5 days to go!

5 days to go, 5 days to go, 5 days to go!!!! Getting so very excited! I have started packing just a little....and hope to get more done soon.  I did about 6 loads of laundry yesterday and today...some for Zoya's bedding and clothes and some of my own.  I cleaned her whole room (again) and organized her things (again) and still don't feel like I've done enough.  We've been organizing DVDs into the little DVD books and making sure our Ipods have all the songs and language mp3 files on them that we want.  We've been preparing things at the house for when we are gone. 

I spent yesterday running around picking up some last minute things (but I have a feeling this won't be the last last-minute trip).  I was worried because the cord that connects to the laptop from the camera to download the pictures had broke :(  The camera is a Sony and you can only order the cable online.  With only 5 days to go I knew we wouldn't get it in time.  So off we went to Best Buy thinking maybe we'd have to buy a whole new camera.  Did ya know they make a camera memory card reader that plugs right into the USB port? How cool!  I was so thankful to find that as it was only $20 as opposed to paying for a new camera.

I'm also spoiling my dog more than usual because I feel so bad that we are leaving her for so long.  She must know something is up with all the extra treats we're giving her because she has been extra snuggly lately. 

We are trying to decide what things we want to take for Zoya.  It is almost impossible that the 10 day wait will be waived but we don't want to be unprepared if it is waived.  We are planning on taking some toys to play with on our visits with her and some bubbles for all the kids in the orphanage.  We will take some baby benedryl and motrin and pedialyte just in case the wait is waived (that would be hard to find in region and I'd be nervous that we wouldn't buy the right stuff).  Most everything else she would need (like clothes, coat, formula/botles), we could buy there if the wait were to be waived.  We will probably wait to take the facilitator and orphanage staff gifts until the second trip.  If the wait is waived we could always buy them something there or ship the gifts we bought to them when we return home.  Again, the wait will most likely not be waived, but we have come to learn that God can move mountains and if that were part of his plan he could do it!

We have learned not to pray for what we want to happen on this journey, but rather to pray that we would graciously accept God's plan and be at peace with how He decides to execute it.  Would it be nice to have the 10 day wait wavied? Of course, because that would mean only one trip and we would save lots of money, but will it be okay if it is not waived? Absolutely.  Now, if we run into problems of any other sort (being there longer than expected, etc.), will that be okay?  I'm not going to lie.  I'm nervous about things not going the "typical" way they go for "most" adoptions.  No matter how things go, I'm hoping we will be at peace with it all, even if things don't go exactly as we planned.

5 days until we leave and about 10 days until we get to meet this angel!

We're Private!

If you're reading this that means you got your private blog update! I hope nobody got left out! We are leaving in 6 days...oh my!  Our appointment with the State Department of Adoptions is March 15 at 11:00am.  This is when they will give us Zoya's official referral and a pass to visit her orphanage.  We are hoping to meet her March 16th or 17th.  She is our four leaf clover so that would be fun to meet her on March 17th, but the 16th would be even better!!

We met another family that will be travelling the same time as us! We even found out that we will be on the same flight from Germany to Zoya's country! How exciting to be able to meet some new friends and share the same excitement, nerves, and journey!

I have not packed a THING! Okay, I did pack the medicine bag which is like a mini pharmacy! We are taking everything we can think of just to be safe....the fact that Shawn is a pharmacist keeps making our medicine bag grow bigger! He keeps thinking of things to add.  Better safe than sorry!

So here is what our spare bedroom looks like with all of our travel supplies

Here are some things we are taking:

Some toys for Zoya

It will be colder there than it is in Erie...is that possible? Hand warmers!

Some TP to go...it worries me that this was on the packing list! haha

Some face masks for our orphange visits...some orphanages require these

We got a tip from another adoptive family to look for these pedialyte packets...they pack nicely.  We looked everywhere for them and couldn't find them...then found them at Quality Markets!!

Some stylin sunglasses that Shawn picked out!

So many things to do...so off I go to do them!

ONE WEEK!

We are leaving to meet our baby in ONE WEEK! We will get to meet her in about a week and a half!!! I just can't even believe this is all finally happening.  AND the weather foercast for the day we fly out is sunny and beautiful....most importantly no snow! Let's hope it stays that way :) Oh so many things to do.....

Blog invites coming this weekend if you requested one!

Blog Invites

I am working on compiling a list of all the emails from those of you who have requested a blog invite.  I have found a way to make sure everyone who has requested to be included is included...don't want to leave anyone out.  Some of you left a message asking for an invite but didn't give your email so I can't invite you without your email.  A couple people commented as "annonymous" and just left an email....so those weren't included either.  Make sure you left your name and email to be included.  I am going to send invites out by this weekend.  If you don't get one, make sure you email me at spbasile@hotmail.com (write that down because once the blog goes private you will be locked out).  I think I copied all the emails correctly, but just incase you don't get one for some reason and you requested, make sure you email me after the blog has gone private. 

