The Preparing

Preparing for a new child.  Preparing for an overseas trip.  Preparing to take this child this trip!

There is so much to prepare and plan.  And if you know me, you know that I like to plan, make lists, organize, and be prepared.  But there is so much that is unknown.  For example, I don't even know what size clothes she wears.  So I am just having to guess the best I can with the information that I have.

So in preparing...  What have I been doing?  When we got our pre-approval, it still didn't really seem real. That we were GOING to China.  And I made some lists in my head about doing "this and that" when we got our LOA (Letter of Acceptance), kind of thinking in my head that it was farther out.  And then the LOA came.  Unexpectedly soon.  So then I made all my lists - started working on them.  Things that I wanted to do in the house, that had been waiting for "later" - and now later was upon us.  Things not even really related to kids at all.  And then there was all the kid stuff, prepare the room, think about getting stuff for an older child.  And we kind of got a slow start on these lists, thinking, well...we don't even have our travel approval.  And then all of the sudden...  We got our TA (Travel Approval) AND our travel dates.  Then things kicked into high gear.  We went and registered (a baby registry - another one that confused the sweet lady at the registration desk) - to make a working list of things that we need and want to get for her.  And a friend painted the previously dark green room a beautiful, soft PINK.  We started buying and ordering things that we needed.  And then there are all the little things.  There are more little things that are needed for a child - and for a long trip - than I thought there would be.  There is also the preparation for leaving our little one here with family.  She will not be making the trip with us.  It will very hard to leave her, but I think best for everyone in the end.  She will have lots of fun with her aunt!  So there is also the preparation for leaving her here.  My mind is mush and going a million miles an hour.  I'm just a contradiction!

We are slowing - and quickly - building a room for our little girl.  Thankfully our social worker handles all the paperwork and legal stuff.  All we had to do was get our visas and book our plane tickets.  Both which have been done - and even with those, our wonderful social worker told us when to do them!  And the travel team even books our hotels, transportation and activities.  All we have to do now is just get excited!

Somehow I'm successfully getting those projects done that I couldn't seem to get done at the beginning of the year. (Those that were my goals for this year...)  I've always been a "deadline" girl.  I work faster and more efficiently if I have a time frame.  I wish I could be more efficient when I have lots of time, but sadly I just don't.  The more time I have, the more time I waste.  That's probably why I haven't blogged in a while.  I think I have all this time, then I get distracted and well, the baby's up from her nap.  Less time - more blogging?

Most recently, we bought a minivan.  I never thought that I'd be a minivan owner.  Maybe one reason, because I really didn't think that I'd have two kids which I would need to put in a minivan.  I always wanted two kids, but with all of the heartache that we went through (early on) I never imagined that I'd have TWO blessings.  And another reason...  I loved my Jeep.  But there was no way that we could fit two kids in there.  We were barely fitting the one car seat.   And how I could drive something so big?  But now, only having it a few days - and even locking my keys in it the first morning (that's another story...) - I love driving it!  I can even say it's fun to drive!  And we have plenty of room now!