Friday, February 22, 2013

The only thing that remains between me and you

Dear Eli,

One piece of paper. That's it. We've been waiting for this piece of paper for 16 days now, although Chinese New Year got our count all messed up. After the hundreds, maybe thousands of pieces of paper we've written and read and signed and waited for during this adoption (tens of thousands if you printed out all of my Facebook posts!), it all comes down to this last one. Last time we waited 16 days for the Travel Approval, but last time we were operating under a normal work schedule. I'm hoping and praying that we have it by next week at this time, and if there are any hopers and prayers out there reading this, we'd love yours too.

Last year at this time, we were all packed and ready to go. In fact, we'd been all packed and ready to go since right after Christmas. I was so excited that I couldn't help myself. The suitcases were all stacked up in a row in our closet, and I found that I needed the things inside them so often that eventually I just left them open so I could "shop" in them when I needed to. But every time I went to the bags, I was a little depressed because I was living my life without Rose instead of with her.

So I've saved up a whole bunch of little tasks for the last few weeks. I need to get my hair cut and Rose's hair cut. I need to brave the car dealership one more time to get an oil change and a tune up on the van. I need to install your carseat and write the babysitter bible and stock the fridge and freezer so Dad and the big kids don't starve while I'm gone. I need to pack our bags-- at least mine and Rose's. If I'm being truly honest, I'll admit that yours is all packed and ready to go. I'm delaying gratification, but I'm not that good. I'm even going to treat myself to a pedicure-- it's all in the name of making the days pass faster until you're mine.

I got a fortune in my fortune cookie two months ago today. I'm not normally the superstitious sort but this one was too good to pass up. I'm not sure what the "good things" will be (Will your sister take a good nap? Will everyone else refrain from fighting?), but I know what I want. A single piece of paper with your picture and our names on it. The paper that means it's time to come get you.

Love, Mommy


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