Ready or Not....

The checklist is done.  The house is clean.  There can't possibly be anything else at Target that I need.  I'm all packed.  (46 lb suitcase!)  IEPs have been written.  Report Cards are almost done.  I'm ready to go.

Now, I get to try to enjoy the next few days.  Unlike a woman waiting to give birth, I know exactly when I'm going to leave and how much time I have.  Instead of stretching things out until the very end, I crammed them into the beginning of the week.  Now, I have time for people.  I had dinner with a good friend tonight.  I have small group tomorrow.  Friday night will be spent with friends.  I want to enjoy this time.  I know that the best is yet to come but I don't want to rush past these next few days, either.  While that's easier said than done, I know that there will be pieces of this time that I will miss.  

Tomorrow morning I get to Skype with Sara again.  She will be with the legal representative in Colombia that will be holding my hand and walking me through the in-country phase of this process.  I'm so excited to see Sara again and meet the rep.  I am planning to go to the church offices to Skype with the hopes of getting some recordings of the video.  How fun will that be to have video of my little girl?  (On Monday, I can take all the video I want!)  

In some ways, I feel like this process has taken forever.  In other ways, I feel like the last few months have flown by and I can't believe I leave on Saturday.  I don't think it will really sink in until I get there---maybe not until we walk out of the orphanage.  

I had no idea how much the process itself would change my life.  Looking back on it now, I can't even remember most of the things that had me so stressed out in this process.  None of it matters any more.  In a few short days, all that will matter is my daughter.