Full steam ahead

We are now confirmed for a June 17 Embassy date. We need to be in Ethiopia on Sunday, June 13 and will be meeting our son on Monday, June 14 it looks like. We are now booking our flight and accommodations.

I'm actually not stressed either. I'm able to finish work tomorrow, a day early. I was afraid this week would be brutal at work, but it's been so smooth. We are quickly getting through our big checklist of stuff before we travel. It feels good to cross stuff off of our list.

Baby shopping was well...intimidating. We definitely had some snags on whether we needed stuff, what kind of stuff, etc. We must have looked really lost at Babies R Us because we had about every employee in the store ask us if we needed help. We got most stuff, but really got stuck on the stroller/car seat situation. So, had to push that one to another day.

All in all, I think things are coming along nicely and it's the most amazing feeling to actually have a date....THE LAST DATE we will wait on finally confirmed!

Baby Shoppin'

Well, the day has arrived to get our little man all the things he needs. Clothes, stroller, car seat, bottles...the list goes on and on. Trying to keep it as minimal as possible, but I'm sure it will be tricky to contain ourselves. I am ready to start crossing things off our HUGE to do list before we travel and this is big part of the "to do." I'm excited!

Last night we sat in his room. We have this little thing that projects stars on the wall and ceiling. In the dark, there we sat with the glow of the stars and moons projected throughout his room. It was such a moment. Sitting there in silence in his new little world that awaits him. Just sitting there taking it all in.

The final stretch

Friday can not come soon enough. My last week of work....FOR MONTHS! I can not express how much I am looking forward to minutes, days, weeks of just going through each day one at a time with our son. I know the days will fly by and I'll greet them with exhaustion, but to be able to put 100% attention and focus on our little guy makes me feel so lucky and fortunate to be able to do so. And to think...I wasn't even really considering a maternity leave when we first started this process. How in the world did I think that?! I thought I would take maybe a month off (if that), but once I saw his little face it became my number one priority. Take care of him, love on him, watch him, make sure he's adjusting and that he is healthy. I am doing a lot of thinking about his adjustment & bonding with us. A lot of adoption prep and training has taught us to be prepared for him to have issues bonding and attaching at first. He is not used to sleeping without a "crib mate." He is not used to having his every need met. He is not held all day or soothed when he cries right away. These first few days and weeks with him will be so important. I have to warn friends and family now, please do not take offense if you do not hear from us right away when we get home. It's so important for him to identify Josh and I as his number one providers. We want to make sure he's healthy and adjusting okay as soon as possible and that is our priority when we get home. We have doctor's appointments scheduled right when we come home and I'm sure I'll feel better once he's been checked out in the states. Hopefully, this bonding and adjustment will happen very quickly. I want him to get to know our lives and everyone in them. Plus, it's summer time almost. I have so much anticipation to put him in a stroller and cruise around town.

This is the latest photo we have of our son. I stare at this several times a day and can barely hold back tears each time. I just look at those eyes. He just looks so curious to me in this photo. I wonder what his story is. I wonder about his birth family, his history. I pretty much wonder everything about him.

Just realized...

Right after I posted that last post, I just realized this. That it is exactly one year ago today that we were approved by our first agency to adopt. Our process was just beginning and here we are...almost done. Whew.

Crunch Time

Early morning emails are turning out to be the most wonderful news ever. It was an early morning email that informed us of passing court. Me rushing around to get ready for the day and Josh reading an email from his phone first thing in the morning. Well, today as I'm sitting there getting ready for work, once again, I am read an email full of hope and amazement.

"Dear Josh and Casey..it is looking like your Embassy date will be June 17. "

We were informed this is NOT confirmed yet and we should know next week for sure. We were told do NOT pay for your airline tickets yet, but get to working on some details. So, that means we need to be in Ethiopia by Sunday, June 13....that's 3 1/2 weeks! Wow. That is so much sooner than I thought. Plus, we are spending 2 days in Europe (somewhere) on the way there. We figured we're going to have a layover that direction anyways and I've never been so why not stop for a few days?? That puts us leaving the week of June 7 and that also means we'd be with our son on our wedding anniversary on June 16. Again, WOW.

