And if there is one holiday my blog is decorated for, it is this one!!! I may not be wearing green right now, but my blog is! :)

Things are moving right along around here...like I said in my last post, we received our visas and our plane tickets on the same day. I got my packing dry-run complete and now feel quite ready to finish up that task! I had to go to a conference (for work) in Montgomery, the latter part of this past week, so I've been concentrating on something entirely un-adoption related. Now that I am back, I am back in the swing of getting ready to leave! On the agenda for today and tomorrow is cleaning the house and putting things in the suitcases. After tomorrow, life at work is going to be VERY busy, so I think the days should pass quickly!

Thank goodness we are getting so close - This is exciting!!

To answer a couple questions that have been posed - either in comments, emails, or conversations - recently:

1. - What is the labeled disposable camera for? This camera is for us to leave at the orphanage for the workers to (hopefully!!) take pictures of the little guy between first & second trips. They may not snap pictures, and if they don't, that is okay. But if they are willing to, what a great thing to have!!!

2. - What about your newspaper article? My friend that started the series has since moved away and become busy with her new job. Once upon a time, she had high hopes of working on the article, even with her new job...but I think she travels quite a bit. So someday, something else may come out - but then again, it may not. Which is okay with me, either way.

3. - Are you nervous? Interestingly enough, this is a question that we are asked almost several times a day, now. Which is fine...I would probably ask the same thing of someone else! But the answer is Yes and No. (remember that in the adoption-related parts of this blog, "I" is a fairly interchangeable with "we"... all information that I receive is always passed along to Nathan - and I try to make a distinction if he feels differently than I do about something - you will see this happen in just a minute) OKAY. Back to answering the question! First, the "No" part: I have been in touch with a couple who recently came home with their little girl...they actually adopted from the same orphanage that we are going to, and have good things to say about the orphanage, the orphanage doctor, the condition of the oprhanage, and the workers. In fact, they were VERY positive, which makes me feel really great!

In addition to this particular couple, I've been talking to (and reading up on) others who have this experience - people who have adopted from Russia, in general, and people who have adopted specifically from our region. It is great to have some sort of idea of what's to come. I know things may not go exactly as planned, but because I have had some of my questions answered, I feel much better. So, No, we are not NEARLY as nervous as we once were!! And for this, we THANK all of you who have been instrumental in helping us be in this good place with our nerves!! :)

The second part of the answer, though, is "Yes." Of course, we're still a little nervous...the fact that there are so many variables makes this a scary thing. But it's still exciting! And we know that we are in God's good hands!!!

Now to the place where Nathan and I split ways on our nervousness. The Flight. I am fine with the flight. I don't LIKE being cooped in an airplane cabin for such a long time...but it doesn't frighten me - more, I stay in complete awe that we are so many miles up in the air! A hundred years ago, we would probably be taking a boat to Russia. Well, a hundred years ago, we probably wouldn't even be doing this! But the point is that I remain in awe of the brainpower and manpower of other people in years gone by, that have made flying these long distances possible! Nathan, on the other hand, is nervous about the flight. I wouldn't go as far as to say he is scared, but he does NOT like heights. And there is definitely some height involved in a flight to Russia! People often find his aversion to flying funny...but that's usually because they think that everyone in the Air Force is a pilot. Well, either that, or that everyone in the Air Force joined because they love to fly! If you are one that thinks that...think again!! It's a common misconception!

But I digress...Nathan is a 'go with the flow' guy - so any of my nerves in-country will be settled, with his good attitude. Unfortunately, there's not a lot I can do about his flying issues, except maybe give him some good drugs to help him sleep??

There's your answer. Yes and No (or really, it was "No and Yes." But who's counting??). We are a little nervous but very excited and really, at this point, just ready to get there!!


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Now the useless piece of trivia for the day:

Nathan and I have been married for almost 8 1/2 years. We have both flown a lot in that time - deployments, trips to see him wherever he may be, etc. But Did You Know, we have only flown together ONE time? An hour-&-a-half trip to Tampa, FL (and only to Tampa, I came back alone). Thursday will mark our first-ever long flight with layovers, etc. together. I thought that was pretty cool. And weird. And exciting!

Have a great & safe St. Patty's Day!!!