Eight

Eight days...eight days until we leave on our journey to Ethiopia. According to the old plan we would be meeting our son tomorrow, as far as plan B goes we will be meeting M two weeks from tomorrow. We got some updated pictures yesterday and were just delighted as ever to see the most handsome, healthy, glowing boy and BIG too.

It's amazing that no matter how much time you have, when it gets down to the wire there are always a million little things to do still.

Used stroller, new car seat, borrowed Pack'n'Play



We'll see how it goes with a little boy in our bed...if not we have back up.
I am sure Daniel and M will sleep fine. Little M will probably even add to Daniel's chorus of snoring and active dreaming. I'll be the one sleeping in the crib.



Packing



Piles of little clothes



Still packing


Cupboard of little people things



Our book and toy collection
(Don't worry, i'll be sure to pick up the dangerous screws that are on the ground and the dangerous vitamins that are on the shelf.)

Checking off my list...

Car Seat - Check
Finally purchased today after much researching, looking, (and agonizing). It took Daniel 2.5 minutes to decide between the 3 options I was down to. I just couldn't decide!

Stroller - Check
Happened to check Craigslist today and found a stroller I could walk to, to check it out. I felt a little strange strolling home an empty stroller, but it seemed to work well. I hope it's as easy to push with 21.5 cute little pounds in it. We got updated measurements today and M is 20.4 pounds (I figure he'll gain another pound before we are home this time next month.)

Adding to the count down

We are adding to our count down to travel to Ethiopia. On Tuesday, we were down to nine days until departure to begin our journey to meet M. Today, on Thursday, we are at 21 days. We got an e-mail Tuesday night, stating that our travel group had to be postponed. We were quite shocked and disappointed. Wednesday we were just ready to be given another date to work towards, but it was a little iffy in the morning when we talked to the agency. It looks like, we are just going to be delayed two weeks and that we should just be leaving two weeks later....July 30th. I am not feeling totally confident that we will be traveling then, but that is where is stands now and we were able to change our tickets to the new dates.

So, despite plane tickets, hotel reservations, time arranged off work, house and pet sitters...we have had to reschedule all of that. Having two extra weeks isn't the end of the world, I just need to use them productively so I am more ready when the time does arrive. We can't complain too much, as the group leaving before us, got a call the night before they were scheduled to fly to Ethiopia and were told they wouldn't be able to go. That would be very, very, very upsetting.

Big Sky Country

We had a good time in Montana for Grandma Bina's 90th birthday. Well, I did, but Daniel might have a different opinion. He was very busy and preoccupied taking care of our elderly dog, which we should have just left at home. I think we both had a great time, though, seeing everyone and catching up with extended family. It is always fun to see Lucy and Francis and Henry. And we always enjoy spending time with Leslie and Lani, too. Henry and Daniel got to spend some quality time together watching some soccer matches and even kicking the soccer ball around. We, me especially, had thought about not going on the trip with everything else going on around here, and not being sure when we will travel to Ethiopia. I am very glad I went though, it was a nice break from all that we are doing and worrying (mostly I do the worrying) about around here. And Beckett is happy to be home and doing much better in his usual slow paced life in the backyard.

Grandma Bina with Grand and Great Grand Kids

Becks in Georgetown Lake

Our Favorite Twins

Our Nieces and Nephew on a Hike around a Lake

Almost Everyone

Daniel with his Gramma and Sis

Us After Church


Crazy Hail Storm

We're going to Ethiopia

It still doesn't seem quite real to me, but we are going to bring our son home soon! We found out at the end of the week, that we will be part of the travel group going to Ethiopia towards the end of July. We even bought our (very, very expensive) airline tickets today. Despite saving miles for years and an offer from our biggest supporters to use their airline miles, it just didn't work out. We had more than enough miles (for first class seats even), but not enough notice to use our miles.

And despite getting us prepared for travel since we passed court May 18th, I still feel totally unprepared to travel (especially with a new kiddo). I have been crossing things off the list for over a month, but the list keeps growing and growing and growing. My stacks for M, also, keep growing and growing and growing. I don't know how you pack for a baby, when you don't know what size they are or what size they wear, how much formula they drink, what they eat, what entertains them. But, many, many people have gone before us successfully, so I know it can be done. One thing is for certain, our small little carry on backpacks that have traveled around the world are not big enough. I keep going to the store and looking at those big suitcases (that I know we need) and just can't convince myself to get one...you could fit a person in those things!!

The count down begins....

Everything I Asked For

I got everything I asked for for my birthday. I wanted a cup cake, flowers, and scallops for dinner. And just like that it was all there for me. I love my sweet husband. He takes such good care of me and likes to please me. I woke up to flowers and two pretty cupcakes (I ate the chocolate one for breakfast). In the afternoon, I went and got a special spa facial that Daniel had gotten for me (for a special deal and that I had been saving for my brithday). When I got home there were huge, delicious scallops and shrimp on the grill, yummy grilled potatoes, and a salad with tasty homemade croutons. Awesome! Plus, another box of fancy, beautiful cupcakes (he says in case I didn't like the other ones). I have never met a cupcake I didn't like, though.

In other non-birthday related news, our kitchen is getting closer and closer to being put back together. The World Cup is in full swing in our household. Daniel wakes up early in the morning, so he can catch the games. He gets so excited. When I mentioned, he is like a little kid at Christmas, he said, "It's way better then Christmas." We got news a little more than a week ago that our immigration approval made it to the US Embassy in Ethiopia. We still think we could be traveling to Ethiopia in July, possibly...but who knows.

Is that a virus?

I have been obsessively checking my e-mail, like 8 times a day, and running to get the mail when I see the mail man coming. I really don't know what I am looking for. When we found out the soonest we'd be traveling to Ethiopia is July, I thought, "Okay, I can relax a little and just wait peacefully." But, it's not working...argg.

Last night when I was telling Daniel about my obessive e-mail and mail checking, and that I just wanted some type of information...any information, I started listing off things I would like to know. Did M get moved from Wolayta to Addis? Has he gained any length? What size does he wear? Is his birth certificate or some other important paperwork in the mail to be delivered any day now? Did our I-171H make it to Ethiopia? And Daniel said, "I-171 what, is that a virus?" He always makes me laugh.

Really, I know that the Holt staff here and in Ethiopia are working very hard to take care of all the children in their care and are working hard on lots of families adoptions right now. I know it will all happen, when it happens, and so far our adoption process has been rather quick (although it doesn't always feel like it) and smooth. I know things are good and on track.