7 Months Pregnant!

Our roller coaster is leaving the station; my seat belt is tightened; I hear the clickety clack of the chain as we head up the hill; I tighten my seat belt again; I'm wondering when the last time this roller coaster had its safety inspection? Is that some rust I see around that support bar? The wind picked up and that rail just swayed 3 feet! Good grief!! I wipe the sweat off my hands so I can get a good grip on the "oh @#%*" bar; I suck in my stomach so I can get my seat belt even tighter. Doug looks at me as if I've lost my mind...

Our agency's Russian office updated our caseworker this week on our status. We are still 4th in line; however, the three families in front of us should have their referrals by the end of September or first part of October! That means we should be at the top of the pile by mid Octoberish!!

I feel like I did when I was about 7 months pregnant with Annsley. I remember looking down at this growing ball and suddenly realizing that this "thing" was going to have to come out some way, some how. I also knew that this ball was going to get bigger and bigger and the exit strategy was growing less appealing every minute! All of a sudden I wanted to rethink our decision to have a baby but it was too late. Oh yes, it's all fun and dandy registering for baby shower gifts, listening to the heartbeats at the OB's office, and scouring labels to make sure you're not injesting some forbidden food while pregnant. But at some point, the rubber will meet the road.

I think that's where I am right now. Oh yes, it's all fun to fill out the agency's application to get the process started, to tell people that you are adopting and to have them all say "Congratulations!", to comb Amazon looking for boy toys, etc. When the process takes close to a year to materialize and most of your time is simply spent waiting, it's easy to stay in that "it'll happen in the future" mode. Now, knowing our number will be up in a month, it's a hallelujah shout and a barf moment all wrapped up into one. The reality is here. Doug and I will soon be getting a picture of our son; we will board a plane for a foreign country; we will be leaving our two daughters (who are very excited to see us go by the way. "Mom, when are you leaving for Russia?" Annsley just asked me with an air of disgust reflecting the fact that I was still here. She isn't begging for her little brother to come live with us--don't read that into it. It's because she knows that her grandmas will be staying with her and she rules the roost when they are here...); we will be contacting the visa company soon and booking flights. My nice little daily routine I've had with the girls is fixing to become toast. Once again, we are stepping into the unknown. When I was 7 months along with Kennedi, it wasn't nearly as big of a deal--been there, done that! However, like Shultz from Hogan's Heroes, "I know NOTHING!" about what we're fixing to embark upon. All I know is our lives and the life of a little boy are about to change. I thank God that He has given me a spirit of perseverance and courage and peace, or I would be outta here! :)

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7.

"I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Psalm 91:2

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful!" Hebrews 10:23