SO MUCH TO PACK!!!

one of the first photos we received of ShiYang Wei

Here I go...blogging! 

As I sit here in my cozy family room, with 3 children and 2 dogs sound asleep I think to myself "I better enjoy this quiet now...it's about to get turned upside down!"  Adopting a child is the same as giving birth to a child in that all of the same craziness you go through before birth, I'm going through.  I'm officially "nesting" (as I decided on a whim 3 days ago to paint ShiYang's bedroom - much to my husband's chagrin), I'm worrying about everything and anything there is to worry about, I'm excited and terrified all wrapped into one.  However, where it differs from giving birth (apart from the obvious) is there is an extremely exciting yet daunting trip ahead of us.  No one in either of our families have ever been to China and though we've traveled extensively both with and without our children, China is different from anywhere we've ever been.  Americans typically stick out anywhere outside of the US, but in China we've been told we will draw a crowd (and Emily will especially be an attraction with her blonde hair).  Jack and Emily's main concern is the food (not missing school for 3 weeks, not missing their little brother, not sitting still for 14hrs on the plane).  Of course, our very heartfelt, nurturing parental response has been "suck it up, you'll be fine"!  However, I do have an arsenal of snack items packed just in case.

Speaking of packing, the sea of Target bags in my bedroom are multiplying and I wonder how (being the notorious over-packer that I am) I will fit everything into 4 small suitcases!  We have been told to pack everything from formula to lice shampoo.  I have post-it notes galore all over my bedroom and get excited when I can check something off the "to do" list.  We are 9 days away from our departure and I know it will all get done.  We are all excited and having a difficult time focusing on anything else (other than the fact we will miss Owen terribly while we are away - though I know he'll have fun with our sitter and at school).

About a month ago, we sent a small photo album to ShiYang with photos of all of us and our house.  I know they have been showing it to him, so hopefully he won't be too terrified when he meets us.  At this point, it is all so surreal, yet I cannot stop staring at the photos of our cute little new McKenzie (19mos old now) and wonder if he has any idea of how dramatically his life will change on October 11th (our "gotcha" day)!