I have gotten some emails from people wondering why they didn't get an invite...that would be because the blog has not yet gone private and I have not sent the invites out yet.  I am hoping to have the invites sent out by this weekend.  I just wanted to make sure everyone who wanted to be included had a chance to read the post about the blog going private. 

9 days until we leave!!!! Oh me oh my I have been so busy trying to get everything prepared and loose ends tied up here at home.  I am still working through Tuesday of next week so I have been really busy with trying to do my normal teacher duties and getting things ready at school for a sub for the rest of the school year.  Please keep praying for us.  Specific prayer requests at this point include safe and timely travels, adoption-friendly judges and workers, quick time in country, no paperwork problems, continued feelings of peace and trust in God, and smooth bonding for us and Zoya.  Thank you!!

Frequently Asked Questions about Our Trip!

Where are you going to adopt Zoya?
Can't tell you other than to say "Eastern Europe" :) You will know soon though!

How long will you be there?
We will take 2 trips.  The first trip will be about 3 weeks.  Then we will be home for about 10 days (hoping to be home before Easter) and then we will leave for the 2nd trip which will be about 10-16 days.  We get to bring her home after the 2nd trip!

Why do you have to take 2 trips?
Some families decide to take one long trip which would be about 5 weeks in country.  We have decided to take 2 trips because we can't afford to have Shawn off work that long.  He needs to come back and work in between trips since he will use all of his vacation on the first trip and be unpaid for the 2nd trip. On the first trip we will have an appointment where we get Zoya's official referral.  We will then get a pass to her orphanage and probably take the night train (about 7 hours I think) to her region.  We will then get to meet with all the orphanage staff and hear all about Zoya.  Then we will get to meet her!  While we are there, we will wait for court to happen.  Court is usually scheduled about 2-3 weeks after our initial appointment.  While waiting for court, we will get to visit with Zoya every day and get to know her.  Once court is over, we can go home and begin our 10 day wait.  Sometimes the wait is a little longer than that, depending on holidays, etc.  They will tell us when to come back.  Although it will be very difficult to leave Zoya after we've met her, this time in between will give us a chance to prepare for her since we will finally know her size.  We can buy diapers and clothes and all that fun stuff.  It will also give us a chance to rest and recharge for our 2nd trip when we bring Zoya home. 

Why is there a 10 day wait?
The 10 day wait is required by law to give anyone from Zoya's country a "last chance" to come forward to adopt her.  This is very unlikely to happen.  Some judges waive the 10 day wait but we have been told not to expect this. 

Where will you stay when you go?
We are bringing along a tent and will set up wherever space allows.  KIDDING! We will stay in apartments that our facilitators find for us.  We don't know yet where our apartments are, or how far from the orphanage our apartment in region will be or how much it will cost, or if we will have internet or anything like that. 

Can Zoya (insert developmental mileston here)....
We don't know a lot about Zoya's development.  Can she speak? Likely not.  Last we knew she was unable to sit up on her own.  So can she walk? Likely not.  Will she ever walk or talk or (insert developmental mileston here)? We don't know...we don't worry about those things either.  She will do all that God has planned for her to do and become exactly the child God intended for her to become with a little help from her loving family :)

When Do You Leave?
IN 11 DAYS!!!! We are leaving Friday, March 12th around 11am (out of Erie) and will arrive in country Saturday, March 13th around 8am our time.  So almost 24 hours of travel...please say some prayers ;)

**Reminder...next week the blog will be going private, I have a few spaces left for invites if you haven't yet sent me your email make sure you do that ASAP. 

Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes...keep them coming please! We are so excited to be SO close to such a life-changing time!

Going Private

Before we leave in 2 WEEKS (oh my)...I will be making this blog private so that I can give you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about our adoption journey in Zoya's country.  Haha.  Lots of adoptive families make their blogs private before travel.  This way I can tell you where we are and everything we are doing and how the process is going without worry of saying something wrong or something I shouldn't say publically about how the adoption is going. 

Sooooo if you'd like to follow along, give me your email address in the comments section (or email it to me  at spbasile@hotmail.com) and I will add you to the reader list.  I can have 100 followers so make sure you give me your email address if you'd like to follow!

Our plane tickets are booked as of this morning...yay!! Now only a million things left to do!

