One week from right now

Scott and I should be in a plane on our way to Russia. I say should because let's face facts, flights are rarely on time and our flight leaves Atlanta at 3:40. Two weeks from now we will have our girly with us and be in Moscow, and three weeks from now we will be home and getting on with life. Three weeks from today is my birthday too and I think having a new family member at home will make it extra special!

Since I only have week left to get ready, and one of those days is taken up by a holiday, you are right if you think I might be freaking out a touch. But it's really just a touch, I'm pretty calm about this trip. I'm more excited to get there and get our hands on her than anything else, and this time that feeling is overriding all other's. Our kids are so excited to get their sister here that they are counting down the days. They are also planning all the activities that she will to do with them. The sweet girly girl we met in May is about to become a tom-boy! They have plans for trains and dog games, but I'm hoping they will squeeze in a tea party or two also.

It's getting so close I'm not sleeping at night, I've been dreaming of adopting since I was little and dreaming of a daughter for eight years I can't imagine what it will feel like to complete those dreams.

Did I make a mistake??

Way back when, after we'd gotten our referral and before we'd been on trip one, I bought bedding for Miss PP. Since she was under two I assumed that they would have the kids sleeping in cribs still. This was great because we have a crib!! I bought a cute little bumper and dust ruffle and thought I'd done great.

Cut to trip one, the kids sleep in beds! We kept thinking that she would be better off in a crib, yada, yada, yada. But for the last few weeks I've been thinking that we made a mistake, she's already in a bed, wouldn't she be happier staying in a bed? I don't know what to do, so if you have any thoughts or experiences you'd like to share, I'd love to hear them.

Did I mention that two weeks from today we take Princess Pink from her baby home and off to her new life!!!!

Two weeks from today

we will hopefully become the proud parents of the world's cutest little girl!!!!!!

We have booked our flights, and they stink, but they cost a lot less than the good ones, and today we finished the Princesses room. The painting is done, the crib is up, the chair is in and Scott built her a great closet organizer. Saturday I washed all her clothes, and let me say it was very exciting to fold them!!!! This afternoon I got to put them away and organize her closet, it's starting to feel real. Scott is worried because his daughter, who doesn't live here ye,t has six pair of shoes and he only has four. I suggested he get a couple more pair if that would make him feel better.

We are definitely counting down the days.

Two Weeks

Two weeks from today we leave for the adventure of a lifetime. When we leave we will still be our little family of six, ooops big family, but when we return we will be seven. I am so excited and so nervous that there are times I can't tell which is the dominant emotion. I just want to get my hands on our girl and kiss her and hug her, but I'm so worried about her and how she'll take all the changes we are about to thrust on her.

This afternoon I'm busy doing Princess Pink things, which definitely makes me happy. I went through all the clothes we've bought her and cut off the tags and put them in the wash. The interesting thing is that I didn't need to do a dark load, everything is light pink (boy I hope she loves that color). I also got her chair put up her room, too cute!

Tomorrow I am attending a shower for Miss PP. I am so excited, but not because of the presents (lord knows if it's even remotely cute, I've already bought it) it's because I'm not sure that her little life was ever celebrated. I'm so excited to have an invitation and pictures to put in her scrapbook, so she knows that we were so excited for her arrival. I want her to know that she is loved and I want her to know that she is wanted so, so wanted.

Sneak Peak at the Princesses Room

This is the room we are working on for PP. We have ordered her name in painted letter to hang above crib, but they won't be here for awhile. Then I found a pink chenille roll arm chair on target dot com clearance for a song. I'm not sure what else I want to put on the walls.... maybe some book covers framed, or illustrations from inside my fave children's lit, I just don't know. I'm also trying to decide if the pink stipr is screaming out, put some words in me. The problem is what words. Decisions, decisions. At least they are distracting me from worrying about the trip.

Court Date??

Today four weeks to the day after leaving Magadan we got our release letter from Moscow!!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!! So now they are scheduling our court date for July 9th, a week later than I would have liked (Princess Pink's birthday is the second of July) but beggars can't be choosers and anxious folks like us will take any date!!

So now there will be a flurry of activity around our house while we get the final preparations for our girl completed. We just finished painting her room and it looks amazing, I'll post a picture late this week when the crib and curtains are up so you can see it completed.

I'm so excited and now the nerves have set again. I cannot wait until July 14th, we'll be home with a daughter and US citizen. Today is a great Day!!!

Scenes from our Father's Day, in reverse order

To start I think Scott had an okay Father's day, he did things for everyone but himself, but they were all his idea when asked what he wanted to do for his day.

Tonight I downloaded "Let's get it Started" for the three big boys, someone at school had taught them the chorus and they wander around singing it and I thought they'd get a kick out of hearing it. So they're standing in the den in their jammies dancing and singing to the song when the word stupid is sung. They all stop dancing and cover their mouths with their hands and giggle like girls. The Black eyed Peas they're not, more like the Osmond Brothers.

We took Daddy out to a new pizza restaurant. He loves it the kids were as good as gold and I think that might be his favorite part of the day, well that and the left over pizza he brought home.

Even though it was Scott's day he offered to take me to the outlet mall I've been drooling over for the better part of a year. They had a Polo outlet, Gymboree outlet and a COACH outlet, which Scott encouraged me to go into!!! I felt so guilty that he was spending his day shopping for my wants that I couldn't bring myself to buy anything (what is wrong with me???)

The boys have been wanting Crocs and then I got a pair and they really wanted Crocs. So today we caved and got them each a pair. When two of your kids can't tie shoes, anything that is a slip on is a deal. They wanted those things you stick in the holes but I convinced them that those were for girls. So the thought we ought to by PP a pair and get her some. I had to draw the line. They have been wearing said Crocs all day and two of them are now sleeping with them. These kids have good shoes, it's not like they never get anything new, they are spoiled and yet they are sleeping with their Crocs, I was about to say I'll never understand them, but I am a shoe hound so I do understand.

I got up early made Scott his favorite breakfast and I let him sleep until 9, so I have to say his day did start on the right foot and now as it's winding down he is reclined on the couch watching something boring on TV.

I must say I do have the best father for my kids I could ever ask for, he is always there for his kids, makes time for them, plays with them (even the games I hate), and kisses and hugs them all the time. I am so glad that my boys will always grow up with and affectionate and present father, they couldn't ask for a better one. I can't wait to see how he's going to be with our little girl, I'll bet he's mush!