Friday, June 3, 2011

Sleepless in Seattle.

Well, it's 1:15am on Friday morning and I'm sitting in bed, wide awake.  We need to be up by 3:30am in order to make our first flight, but I'm totally wired...thinking, thinking, thinking.  We're all packed, thankfully, and wow, was that a huge job.  We'll be checking six large pieces of baggage (all weighed so as not to exceed the 50 lb limit - we had to do some juggling to make that work!), the maximum we're allowed for the three of us traveling today.  Almost half of them are filled with donations and gifts, and the other half with clothes, toys, activities and other necessities.  We are loaded down!

It's finally happening.  I keep telling myself that over and over and still it feels surreal.  Man, I have to sleep...I'm going to be an utter wreck by the time we arrive in Addis.  But how do you tell your brain to shut down when it's whirring with activity?  Where's my old constitutional law textbook when I need it...that thing used to be the number one, no-fail, works-every-time solution to my insomnia problems - I don't think I ever made it past the first few pages!  Sadly, I think I eventually gave it away to some organization that probably gave it the burial it deserved. But at moments like these, it's that particular textbook that always comes to mind.  Not that I've had any moments exactly like this one.

A week from today is our 'gotcha day' (a term I'm not wild about but one which is commonly used by adoptive families to mark the day they bring their new children into their family).  Wow.  A week from today we become a family of five.  Forever.  And ever.  Amen.

6 comments:

  1. Have a safe flight. I wish you and your family all the best! Can't wait to see pictures of your adventure.

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  2. Best wishes for the trip and for the start of your new life as a family of 5. I hope everything goes smoothly and as wonderfully as you've ever imagined it would :-)

    Welcome to the world of not fitting into one taxi, hotel room, restaurant table, family ticket purchase or average car! Also, you and Geoff will be outnumbered now ;-)

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  3. Thinking of you and your family Ruth and so excited for you as you leave on this amazing journey! Best wishes for a good trip and safe travels.

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  4. Safe travels Ruth!

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  5. HI Ruth ,

    Good morning !
    Or evening at this point you are some where in a new time zone moving into a new life.
    Just wanted to send some love over the Ocean to you and let you know I am thinking of you all the time.
    I hope there have not been surprises thinking of Matthew on his huge big adventure across the world.
    love Shannon

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  6. Praying for safe flights, smooth transitions, and for all the memories to be cemented in your mind so that you can recall them and post them here for us all to read and for your kids to someday read. As I write this, you are already on your way and I just couldn't be happier for you!!!

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