The End Is Near

We got some very exciting news yesterday morning: our dossier has been submitted! That means that we are now only three to six weeks away from our first court date in-country, and we cannot wait for that. Even though it hasn't yet been four months since we first learned of Mikaela, it seems like we have been working on this adoption for much longer. All of the little setbacks that have arisen along the way have stretched the last three and a half months into what feels like at least a year. But, we are now—we think, we hope—officially done with the paperwork on this end. Kristie commented recently that where we are now is very reminiscent of what it feels like to have just crossed the 37-week mark of a pregnancy; probably nothing will happen for a few weeks yet, but we still have to be ready to leave for the hospital—or, in this case, Eastern Europe—at any time. This is especially true since we have heard that families adopting from this country have lately been getting notice of their court date as little as five days before, which leaves almost no time for packing. So, we have begun our preparations, both for leaving and for coming home. Our packing is now underway, with one of the new bags we bought almost completely packed and ready to go. We have a new car seat for Mikaela, which is sitting in her room waiting for her. Also awaiting her arrival is her crib, which at last is ready for use once again. (Josiah generously left some teeth marks on the crib rails, as he employed his crib temporarily as a chew toy, and so we had to refinish those pieces.) We are going to spend this week continuing to get ourselves ready, as we want to be prepared to leave to get Mikaela as soon as we have to, and without much scrambling at the last minute. The last thing we want to do before embarking on this trip is to spend two or three days flying around trying desperately not to forget anything as we cram our suitcases full of our belongings. Doesn't seem to me like the best way to start a trip, if it can be at all avoided. So, please keep praying, both for us and for Mikaela as she waits for us in her orphanage. I keep wondering how she's doing, but never having been in an orphanage myself, I can't really begin to imagine. We're praying for her health and her comfort—as much of either as she can have right now—while she waits in her bed. I wish that someone could tell her, and that she could understand, that her Mommy and Daddy will be coming for her soon, but that seems impossible. Maybe she would be able to comprehend this, but I don't know whether anyone would tell her, anyway. So, we continue to wait and to pray, though now with the knowledge that we are one major step closer to having our whole family together in one place.