Officially going nuts!

Well the title says it all! We are so close to getting a travel date, probably just days away and I can't think about anything else. I want to do other things, anything but this is consuming me. I think most of it is that we are still waiting on approval from the Indiana CIS(Dept. of Homeland Security) to say it is OK that we travel and pick Marlee up verses escort her. My agency representative said this happens all the time and it is really quite simple, I guess it is not simple here in Indiana! I started communicating with them at the beginning of February and it is still not done. If we don't hear soon the only other option we have is getting our congressman involved, don't really want to go there so I am saying we will hear something today! The poor girl who is the one doing the paperwork, the woman who usually does it is out on emergency medical leave and this woman in picking it up, she has gotten numerous phone calls from me and is dealing quite well considering.

I am going to have to LET IT GO....because unfortunately this is all out of my control, hard to take but the truth! I know everything will work out and we will be on a plane to Ethiopia soon to pick up our daughter! More updates to come...........

The kids have developed a love for the game! What game you ask, EVERY GAME!!! You name it we play it! They get this from their Dad, it is hard for me to sit still long enough for a game. I can only handle a couple in a row too! Both of them are mastering UNO, Go Fish, Old Maid and have recently taken to an educational game about the states. Noah is learning capitals, he loves it!

This past weekend was good! We are getting things checked off our packing list and getting things ready for Marlee to come home! We have a high-chair, mega saucer, loaned infant car seat, bumbo and more. We can not wait until she is here!

Another thing I found out while letting Noah's hair grow out( I think he is starting to look like a Beatle) is that he has amazing thick hair. Della on the other hand we have had to resort to trying rollers etc. her hair is so thin. How does it work out that way!!!

I wanted to post these pictures because we had so much fun at our dinner on Feb. 9th. We met for dinner with families from all over Indiana who have adopted or are in the process of adopting children from Ethiopia! We met at an Ethiopian restaurant on the west side of Indy and had our first taste of Ethiopian food! The food was good, will take a little getting used to, I am not one to like spicy foods. The kids enjoyed, they had scrambled eggs.

The families we met were great, many of them used the same agency as we did. Della took particular interest in two little girls Wubitu and Shahra. She gave them huge hugs goodbye and it melted my heart! We can't wait to meet with them again this summer when Marlee will be able to join us!

Learning how to post pictures....all by myself!! Now I just need to take them:)

Sleep....what is that again?

Ok, I am not sleeping very well anymore. I woke up the other day at 4:45 ready to go. Steve thinks I am nuts! I think I am anxious about getting Marlee. She is ours now and I just can't wait to go and meet her. The night before my scheduled c-section with Della I didn't sleep at all either. Maybe this is getting me ready for having a baby around the house again, oh well! I am also nesting, strangest thing ever, I actually cleaned the blinds the other day, not typical for me. Marlee's room still isn't done but close and we are also getting closer on collecting baby gear. I think I have way too much going through my head, that is why I can't sleep.

Other news, Steve and I got our first round of vaccinations on Monday, $500 for the first round, knocked our socks off, considering there are 3 rounds! Oh well ya gotta do what ya gotta do! We have two more rounds to go. I got a slight fever an sore throat after, plus my arm swelled(typical for me) and Steve just had a sore arm. All in all we are sooooo excited to visit Marlees birth country. We found our yesterday that we will have an opportunity to meet her birth family. Our agency is amazing. They have been taking video footage of her and will when we first meet her and they put it all together in what they call a Lifebook! We just need to continue it, another challenge for me, but I am up for it! I am on an email list with some other families who got through court on the same day and they think there is a chance we could travel as early as March 20th. That would be harder to work out as far as Noah and Della are concerned but Steve and I both want to get over there as soon as possible. Time will tell!!!

We got a letter from the homestudy agency saying we needed to update our homestudy by April 2nd. That means all the fingerprinting etc, all needs to be redone. I guess there is a new law in Indiana that states this! Just when you think you have got it under control, here we go. We got one set of fingerprints tonight and more tomorrow, yipee! Seriously, it is hard to believe that we started this process over a year ago. What an amazing journey and the best part hasn't even happened yet! I have heard from others who have adopted that it is life changing and I would have to agree. What an emotional rollarcoaster, filled with some amazing moments! The best is yet to come!

Obviously after reading this post, you probably agree my mind is all over the place. Well that is all for now, more later!

Rachael

You May Ask Why...........

So I have been reading so many blogs lately, mostly people who are adopting from Ethiopia and I am so intrigued by their stories! When Steve and I go over to Ethiopia to pick up Marlee I wanted to be able to update family and friends on our journey! I said I would never do this and look at me now! I also think writing things is a good way to look at your day, your life and every situation that unfolds in it! Sometimes I go through a day and so much has happened that I can't appreciate "The Simple Things." The big things are easy to remember but the small and adorable things aren't! Here is an example: Today Della's teacher came up to me at the line up and was describing how cute Della was today, she had a huge case of the giggles! We both decided she is probably just so excited to be feeling better, after a sinus infection, kidney infection, pneumonia and an asthma attack, that she can't control her joy! These are things that I will forget but don't want to! I am not very good at scrapbooking but I email well so I figure this might be right up my alley! Another quick note, I set this up all by myself.....BIG....VERY BIG!!!! I have not figured out how to post pictures yet so I will post when I get a bit of guidence. Well this is an explanation why, for those of you who know me well! I look forward to sharing "The Simple Things," and the not so simple things with you!

Rachael