We headed to the "Game" mall and walked around for a bit. Then we let the children play on a little playground for our paid 30 minutes. Trust me, the workers don't let you go over the 30 minutes by a second! Maxwell and Anita loved the slide. Down and down and down, over and over again. Anita finally would try the bounce house and would just giggle as she jumped. Maxwell just stood there, he didn't seem to think he could even hop. It was kind of funny. After trying everything he wanted to, he just walked over and put his shoes on. He was done. We then ate pizza (yes, they make pizza in Ghana ... think, frozen pizza from the grocery, LOL.) The kids chose to have it. Maxwell ate 3 1/2 pieces. Really?!?! More than mommy and Anita! We might have to take out a food loan just for him. Sometimes it's hard b/c he really wants to eat ALL the time and when I say "ALL," I literally mean "all" the time. He ate breakfast this morning, omelet, toast, and beans and milk. He ate every bite. Not even 30 minutes later, he says "Mommy, I want a biscuit." And this happens all day long. Finally tonight, I had to tell both of them, right after eating dinner and them asking for more food that they couldn't eat ALL day, every minute, that Mommy and Daddy will not let them starve and they will always have food. So hard for them to understand. Especially when I see them so so uncomfortable b/c they have gorged themselves all day long.
As 2:00 approached, we left the mall to catch a cab. I gave ourselves 1 hour to get back to the hotel, changed, and to the embassy. Well, Accra traffic is awful. I was stressing like crazy. Our visa pickup was for 3:00, we had to be there by 3! I'm not going to risk messing with the embassy at this point. I told the driver to just take me to the embassy and not the hotel. He was such a nice man. He asked the kids if they would let their mommy adopt him too? They just stared at him and smiled. He looked at me and said "I want to be adopted." WOW, really? He was older too. So many people want to come to America, they genuinely want a shot at something better and although we see our culture as struggling at times, it doesn't compare to the lives some of these people live and want so desperately out of. We all didn't choose to be born where we were, it is simply the hand that was dealt to us. And at times I ponder this and realize how truly truly blessed I really really am!!! He got us to the embassy at 2:45. Perfect! As I opened the door for the kids to get out, Anita started to cry. She took one look at the embassy and remembered our 3 hour wait from yesterday. She wanted nothing of it. Maxwell had already bargained for Plantation Chips, so he was going in no matter what. LOL. I explained to Anita she would be fine and that we needed to get Visa's for America. She, then, happily came along. And of course, there is nothing a biscuit (cookie) won't help! As I handed the guards my email from the embassy I was good until I got inside the Consular section. And the guard looked at me strangely and made a phone call. Oh, did my heart jump! I just stood there calmly. Didn't say anything and then he says "Window 1, got to Window 1." We did and handed a lady our email. Within 5 minutes they called the "Turner Babies" and a very nice officer handed me the children Visa's. Really?!? They were really there. Ahhh!! I told him thank you and the children smiled so big at him and told him thank you and off we went. I felt like I needed some bullet proof bag to be holding what I was. I kept checking there were my folder and I hadn't dropped them. I wanted to hug somebody! Me and my dang hugs. It was something we have worked so hard for. I was cherishing them tightly.
Adam, my sis, and family are getting the house ready for the little ones. We will be flying home on Sunday from Accra and arriving in San Diego Monday morning. Anita keeps singing "We go to America on Sunday, we got to America on Sunday!" Oh little ones, you just have NO idea how many people in your life love you so much!!!
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