Heading East

In a mere nine days we will be boarding a large aircraft and winging out over the vast body of water known as the Atlantic Ocean.

Nine days. Nine short days.

Five weeks ago, this seemed like it was so far away.

Now? Not so. Nine days isn't long at all.

Preparing to be overseas for a month is not an easy task. At least not for me.

• Stop mail - check
• Line up someone to pay a few bills - check
• Chore boys for cows, sheep, dogs, horse, cats - check
• Pack
• Figure out how to make our bags only 44 pounds
• Guess at size of clothes to take for Jack Nickolay - check
• Clean the house
• Help Jason with sheep
• Remember extremely warm clothes to take to Russia
• Attempt to make time for schooling of little girl
• Fix three healthy 'American' meals daily for the next nine days....Russian food gets old after a month
• Do a happy dance when our passports and visas arrive
• Figure out some fun stuff to do while in Moscow
• Round up some fun, lightweight toys to help keep our munchkins occupied for a month
• Clean house again
• Go out for supper with my husband for the first time in two and a half years...I think it's called a date
• Get some sleep
• Take a couple naps
• Memorize Jack's medical for court
• Attend one more 'Christmas' gathering
• Help brother, wife, and children move
• Pick up cash from the bank
• Address envelopes for...um....Easter cards?
• Try to remember that I have a blog
• Be thankful that my head is permanently attached as I'm sure it would get left lying a few days over the next nine days

Okay. So nothing on that list is overly difficult. But it still looks big to be gone a month.

Travelling to a foreign country where it's very difficult to communicate with anyone. Thankfully, there are usually other adoptive families who we can talk to, and my parents will be there the whole month as well.

Flying halfway around the world.

Bringing home a third child.

Okay. So maybe that's what looks so big to me. Perhaps that's it. Bringing home a third child.

Buying diapers for the first time. Changing diapers for the first time. Trying to be a good mommy to three children all at the same time.

Praying that our third child will adjust more like his big brother did rather than how his big sister did. Praying that poor Will can handle a little brother stealing all his toys.

It looks like a big six weeks coming right up.