All packed and ready to go...

Suitcases are in the living room waiting to be hauled out first thing in the morning.  I just have a few little miscellaneous small things to pack (like this computer) and the kitchen to clean up, then to bed.

This week has been a whirlwind!  Last Tuesday I received my HCO, but with it news that Baby Girl was in the hospital.  No news (and lots of crying by yours truly) on Wednesday.  I knew travel could be soon, but with no news on Baby Girl's condition I was just a blubbering mess with no motivation to get things done.  Then that happy phone call last Thursday and the flurry of activity began!  With exactly one week notice to travel and LOTS to do, including complicated logistics for the double-booked Philosopher (solved by backing out of an event) and getting people (wonderful people, I might add!) to fill in for my monthly widows' meeting (REALLY hate to miss it especially since we have fun plans and Christmas can be a tough time for widows), I was a bit of a stress basket, but a happy one!

Thanks to a LOT of help from my lovely friends and family we made it!  I am so thankful for the people who helped me out, from the friends who came over to help organize my chronically disorganized house, to the babysitter who was incredibly helpful and had fun with the kids at the same time; from my mom who did many loads of laundry and rescued Super-T from being stranded at school when the bus forgot to bring him home (long story and it turns out it wasn't my fault!), to the friend who made Baby Girl a gorgeous quilt with her name on it; from friends who called with encouraging words, to friends who dropped by with financial gifts and hugs.  It has been an incredible week, full of surprises and provision in every area!  I seriously could not list everything that has happened and still make it to bed at a decent time.  So many things happened with perfect timing...tax refund deposited (WOW!), info on a less expensive therapy chair/high chair, vitally informative books came in the mail (just in time for airplane reading), a dear friend who makes jewelry made me an absolutely beautiful bookmark (you really have no idea how happy that made me...it's the little things!).  Really just so many many things.  It could only be God.

I am so thankful.  And excited.  I am definitely excited, with butterflies in my stomach.  Baby Girl is coming home!

 

My little girl

Not Baby Girl...my other little girl.  Little Pud is growing up and becoming so beautiful, both inside and out.  She wants to be a missionary.  Below is a picture she drew this May.  

The adult in the middle is Little Pud.  The babies and kids are so happy to see her.  I love the girl that is jumping into her arms.  She told me that this is her as a missionary.  I am amazed and honored that I get to travel to foreign lands with this wonderful daughter that God has given me to bring home the other daughter that God is giving me.  I am truly blessed!

My bloggy friend Linny's daughter is actually taking the step to become a missionary.  Today on her blog she told about it.  I can see myself in this position in ten years.  So hard, but good...really good.  (Click on both links...the first one is Emma's blog and the second one is Linny's).

It's really happening!

This morning I received another phone call!  This was was to tell me to book my tickets!!!

Sweet Baby Girl has recovered and is out of the hospital.  Thank you all for your kind words and prayers!

Tickets are booked now and the flurry of activity has begun.  I am so thankful for friends and family who are coming alongside me to help out.  A wonderful friend was here this afternoon and I put her right to work.  Another dropped by and she helped fold a load of laundry.  Tomorrow our super babysitter is coming over all afternoon to help me transform my house from its fall motif to CHRISTMAS and then play with the kids while I work on other stuff.  I have a lot to do, and hopefully the focus to do it!

Speaking of focus...I have been distracted from this post about 20 times...better publish it now before I am distracted again!

Phone call!!!!

This morning I was speeding along getting Super-T ready for school and myself ready for a marathon dental appointment (one crown, two old fillings replaced, and one new filling.)  I had emailed my adoption worker telling her I would be in the dental chair all morning "just in case" I got good news.  Tomorrow would have been eight weeks waiting.  I was told the wait would be 8-10 weeks for the High Court Order (HCO).  At 7:35 my phone range.  When I heard my worker's voice I just started crying (yet another way adoption is a pregnancy: the hormones!) 

The good news:  I have my HCO!!!

The bad news:  Baby Girl is in the hospital.  

More good news:  Baby Girl is stable and expected to be released within a few days.

More baddish news: She has to be out of the hospital to get a Visa appointment and travel cannot be planned until that point.

Please pray with me that Baby Girl will fully recover from this respiratory illness and be released ASAP!  She needs to be home with her mommy!

I am so thankful for my thoughtful adoption worker who didn't want me to be in suspense the whole time I was at the dentist.  She sure gave me happy things to think about! 

Forty-two and scattered

Yesterday was my birthday, however I am not going to blame the scattered nature of this post on my age (as far as I am concerned forty-two is still very young.)  I am going to blame it on the excited anticipation of happy news within the next week.  I have many lists going and much to do and the High Court Order isn't here yet, but it really looks like Baby Girl will be home for Christmas.  I am so excited!!!!  In light of that fact I though I'd do a catch-all post about several things because time will be even scarcer than normal soon (and I'm not exactly known for frequent posting under the best of circumstances.)

First, a reminder.  I am a widow and I lead a young widows' group at my church.  Being this close to so many losses really reminds me of how the holidays are not always happy times for everyone.  Please take a moment to remember and pray for those for whom Thanksgiving and Christmas are just two more huge reminders of loss and loneliness.  My friend Heather wrote beautifully and briefly about this first holiday season without her mom.  I highly recommend it to get a personal perspective on holidays and loss.  Maybe you have a friend who lost a parent, a spouse, a child, or significant other.  Make some time this holiday season to care about them and their pain.

Next up:  now is the time to support Reece's Rainbow's Angel Tree.  Yesterday the kids and I chose our Christmas angels and donated to them.  There is a button over on the right of my blog or use the link above to donate to your own angel.  This grant money will help their family bring them home.  Maybe one of these angels is supposed to be your son or daughter!  What they need most is a family!

Widows and orphans.  My themes.

If you would rather donate to deserving orphans AND have a chance at a fabulous giveaway go visit The Wannderers.  My friend Stori has a wonderful giveaway going on to support her Angel Tree baby and two older orphans, including my sweetie Suzanne, who I have mentioned a number of times on this blog.  Even if you are choosing another angel baby, go to Stori's blog to see the effects of institutionalization on these orphans with Down syndrome.  Heartbreaking.

Sweet Suzanne, where is your mommy?

Now on to happier thoughts, and why I advocate for orphans...last year at this time Super-T officially and legally became a member of our family.  Here was my birthday post from last year.

Super-T banged the judges gavel on the microphone.
Good thing the papers were already signed.  Ha! Ha!

One final super-happy thought!  Last year I was advocating for one specific little girl, "Jovie" on the Angel Tree.  I set up a separate blog called Joy Down in My Heart for that.  Early in the Angel Tree, Jovie was place on the "My Family Found Me" page.  

I am THRILLED to announce that sweet "Jovie" is now home with her new family!!!    

They just got home last week!  How do I know?  Because Jovie and Baby Girl were in the same orphanage.

The place is emptying out!!!

Baby Girl, mommy is coming SOON!!!

It is so exciting to see God putting families together! 

Won't you say "yes" to whatever "yes" He has for you?  

It could be adopting.

It could be sponsoring.
It could be encouraging those who are adopting.

It could be bringing a meal to a family who just brought their little one home.
 Won't you say "yes" to whatever "yes" He has for you?