We Decided to Leave the Kitchen Sink After All

The great Robson pack up began last night. Hmmmm. Let's see. Where to begin.

Well, it began with good intentions. I made the ultimate list. I gathered EVERYONE's packing lists. I searched through old threads on FRUA. I put out the call for "what I should pack" all over in hopes of traveling with out the feeling of "I wish I had...".

Then, I compiled the Great and Perfect List. I even made an excel spread sheet (big surprise to Ondrea and Nicole who know I spread sheet everything) to detail what bag each item should be packed in. Am I rockin' awesome or what!

Then we went shopping yesterday. At 10:30 pm, in Wal Mart the final credit card threatened to melt right there in the swiping matching. It was UGLY!

Once home, we had the sad sad task of unloading all of our booty. And then, I began to sort items into the various bags.

My back pack: working as my purse, it was to hold everything essential and for the plane ride.
My rolling carry on: Housing all my clothing, my laptop, and my toiletries.
Ian's computer bag: same as always, but also holding all the new electric gadgets he bought. Like an auto translator, Flip Video camera, and voice recorder.
Ian' rolling carry on: Most of his clothing and toiletries.

The ski bag we are checking on to the plane: EVERYTHING ELSE.

I had this great plan that we could pack our orphanage donations, all the toys we have for our referral, enormous amounts of food to win her over and enormous amounts of food to keep my very hunger sensitive husband happy. And, all the medicines and random items from duct tape and a kitchen sink stopper to toilet paper and mosquito repellent were going into this bag.

Hah!

It would have been fine if a human could actually lift the thing!

So, as soon as Target opens, I am off to buy a new duffel bag. All the orphanage donations and some other items will need to shift over to a new bag.

I know we are over packing. Four cans of fabreeze travel size, 2 mosquito sprays and 2 boxes of mosquito wipes. I know it is overkill.

Today's project is to reduce.

Then, I have to work on the ultimate binder. If you look back in Feb/ March at my first real posts, you can see pictures of one or two of my binders. I made a binder with dividers and everything in page protectors for our HS agency, our adoption agency, our family Vital Statistics documents, our dossier, financial documentation, and communication documentation. I am the great black hole, so I became a binder master to keep track of everything.

Now I need to collect contact numbers, questions for the orphanage, developmental checklists, and copies of vital documents like our passports and visas and I need to organize them into a new binder for our trip. It is going to have to go into the back pack.


In other news, my DH is referring to our referral as "the Subject". He has taken Dr. Gordina's directions not to attach to heart. He is determined to be detached and logical as he constantly corrects me when I say, "when we return for court..." he replies "if we accept her". I remember Ondrea's doubting Thomas post, and I am going to rename him soon. Of course, he is right. There is a decent chance that we will come home empty handed. Especially given the fact that we want a girl, and they are few and far between.

Let God drive, right. It is my mantra!

In the end, we both agree, whether this is our Ariana or not, we are thrilled to be able to buy an orphan all these toys and give her some attention. If she is so unhealthy that we don't take her, odds are it will be a while before she is adopted, so a few new toys and lots of lovin' is just what she needs. Maybe we are on our own little missionary trip! (albeit an expensive one!)

Dear Lord, thank you for the opportunity to travel next week. Please give us wisdom to make the right choices at every turn. Wrap us in your safety. Surround us with helpful, understanding, compassionate, patient and supportive people. Steer us in the direction of our daughter. May we leave feeling we accomplished everything we wanted to and may we return home without the feeling that "we wish we had...". Wrap our daughter in our love. Surround her with compassionate caregivers that she bonds with and loves. Nourish her body, mind and spirit. Protect her from evil, from disease, from hunger, from pain and from harm. Guide us to each other next week. Fill us with the recognition of her and the confidence that we belong together as a forever family.

I hear the weather in Moscow is beautiful, and we are so excited to explore a new country and hopefully, a new chapter in our lives.

Michelle