The list of to do's starts rolling around in my head. SOOO much is left to do. We have a shorter amount of time to do it in. I have a shorter amount of time to get my work world ready to hand over to someone else. Okay, breathe. We will get it done. We will be fine. One step at a time and soon, so soon, we will be with our son.

How fortunate are we if this is really our date? That's all I can keep thinking. This is sooo fast and we know it. It doesn't normally go this fast for families. We have been oh-so-fortunate on every step of the way so far. So very fortunate. So, now... it is definitely crunch time.

June ?

We were told today in about 3 weeks we need to start making our travel arrangements. 3 weeks!!

What that means is that HOPEFULLY in about 3 weeks we will have been assigned an Embassy date, which is when we need to be in Ethiopia. Ahh, THIS is really happening! It is looking like our Embassy date will be closer to about the 6 week mark from now. That could change, but if it is, that would put us in June. June!? Next month. June is a great month and significant to us. Josh and I started dating in June. We got married in June. My middle name is June. And, I hope that this magical month of June brings us our son!

Happy 5 months!

Today Baby Boy is 5 months old! Oh, how I wish we were with him already. We are missing those precious first months and let me tell you, it's hard! I missed him so much yesterday. I've been a busy bee getting his world set up at home. And the name process...we're getting there. Not quite done choosing which names we like the most.

My wonderful, thoughtful husband showered me with the most beautiful flowers yesterday for my first Mother's Day. I know we are almost done with this long journey, but the point is ALMOST. Not quite there. Not completed. And, that's how I feel right now. Not completed until he is home with his family.

Here's to you little one. Happy 5 months old today! We love you so very much. You are our world and we anxiously await to meet you.

Transitioning

So, now it's crunch time. There is a little more paperwork to complete, we have to get the baby room ready and all those baby supplies we need. We need to figure out our travel costs, but will hold on booking anything until our Embassy date is confirmed. A family that recently passed court is in Ethiopia now and the time between them passing court and traveling was right at the 6 week mark. If that's the case for us, that puts us traveling in mid June. We have so much to do before then. Plus, we have to get everyone at our office ready to take on our tasks while we are gone. I'm still coming to terms with maternity leave. I can't imagine being able to completely turn off my email and work role for several weeks. Part of me thinks I won't want to come back and the other part of me thinks I'll have a hard time not checking in. :) Since we own the business it's definitely a tricky thing to balance. We definitely need 2 incomes. Hard to tell what's really going to happen and a lot of that depends on his adjustment when he's home. So, the saga of not really knowing what's happening continues! All we do know is we have a beautiful, amazing son waiting to come home. We are both still in a dream world. This month marks our 1 year anniversary of starting the adoption process. I admit, I do feel a little guilty for being able to pass court the first time. I follow other family's struggles as they try to pass several times. There is no rhyme or reason as to why some families pass easily while other's don't. It's just heartbreaking to hear of families still waiting to bring their children home.

This photo shows our new dining room table centerpiece. Little shoes stare back at us at each meal. A symbol of what is to come in just a few weeks. Funny thing about these shoes. Here is our conversation about them:

Josh - "Why don't these shoes have any shoe laces? Did you grab a pair that were missing laces?"

Me - "Haha! No, that's the style of them. They don't come with laces."

Josh - "Are you sure? Did the other pairs on the rack have laces?"

Me- (while laughing even harder) - "No, that's how they are made. It's stylish. Kids are wearing them like this and now they just make them without laces."

Josh - "Hmmm...that's weird. That doesn't make any sense?"

Me - "You just became a dad 2 days ago. Did you already lose your "coolness?"

Ahhh..we both got a good laugh out of that one.

Tuesday, May 4 just changed our world

It's official! Baby boy has a forever home and we have a son. We are overwhelmed with joy! We have a lot of questions to ask our agency for the next steps, so I will keep you updated. We need to settle on a name now!

I just may go crazy today

I'm anxious. I'm nervous. It's hard to do anything else today, but wonder. Can we beat the odds and be THAT family that passes court on the first try? Can we even be so selfish as to ask for an answer either way today? Yes, note the sarcasm. :)

A Chinese Fortune

I don't generally eat a lot of Chinese food. I have to REALLY be in the mood for it. However, that might change. Here was my fortune today from my fortune cookie:

"An airplane ride is soon in your future sending you to fun!"

I about dropped my fork.