This has been one of the most interesting, frustrating, crazy things about the Russian adoption process. So...much...waiting.

And we could not wait for the waiting to end.

But now that the waiting is finally come to a close, we only have a week to get things done! I think I've mentioned, before, that I'm a procrastinator. I work best under a tad bit of pressure. Well, I am now under a tad bit more than a tad bit of pressure. And I'm wondering when I will have time to accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished! The past 4 months have been filled with complaints about waiting…but once we got that unexpected call, my brain has actually gone into the mode of, “wait! I need more time!” I actually want more waiting?

Interesting phenomenon.

And really, we don’t want to wait anymore. Truthfully, we don’t need to wait anymore. In fact, if we had to drop everything and travel tomorrow, we could. But the problem lies in the fact that there are things around the house that need to be done. Little things, that I’ve been working on, but not finished withCleaning out the garage, for instance. Our garage is organized in a "this pile needs to go to Hannah Home" and "this pile is for whatever else." But that's just it, it is in piles.

Little I will not care if we have piles of stuff in the garage. But I will. And I will be a much happier mommy if I can get as much stuff, as possible, done before we leave. Less to do when we get back - hence, more time to spend with our child!

Anyway, some of the things that need to be done before we leave:

• the wonderful garage cleaning (which is really a matter of loading up stuff & taking it to the HH donation site)
• buy a vacuum cleaner (ours just bit the dust - perfect timing, huh?)
• buy dog & cat food
• set up the dogs' appointment with the vet for a couple days' stay & baths when we come home
• call the cell phone company & make sure we still have the International calling plan where calls are $3.99 from Russia, instead of $4.99!
• have an extra key made for our housesitter (I don't think she gets around to reading the blog, but she's actually a friend -- L -- who will be taking care of things for us while we're gone)
• schedule payments for all our bills from now to the first week in August
  get a suit for court (many thanks to my friend, S, who brought me several suits to try - none of which worked - but I guess it's just my signal that I need to get a suit. N & I are gonna run to B'ham to see what we can find, hopefully there are still some 4th of July sales going on!)
• CHILDPROOF! (one of the first things Little I did, when we first met him, was walk right past us… to a big potted plant sitting under the window, and DIG IN. He actually put the dirt in his mouth before anyone could get to him. Yes, our home is about to be changed forever. We don’t have a lot of breakables down low – and we don’t have potted plants in the house, because we have a cat that eats plants – but we do have outlets and cabinets that little hands do not need to get into! I have the supplies for childproofing, just gotta put them to use!)
• Finish packing. Little I is officially packed...although I'm about to do the proverbial "unpack half of the things you packed and then you will be set." I think I've got WAY too many clothes packed for him - especially given the fact that we will have access to a washer/dryer while we're there. I need to realize that yes, he will be able to wear clothes when he gets home, he doesn't have to have ALL of his clothes on his body in the first 2 weeks we know him! (I went shopping with a friend, C, last night & I told her that I'm so excited about all of Little I's clothes...that I feel like he will be a little babydoll for me to put clothes on. It's crazy. But hey, it's me!)

I'm sure there's more to add to the list, but I can't think of it right now.

My sister is planning to take us to the airport when we leave. I think that secretly, she loves this job...maybe it's because she gets to drive our car? I don't know, but she is coming down a couple days early to, as she put it, "help however you need help...and stay out of the way however you need me to stay out of the way."

Sarah...I'm thinking the garage is calling your name...