SUCCESS!

We have defeated the luggage! You were no match for me - I knew you would fail. The Big Guy got a more accurate scale and a flimsy duffel for my carry-on. Now we are both around 13lb each with very little left to pack. WE DID IT! (I know, you probably think this is crazy, but its the little things that make a difference in the stress level).

Wow!

10 days until we leave the US. Scary thought. I can't stop and dwell on it for long because it puts panic in my heart. I am leaving my boys, and that's hard to do. I have not been away from Licks really ever. He is 2. I know they'll be fine, but will I? My greatest fear is that Baby G will not like me. I fear her rejection. We have loved her for so long, and we are only mere strangers to her. She loves the nannies and they love her. How must they feel allowing these strange people to come in and swoop up these kids they have raised for so long? It is truly God's work that these amazing women are doing. I still feel like none of this is real. How can this be happening? We have been "doing" this for so long, and it is about to end/begin.

On a lighter note... we have too much weight. There is a 15lb weight limit on Ethiopian Airlines for the carry-on luggage. The suitcase alone weighs 5lb. Did you ever hear the saying "you can't shove 10lbs of crap in a 5lb bag" ? Well, yes you can and more. I think I will be searching for something lighter. I must. I am looking at this as a challenge that I can defeat.

It's Settled!

We will be leaving to get baby G on June 6 and arriving back in the US on June 13. 1 week earlier than I expected, but I'll take it. The flights are booked. The packing almost done. Waiting on donations of formula, but we'll purchase it if necessary. We are taking 32+ cans of formula in 2 Rubbermaid totes, and 1 Rubbermaid tote filled with diapers and wipes. I am going to throw up now.

It Doesn't Make a Difference...

If I find out in the next 30 seconds or 3 days when we get to travel to get baby G. But, I'd sure like to know right this second. Seems like we're constantly being asked to wait just a little longer than everyone else for some reason. We know what group # we're in. We know how many people are in our group. We just need a date to leave. I hate things looming over me. If I can do it - I want it done. All of the pieces of the puzzle are complete except this little, yet very monumental, piece of info. Most people at our agency get a travel date the day after they pass court. We are now going on 5 days. AND day 5 is quickly drawing to a close. I know they just need to secure an Embassy date for us and I know what the next possible one is - I just want a confirmation. I want to spend my money on plane tickets. I want to deplete the adoption account. I am so tired of waiting...

Just when you hit another low....

The rollercoster takes a crank and shoots you right back to the top. Hopefully this ride is over. We have passed court today! Hooray, hooray, horray! Baby G is legally our child, although she has been in our hearts for the last 4 years. We don't know when we will travel yet, but it will likely be in about 4 weeks. Soooo much to do. The Big Guy looks at the stuff I have laid out to pack and he just can't believe we will need all those things. This is the man who could live the movie Castaway and be fine with it. Some of us more civilized human beings actually like to wear clean clothes and deodorant on a regular basis. Oh yeah, here's the little princess...

Hold on a minute!

I'm sure some have heard the recent news of children found abandoned in Addis who have been matched with a family having their court cases put on hold. Baby G is a baby that was abandoned only not in the city of Addis. We don't know how this will affect us, if at all, but we feel pretty confident that we'll be O.K. I just have a sense of peace in my heart about it. I don't know why, but God is telling me we won't be included in this mess. There are investigations that will have to take place surrounding all of these said cases to make sure that they were truly abandoned children. Of course we want the most ethical circumstances permeating throughout this adoption, and so should everyone else. So, once again if it takes longer to get her - so be it. She is ours and we are hers and God is directing the whole sequence of events.

Time

Has it really been 2 months since our referral for baby G? I have to admit time has not stood still. In part, because I am in school - a great distractor by the way - and there is so much to do. I feel like we'll be running around like crazy peeps when we finally get travel news. There has been quite the lull at our agency for court dates so hopefully within the next couple weeks somebody will hear something. On a fun side note - we've made the switch to cloth diapers. I have been through 2 in disposables and decided that 2 in diapers at the same time would nearly kill us financially so we did it. I put baby M in them right away (baby M will now be referred to as Licks until further notice). I really, really like them. It is not hard to handle them at all. I am washing them myself. The Big Guy was concerned that since we can't keep up with laundry as is how will we be able to wash diapers? Well, our problem is not washing the clothes it is folding them. Thats what takes the most time (and everybody hates). The cloth diapers do not need to be folded so its easy. Our bathrooms already smell better. I feel like our bathroom smelled like a nursing home even if we emptied and wiped out the garbage can daily.

Speaking of Licks - he will be 2 years old in 2 weeks. I can't even start to wrap my head around having a party for him, although we have a house full of people coming. Where does the time go? Has it really been 4 years since we fell for Ethiopia? I feel like if I stop and blink my eyes 4 more years will fly by:(.