If I had a dime for everytime someone has said Why 6 Months? I could pay for one of the plane tickets...
I answer it like this - I have no idea and it boggles my mind but this I know - Paperwork - a lot of paperwork - 2 governments working with each other... And we aren't the only people the world adopting right now so our paperwork is in line to be processed. They also give us 3-8 weeks notice to travel so it's really only 4 months and then we have travel dates. In my head I'm saying I waited over 16 months for her picture and researched countries for months before that so 6 months will fly by. Seriously, it will.
So that's where the FUN is!!! I know some people call it stress but I have waited a long time for the next 6 months so I plan to enjoy it all!!! What to do in the next 6 months??? Hello - prepare!!!
Logistics - Everything - we haven't done anything to get ready, haven't really bought anything.
Mentally - I think we know (as best we can) what to expect of the trip - thank you all who have blogged your travel because it has helped us tremendously - we couldn't have gotten this information from the many books we've read.
Lists - I like Lists and we need Lists - not one List - lots of Lists!!!
- Clothing List - did I mention we'll pick M up in Dec which means sundresses in Thailand and winter coats in KY??? Did I mention I hate cold weather so bringing this little girl to cold weather is just plain mean? The avg temp is Thailand is 90ish everyday all year...
- Travel List - what to take, ok that's numerous lists too - Plane List, Hotel List, Mom List, Dad List, Matt List, Mark List, Mia List...Holt will give me a list so I just need to concentrate on plane list - how to keep 5 people occupied on a plane for 50 hours - 25 there, 25 back...fun fun! Still no one wants to go with us...Jenn G is my only taker.
- House List - what does a 1 year old need again??? It's been 7 years for me so I better make a list??? Also - baby proofing list - house is definitely not baby proofed. Let me add AT ALL...
- Foster Family List - Wow - that one overwhelmes me? What do we ask? How long are we there? How do we get answers without sounding like an interview? I mean - I have the utmost respect for this family so I don't want to offend them. YIKES - I will turn to you guys who have traveled for help here.
- Gift List - How many gifts should we take? Need a list of people and then take some extra right?
- Mia Gift List - Things to buy in Thailand to give Mia at certain times in her life.
- Attachment List - Ways to bond - write them down - we'll be too tired to remember anything.
- Mall List - How to occupy 3 kids in a mall without going crazy and spending all your money. Why? Oh that's a separate post entirely. My thought is if we can survive 25 hours on a plane - Mall Day should be ok since we can walk around.
- List of Things to do in Thailand
- Lists that I'm not thinking of - LOL there's something I'm not thinking of so what have I forgotten?
Learn Thai - ok well - learn some basic Thai. Hello, Thank You, Chicken, Where is Sukumwit Road? (our hotel street)...
Relax - We need to relax - Do you know how often the a toddler's mother gets to relax. Exactly, so I better do it NOW!!! because I won't get to until 2014. LOL
See this is why I need 4 months to prepare for Mia. 2 Months to prepare to travel. It's all about expectation - we never expected to travel before 6 months so this waiting is just part of the process. A hard part but it's all hard so I saved everything to do during this time. I better get busy and quit staring at her picture because I have lots to do!
4 comments:
Shoot when you list it out, it looks like we'll need longer than six months! I love that you've calculated when you can relax again. Have fun working through all of this "its for real now" stuff!
OK, I am now making a list of all your lists called "Terri's Lists" so that later when I make my lists I can refer to yours and see if I missed anything. LOL - adoption is making me a crazy woman!
LOL, it's like you are inside my head! This is EXACTLY how I have been feeling the last couple months. I thought I was so ready until I knew the referral was coming. Then I was like, OMG! I have work to do, things to buy, baby proofing to do! Oh, and the LISTS. I am so right there with you on that! I have a list of things to pack (constantly changing or adding to it), a list of questions for the nannies, and still checking things off the "to do around the house" list. Relaxing hasn't been on my list, ironically, so I ought to try and do some of that, too! (Added to the list as we speak). I also have a list of people to see and fun things to do as a couple and am doing a bit of that. Good times!
It's all so exciting, isn't it? The first question people asked us when we said we got the referral was "well, when do you go?" They too, couldn't grasp the concept that this wait is NOTHING compared to what we have already endured. The months WILL go fast for you cause you'll be having so much fun getting ready! Enjoy! It makes me smile to see you guys at this happy phase and so close to Mia!
The offer's still on the table...but you need to let me know ASAP if you are serious. I'm pretty sure I have most my shots and am travel-ready =D
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