The room and such

Miss A's Room and what's been happening :)

Here are a couple pics of Anelyn's room...

All we need is her!!

We have been busy bees around here trying to get everything done before we leave.  So far, so good! We got all the flower beds done, mulched and flowers planted...the garage sale is done...and we've been tackling a few things on my to do list.  (I kind of have 5 lists going right now, don't judge!! lol )
There's still quite a bit to do but some of it we can't do until we get TA (travel approval from China).  We can't book flights, hotels or anything until that TA comes and then it's gonna be on like donkey kong to get everything done because we are hoping to leave just about 5-7 days after TA!!! I'm going to go have a nervous breakdown now, thank you very much!! We did go to Babies R Us and get the rest of the stuff we were needing ( like stroller and such) so I feel much better about bringing her home and having a few things ready at least.  We have our doctors appointments Thursday to get another one of our shots and to get all our prescriptions we are going to need to take with us (and there is  A LOT!!)  For instance, antibiotic for both of us, cipro for both of us (for traveler's diarrhea, awesome huh??) and many more.  I need to make all Anelyn's doctor appts too.  She will have to see an International Adoption Doctor at Nationwide Children's Hospital and be put through the ringer to test her for everything and to see what shots she had in China.  They will check vision, hearing, stool for parasites, motor skills, lots of bloodwork and so on.  She will also see a cardiologist upon arriving home since she has a small hole in her heart.  I can't wait to see what he has to say.  I am praying it has healed itself on it's own.  Please join me in prayer for that need please.  I am also praying that there are no or minimal surprises medically.  One of my dear friends in the adoption community brought their little boy home who was supposed to be completely fine, to finding out he has some serious, scary and complicated medical issues.  Please also pray for this dear family...it breaks my heart!

You know, even though we have prepared for this day to come for many, many, many years, now that it is almost here, it is completely surreal!! I mean, am I seriously going to be standing on The Great Wall of China in a few weeks??? What??? Am I really going to finally be holding the daughter I have prayed for for 15 -20 years?? What???  I can't even put into words my emotions and feelings, let's just say I'm a bit overwhelmed and a bit crazy right now (I know I've always been crazy but this magnifies it by a bajillion).  Those of you that see me often or my family or friends, I apologize now if I forget stuff or act weird.  My brain is complete mush and I can't seem to complete 2 thoughts!!

Anyway, our Article 5 pickup is scheduled for pick up this Friday May 10th.  We officially start waiting on our TA that day!!! It can come anywhere between 8-21 days.  However, China has ANOTHER holiday at the end of May which will delay the issue of TA's.  So we really need it to come before they close on May 25th. As soon as that comes, we are on a plane the next week!! Ideally, we are really hoping to be on a plane 3 weeks from today.  That way it is the last week of May and PJ's work vacation will line up.  (His new year starts June 5th and he hasn't taken any vacation days this year thinking we would've for sure traveled by now).  So that way he can take 1 week still in this year(last week of May) and 2 weeks in the new year (June) and still have 1 week left to take later in the year.  In order for this to happen, we need a super fast TA.  Like an 8-11 day one.  EEEEKK!  Can you also be praying for this too??

I have mixed emotions as we get closer and closer.  I am of course super excited but then a part of me gets very sad.  Sad for the foster mother who has cared for her since the day she was abandoned.  Sad for Anelyn as she is going to loose everything she has ever known.  There is a good chance they will send her to the orphanage a couple weeks before we come so she could be going to the orphanage very soon which breaks my heart too!!  I know redemption isn't pretty and we are about to walk that hard road but I know that after God is done restoring her heart, it will be beautiful, it will be whole, it will be family!

Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers, it truly makes a world of difference and I know they will carry us through this journey!