Travel

We are leaving this weekend to go get our son! I have so many emotions running through me that I am not sure where to start. I am super-excited to meet him but I am really nervous too. What if he doesn't want to come home with us? What if he doesn't like us? We know so much about him on paper but what does he really know about us other than what we look like and a few activities we like to do as a family. How will he feel walking into his bedroom for the first time? church? the pool? I know God has this all planned out and under control but I would love to get a sneak peak about 1 year into our future to see how things are going.

Our kids are going to 2 different places while we are gone. Mia actually has a Girl Scout camping trip the last weekend we are gone and she may have an overnight the first weekend as well. She is staying with a good friend so that she doesn't miss her camp out but that makes me a little nervous because she is a little high maintenance and if she gets over tired or over stimulated, there is no controlling the melt down and drama. Mike and Ellie are headed to Grandma's and have no idea how much fun they are going to have. Of course, all 3 kids have a slew of things that need to be packed so that they can go. Camping equipment, swimming stuff, life vests, and of course clothes, toiletries, etc. Trying to pack and clean up the house so we don't walk into a dirty house is sometimes overwhelming.

I am very blessed that my kids are at VBS this week with an amazing group of volunteers. It gives me my mornings to try and get things done without 3 munchkins under foot. The munchkins are actually helping quite a bit with cleaning but they take longer than I would so I need to sit back and let them do it. I need their help and they need to learn how. My nerves are having a hard time with it though. :)

Our hope is to celebrate Father's Day on Thursday night because that is the last time we'll be together as a family until we are a family of 6. Here's hoping we get to pull it off.

I will try to write more during our travels. It will depend on the internet connection in the hotel. We are supposed to have a good high speed connection so we will see. :) I am testing out how to embed pics in posts so I want to leave you with a fun one from this past weekend when we celebrated our oldest nephew's  graduation.

We Got our HCO!!!

It was only a few weeks later than we had hoped but we got our HCO this morning! That means we get to travel to pick up Man Ting in just a few more weeks. I am so excited that I am not quite sure what to do with myself. There are travel plans to try and finish up (based on the consulate appointment time that we don't know yet), child care to finalize depending on when we leave, cleaning and packing to do, pet care to arrange, credit cards and banks to call, money and traveler's checks to order, etc. AAAHHHHHH! I may be more overwhelmed than excited...

Everything is in God's timing and His timing is perfect. I received word about the HCO while I was at my last Women's Large Group Bible study of the season. Those amazing, beautiful women of God have been praying for our family forever and today they gave me a wonderful card with a collection they had started of some $$ for the adoption. Blessings, each and every one of them!! I am so grateful I was with them when I got word because I needed their hugs and words of praise.

The kids will be out of school next week which means that we can ship them somewhere instead of needing someone at the house to watch them. That makes it easier for everyone involved (except for me having to pack for 6 instead of 3!). Blessings! Our amazing Life Group have all stepped up to keep an eye on our pets and our house while we are gone and watch out for all the end of the year Girl Scout paperwork that gets dropped off at my home at this time of year. Blessings! I have had about 4-5 ladies step up to take on volunteer positions in our Girl Scout Service Unit next year. For me, that is a huge burden lifted because I will no longer have it in me to do it all. Blessings! The weather is finally cooperating around here and we have all been able to get outside, soak up some sunshine and vitamin D, and just get active again. Blessings!

I will try to post more as we make plans for our trip and how much fun I am having planning and stressing out over all of it. I will be hitting up my hubby for more help than ever and am so grateful that he is here and in this with me 110%! That is my biggest blessing! :) I just have this song verse stuck in my head  and heart today. I used to sing it at church when I was little and it just came to me this morning and hasn't left! It's part of a larger song but we sang it as a Doxology.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 NIV