Stir Crazy

I live in a part of the US that has winter almost half the year. I tried to convince my husband that we should move somewhere warmer, but seeing as we have been married almost 10 years, and haven't moved yet, my prospects of a warm home climate aren't looking so great. When moving somewhere warmer in the US didn't fly, I tried to convince him to move to Italy. That didn't go either.

Last year at this time we were in Uganda. It was a perfect break from all of our cold, often depressing winters. If I lived in Alaska I would definitely need those lamps to help people with seasonal depression.

This year, we are home. I am already dreaming of warm weather, sitting on the beach, going to the parks and wearing capris (because I never wear shorts!) Too bad for me that type of weather won't hit until around May, and even then it could be closer to June. I know for the sake of my sanity I should probably stop dreaming about all warm weather related things, but I just can't help myself!

Last year, some girlfriends and I met at McDonalds for breakfast. It was so cold on that morning that the heat stopped working at McDonalds, and their fryers didn't work, but we still stayed and played even though the playland area was about 50 degrees because we were so desparate to get out of our houses! Luckily this extreme patheticness (is that a word?) hasn't hit me yet this year, but winter is long, and my warm wather patience short, so who knows what may happen in the next several months?

On an adoption note, for those of you who are like geez Jess, just give us adoption information, I am in that area of happy/little bit sad/envious. There are several families who have been told that they may travel in about 2 months or so. They aren't from our agency, and they will be traveling to the embassy appt. Our agency made a new policy that we can't travel until all of our paperwork is ready. So while we were ahead of these other families, now we will more than likely be significantly behind in getting our children. Please don't misunderstand me. I am SO excited for these families. I am just bummed that we will not be able to get our children as quickly as they will. But God is good, and who knows what will happen in our case?

We have one, maybe two weeks until our non-appeal period is over. They aren't quite sure of the date because we passed court on the 15th, but our judgement wasn't given until the 21st, so they are checking with the country coordinator on when the 30 days actually started. After that, we wait for a letter from the govt. that pretty much says it's official from their side, and then we can send in to our government for the orphan petition. This is taking people about 8 weeks to hear back favorably. More waiting, I am not looking foward to it. Once we hear back from the US govt., then we can ask for an embassy appt. for our kids, and FINALLY move forward with the whole going and getting our babies! Probably still looking at June. (I keep telling myself June and if it happens faster it would just be a huge blessing. I am such a glass is half empty type person!)

In the meantime, I am having a hard time trying to get ready for their arrival. Nothing is ever certain until they are on the plane and taking off back home. So how do you get ready for babies who in all honesty, may or may not come? We have zero baby items from our other two kids. And it would be silly, in my opinion, to buy things for kids that aren't for sure. I know that we will get lots of things from our friends, who are a pretty fertile bunch, but it still leaves me a little uneasy.