comes and the previous
flight is 20 minutes late arriving at the gate due to taxi-ing traffic. Which
means, boarding and take off is 20 minutes late. However, the flight goes well
(nothing abnormal) but the pilot bounces the plane when landing in Detroit...20
minutes late. I exit the plane and my next flight is one gate over. Cool! The
bathroom...5 gates away. But, I have 20 minutes so I get a snack and such and
return to my gate. Boarding time comes and they are 15 minutes late boarding
because the flight attendants were late arriving due to their previous flight
arriving late. We board and that flight goes smoothly as well arriving 15
minutes EARLY! However, the pilot hit the ground HARD. No bouncing but man he
hit hard. Everyone was like OMG!
No issues leaving the plane and when I
grab my bag there is a little security sticker on my flight tag. I am like
really people? What do you think I am carrying? Check my clothes, I don't care!
Take my Spock socks though and there will be an issue.
After that I just ate a cinnamon roll
and read a book while waiting on Mom. We stopped at Taco Bell for dinner (weird
pregnancy cravings) and now I am enjoying 12 of days of rest and proper hot
showers here at the house.
So, that was my first 36 hours in
the States. Without the prayers of my family and friends I never would have
made it through. The Lord was good and gave me the strength to tackle this
frustrating event.
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