A year ago: Meeting Niranjana

A year ago today, we met our daughter.

We started the day in Delhi, then flew south to Chennai by early afternoon. After a struggle to get from the airport to the Breeze Hotel - when our driver tried to squeeze the three of us, our nine bags and himself into a Suzuki Esteem - we were settled in by 3 p.m. After a call to the orphanage, Melissa and I were picked up and at the Guild of Service Foundling Home by about 4 p.m., while my mom stayed at the Breeze.

I remember having the overwhelmingly surreal feeling about being on the opposite side of the world in an orphanage, about to meet Niranjana.

We had a bit of a wait while another couple picked up their infant child. Though we didn't necessarily share a common language, we had an instant if temporary bond as we were both in life-changing moments.

Suddenly, there was Niranjana, being led to an office for some sort of processing. I saw her first and was able to snap a photo. She was so small, which sort of relieved me. In the months leading up to our travel date, I'd become anxious, as I felt like this little girl was growing older without us and we were missing out on precious moments. That was rather frustrating, but all of those feelings evaporated when I laid my eyes on our little girl.

After a few more minutes, the orphanage workers brought Niranjana to us. Melissa had a plush toy for her, which Niranjana readily accepted. She didn't smile and was obviously frightened. We spent about 90 minutes with Niranjana and the orphanage workers. Niranjana never said much, though Melissa got her to sing, This is the Day that the Lord Has Made, a song that was entirely too appropriate for the moment.

She sat on my lap for 20 minutes or so. I don't necessarily think she wanted to, but she didn't freak out or scream her head off. She sat on Mel's lap and seemed slightly more comfortable. At least she looked at Melissa, while she intently studied everything but me while I held her.

We left about 6 p.m. and headed back to the Breeze. I was on Cloud Nine. Though we didn't get Niranjana until the next day, Sept. 13 was the day I became a daddy.