Almost There!

Today we received our official invitation to travel to China with the purpose to adopt! WaHoo!!! We are so excited. Now we are just waiting for our US consulate appointment to make all the arrangements - we have been told it should be just a few more days (Hmmm...where have we heard that before?).

It has been so hard to wait. But, here are a few tips to help with waiting if you should ever find yourself in similar circumstances:

1. Start a blog...write a whole bunch the first week, then run out of things to say because nothing has happened because YOU ARE STILL WAITING.

2. Go to Chinese New Year and hook up with some fab people who can give you lots of advice and help as you are pretty sure you are clueless and desperate.

3. Read other adoption blogs and cry like a baby because you want it to be you.

4. Shop for clothes that you are hoping will fit your child, but aren't sure because the only sizes you have are from 10 months earlier when he was 21 months old and the size of an American 1yr old...but what the heck!

5. Read Pearl Buck's "The Good Earth" and fervently count your blessings that you live when and where you do. Then compare yourself to O-lan and realize she is so "DA WOMAN!"

6. Join Facebook so that everyone you know or ever knew can be excited for you and send you sweet encouragements that uplift you and keep you going.

7. Visit your doctor and get antibiotics and scabies ointment. Then head to Walmart and purchase as many bottles of lice shampoo you can find because you and your teenage daughter are so paranoid that you are already itching!

8. Make lists...clothing, medications, toys, snacks, tech toys, etc. (If you think of anything else we may need, let me know and I'll put it on my list.)

9. Try to learn Chinese but realize you are utterly hopeless and pray that you can at least learn how to say the important stuff: I love you, Are you hungry?, Do you have to go potty?, I know we are totally weird to you but we are your new family and we have been waiting AGES to get you and you will just love us and your new home and your new life if you will just give us a chance.... Hmmm...The last phrase may be a bit too complicated for our limited repertoire...

10. Read everything you can about separation anxiety and adjustment issues, then give up because you realize every child is different and you will just have to roll with whatever comes your way. And you are really starting to freak yourself out!

Well, I hope this list helps all of you out there waiting...and waiting...and waiting...Luckily, our wait is almost over!