Butterflies

Ever since we heard our travel date I have had the craziest butterflies in my stomach. When I think about what we are about to do...travel further than we've ever traveled before to meet a child we don't even know who will be our daughter....I get nervous and excited all at once and I get the crazy butterflies.  People ask me if I'm nervous.  The answer is yes I'm a little nervous about the unknowns of this process.  But it stops there.  I don't let myself worry about all the what-ifs or I would go crazy.  I am still suprised that I find such comfort in knowing God has this all under control and knows everything about Zoya and will equip us with the skills we need to take care of her.  I am suprised with how calm I am.  Every now and then a thought like, "wow we are going to travel 5 THOUSAND miles to meet our daughter that we know almost nothing about!" pops into my head and I get the nervous butterflies, but they are quickly replaced by excited butterflies.  I have prayed for this sense of peace and am so thankful that I do feel so peaceful at such a scary, crazy, uncertain time.  I pray that this feeling of peace will continue throughout the journey so I can thoroughly enjoy each and every new moment. 

5 Months!

5 months ago today we committed to our precious Zoya.  We were different people 5 months ago.  Our entire life perspective has changed and I would never want to go back.  In the past 5 months we have learned to trust more, worry less, WAIT a lot, cheer other people on, love eachother better, and open our hearts to others in need.  5 months seems like it has been 5 years...really it has NOT gone by fast at all. 

The biggest lesson for me this far has been that it is okay to ask others for encouragement, support, prayer, help.  Shawn and I are both very independent people who have always taken pride in the fact that we have accomplished so much on our own.  Obviously we realize there were many people who helped us along the way to become the people we are, but prior to this, we would have rather done things on our own...privately...without EVER asking for help from others.  During this journey we have NEEDED help in so many ways.  We have needed friends more than we ever needed friends before.  We have needed financial assistance to make this happen.  We have needed prayer like we've never needed prayer before.  We have reached out to people and the response has been nothing short of amazing.  I always knew I had lots of people who cared, but I never knew just how much they cared.  I have been so touched and astounded by the many people who have helped us on this journey in one way or another.  All of you are part of Zoya's story and we are forever grateful to you for that. 

5 months ago I could have never imagined how I would feel at this very moment.  Having just got our travel date to meet Zoya, so many things are going through my head.  More importantly, so many things are going through my heart.  I don't know yet how to write the words that describe how I am feeling at this very moment.  It is definitely a feeling I've never known before.  I don't think I'm prepared, or ever could be, to meet Zoya.  I pretend I am prepared, but I can only imagine what those first weeks getting to know her will be like.  I keep praying that God will prepare our hearts, and hers for our meeting.  How do you prepare for such a life changing experience? You don't.  You just fly by the seat of your pants, soak up every single second good and bad, and know those first moments will only be the beginning of so many more moments to come. 

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE!!!!

WE JUST GOT OUR TRAVEL DATE!! WE WILL BE LEAVING TO MEET OUR PRECIOUS ANGEL BABY IN

2 AND A HALF WEEKS!!!!

What did I do when I found out? Did a happy dance in my bathrobe then called Shawn and my brother!! I don't think I can function today!!! I will update more later but for now I am already late for work!

Questions from 2nd Graders

Yesterday I told my 2nd graders that I will be leaving sometime in March to adopt Miss Zoya.  They were soooo excited and a little sad.  I had talked to our school counselor about how to tell them and what to say and how to answer some of the tough questions.  I really stressed about telling them but I'm glad I finally did.  I wanted to wait until we had a travel date so it was more concrete for them, but I had to tell them since my sub will be shadowing me on Monday.  I told them I would be traveling to "the purple place" (Eastern Europe on our classroom map is purple).  I showed them Zoya's picture and they all ooooohhhed and aaahhhhed and smiled with their missing teeth-ed smiles.  I told them that she lived in an orphanage, which is a little like a hospital, because her mom and dad couldn't take care of her.  Their initial questions were pretty funny and not the tough questions like I expected.  They asked, "Are you scared to fly?" and "How long will you be in the airplane?" and "Will you be able to see fish or sharks from the airplane?" and "Where will you stay when you are there?" and "How old is the baby?" and my favorite, "Why can't Mr. B just go and you stay here with us?"  My other favorite, "Will there be a beach and a pool there?" LOL I WISH!  Too cute.  One of my sweet little girls said, "My eyes are getting runny" and she started crying.  :(  Toward the end of the day, after they had some time to think about it, some of the more difficult questions started.  One of them asked, "Why can't her mom take care of her?" and "Who is taking care of her?"  I did my best to answer their questions in a way that would be appropriate for 2nd graders--maintaining their innocence but also being honest.  That was tricky. 

We are hoping to hear our travel date this week!! We can't wait and are starting to shop and get things ready for the trip.  Keep checking back for our hopeful big announcement about our travel date!