One Week Until I Meet Our Daughter!

On Friday, November 6th my friend Jennifer and I will board a plane and head to Ethiopia! How crazy is that? My dining room table is full of donations for the orphanage, but I haven't even thought about what I need to pack for me! The trip got moved up a week from what we originally planned, and amazingly, we were able to make it all work. Thanks to Doug for acting as our travel agent! I tried, but never ask an English major to work with military time, time zone changes, etc. I was so confused by the end that I had us on flights that wouldn't work! Thankfully, my husband rocks and is totally taking this trip in stride. He will have our two boys, our Finnish exchange student, Jennifer's high school son (for half the week her husband will be in China) and my dog Betty, who really only likes me and our little guys. He will have his hands full! I am going to have to do some serious grocery shopping this week or they will eat out every meal.

I really haven't been able to conceptualize what it will be like to meet Samantha the first time. She won't know me, and won't be excited to see me, but my heart will be bursting as I pick her up. What will that be like? Will she think I am crazy when I squeeze her close in the hug I have been imagining since seeing her cute face? Probably. :)

It will be SO HARD to have to say goodbye at the end of the week and come home without her, but I just can't sit back and wait any longer. I think once I meet her, I will be able to come home and really get ready. I have mentally adjusted to the fact that she is a year older than we originally thought (I think!) but I haven't really put that into realistic terms - such as wow, we need to baby proof the house and put drawer latches on, etc. Haven't done a thing on that front! Our sweet friends are throwing us a cocktail party "shower" on the 21st, which will be really fun. We are lucky to be surrounded by so many fun, wonderful people.

I just called Verizon, and since I have the world edition blackberry, I can upgrade my service for about 20 dollars, and then just pay 2.00 a minute to call home. That will be so much easier than anything else. I feel better knowing I can call home and talk to Dennis and the boys.

The assigning of court dates has certainly been slow. When we got our referral we were really hoping to have Samantha home for Thanksgiving. When courts didn't open on time, we realized that was unlikely. Then we were hopeful we would have her home for Christmas. While I still hold on to this hope, it too is looking increasingly unlikely, which is a big fat bummer. I was so looking forward to Christmas morning with our whole family!

Well, off to have lunch with Dr. Floyd "Ski" Chilton - author of "Inflammation Nation" and "The Gene Smart Diet". He lives here in town and also specializes in malnutrition in Africa. I am hoping that we can learn some tips for Samantha as well as ask what supplements we can bring to the other kids in the transition house and orphanage.