One Week!

One week from today we will be on our way. ONE WEEK! It's still not real. I don't think it will be until we are on the plane. Jeremy and I keep saying out of the blue, "Do you realize that we are going to be in Russia in a week? RUSSIA, for Pete's sake!" Who would have ever thought?

My sister e-mailed me and said, "If I would have told you last Thanksgiving that in a year you would be headed to Russia to adopt a five-year-old, you would have passed out!" Yeah, she's got that right. Especially if she would have told me that our daughter would have special needs of any kind! Funny that now we can't imagine anything different. Oh, what a year can bring.

Looking back over the past year, it has been the most difficult one of my life, hands down.  But... I wouldn't trade what I've learned about myself, about tolerance, about Christ, and about trusting Him for anything! What a gift this year has been.  And what a gift the next year will be.  It will be another challenging one, but to have someone like Anna in our lives is going to be sweet.  Busy, chaotic and tiring, but SO sweet.  We can't wait!

So, back to the trip. We're obviously very excited to spend lots of time getting to know Anna the week we are there. But we are also really excited to discover some of St. Petersburg.  It is nicknamed the "Venice" of Eastern Europe for its many canals and cathedrals. This first trip will be the only one of the three that will allow us any time to sight see, so we hope to take in some sights between the two visits a day at the orphanage...somehow.  We're also excited to spend time as a couple with no interruptions. We hardly have time to talk to each other these days!



We are almost ready. We've got our plane tickets, Visas, hotel booked, new luggage and warm clothes figured out.  All I have to do now is get things organized here at home.  Oh, and pick up our crispy, new cash from the bank. Did you know that in Eastern Europe, only the hotels will accept anything but cash, and it has to be completely free of any creases, tears or marks...like brand new? Not easy to find..even at banks. So we have to bring a big 'ol chunk of cash with us. Yet another one of those quirky things that you just do because you're told to.  Like having an 8-doctor medical exam there or spending hundreds on gifts for all the orphanage workers.  You just do what you're told!



Our kids are going to spend the first half of the week here at home since they have school Monday and Tuesday.  My parents are coming from about four hours South to spend the first 4 days with them.  Then the second half of the week, Jeremy's parents will take them to their place, which is two hours north, for Thanksgiving weekend, which is where we all would have been had we not been given this week as our date. But we'll take it!



Eli

 I'm dreading leaving  the kids for this long! Especially my little Eli boy. I've been snuggling him as much as he'll let me (which isn't much) trying to soak in his sweet scent and soft skin as long as I can. I know we're only going to be gone a week...but that's sooooo long to leave one that little!  Man, I'm going to miss him. I just hope he doesn't completely wear out our parents. The kid climbs on everything he can, whenever he gets a chance. I'm telling you, I don't even need to work out lately. I get plenty of exercise just chasing him around all day!

OK, off to try and get a little shut-eye.  I've been waking up at 4:30 or 5 every morning for the past week or so. Then the second I wake up, I think, "Oh my gosh! We're going to meet Anna so soon!"  Then I'm wide awake and I can't get back to sleep. It's seriously feeling like that last week or so before delivering a baby, minus the physical stuff.  All the anticipation of wondering what he/she will look like, how everything will go, etc.  I hope the sleepless part gets better after the first trip.  I need my sleep!

Good night.