Saturday, January 3, 2009

T-Minus 10 Days(?)

We are theoretically maybe I hope around 10 days(ish) from traveling to Kazakhstan! Aaaaaaah!!!

The government crowd in Kaz is still on winter holiday, so we still don't know for sure, but if we're going to be in country in mid-January, then we are less than two weeks from travel. Woo hoo!

I think that we (me) must be learning something about patience because I'm really not going crazy. I mean, we're making all of the preparations for travel (except for plane tickets, visas - you know, the incidentals): roughly 200 pounds and 15 suitcases of prospective travel gear is strewn about Sestra's room, we got our updated homestudy, our updated FBI records are (I hope) en route, today we notarized new medical certifications for Steve and Jamie (we're still leprosy free and have no "severe dermatosis with the disturbance/breakdown of callusing" or other very scary sounding conditions that I am grateful to have no knowledge of) and half a dozen other forms and letters that are now almost a year old, and the moms fly in next week to take care of the boys for the first half or two thirds of our trip (bless you, grandmothers!). But I'm not feeling overwhelmed or otherwise psycho. I guess that the year of of preparing for and buying stuff for our trip is paying off :)

I have to give a huge shout out to the folks at Chase Bank. They have been amazing through this last year of notarizations, helping us find and order new bills for travel, giving us letters certifying our account, and the list goes on. Way to go Orem branch of Chase Bank!

And yesterday we completed Packing Phase I (yes, this is what it was called on my to do list) and we are actually getting close to fitting seven weeks worth of crap for two big people and one little one into two 40-pound suitcases. I am going to want to burn those clothes after wearing only four outfits for seven weeks, but it's well worth the sacrifice to make more room for presents for the baby house staff and others who are integral to the successful processing of our adoption in Kaz!

Don't worry, we'll be sure to post as soon as we have actual travel dates!

8 comments:

Lou Ann said...

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck in your travels and I can hardly wait to "meet" your new little one. I'm glad to hear that you are not loosing it - yet! Get a couple of days closer and you will. But I think that's just part of the process. Enjoy the control you have over your life now since in 10 days or less you will lose all control and take the ride of your life.

Save travels!!

Lou Ann & Lexie too

Jennifer said...

Oh, I hope they get back from vacation soon!

I said the same thing about my clothes, but the funny thing is, when I arrived home, I forgot what else I had in my closet so I just kept wearing my Kaz clothes! lol!

Lisa and Thal said...

Congrats about your impending travel. Our baby's room looks like our luggage burst open too. Or the house has been ransacked. Five days and counting--Woo-Hoo!

Angela said...

Wearing the same clothes over AND over again is actually NOT too bad. I took only 2 pairs of pants and about 7 tops. Amazingly, I still wear almost all of it!

Pack light! It makes everything so much easier - it really does.

I hope you get there sooner rather than later!

Angela
mom of Alia, Kokshetau, adopted October 2008

Jason said...

It's gonna happen! Just like graduating from the EMBA program...

Unknown said...

YEAH!!! it is finally here!! can't wait to "SEE" her! hope they are right about the 10 days and that soon you will be off across the ocean. did i read that right...7 weeks!? wow! love you guys and continue to pray for you and this crazy adventure

Jodi said...

I actually left some of my clothes in the apartment in Almaty on the way out ... I was very sick of them!!

Wishing you all the best for your upcoming journey. I know you've heard it a million times, but it really is worth all the waiting!

Now go get her!!

Jodi
Mom to Owen, Kokshetau (Jan 2007)

The Fox Den said...

I hope... I hope!

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