And we are off

This is Bruce. We are at the Newark airport about to board on our adventure. Catch you in Munich

We're off

It's Crunch time...

Limo will be here soon.... still have to get ready.. Eeek!

Just wanted to say... see ya... if we can we'll pop in when we arrive in Munich?

Have a Great few weeks without us... stayed tuned

This will be fun... lots of interesting stuff will pop up I'm sure.

Kisses L&B

~~~

Good Morning

Goooood Morning Everyone. ;o)

This is it... our big day... Lift Off ... Woo Hoo

Yes... we did get some sleep last night. Amazingly.

This morning I got an email from the Embassy in Tbilisi. They have our

I600 but our fingerprints are missing. Gotta love it...lol.

Why am I not freaking out you may wonder? Well after several fingerprinting (different levels of clearance through the process and different US gov. departments) I know we checked out and I know that in order to get an I600 you need the FBI/ Homeland Security print clearance.

So I emailed all our contacts the message and I am confident that they will straighten this out probably before we land in Munich. The system isn't perfect but it does work and the people we've been dealing with are "THE BEST" on both sides of the Atlantic.

~~~

OK... I'm off to Target to pick up another Glow Worm... yup still shopping ;o)

Catch ya later...

~~~

Don't step on it...

Don't step on it ... it will make you cry.

Just finished weighing our luggage. 6 suit cases and I didn't go over on one.

Pretty good huh?

I can't believe all the stuff we packed.

From a traveling potty seat to sippy cups.

Pull up diapers to a First aid kit.

I think we're ready for just about anything? Well probably not .. and I keep getting this nagging feeling I'm forgetting something important?

I can't imagine what is might be...

Hum... oh well.. maybe it will come to me before we leave.

One more trip to Target tomorrow and I 'm pretty sure we'll be done.

Need another Glow Worm Sea Horse.

Cute little things ;o)

~~~

Just thought I'd pop in ...

Just thought I'd pop in and say Hi and Thank all those who have left messages these past few days. I've been hard to catch.

Well the packing continues... so far so good.

300 lollipops later (yes I'm really taking 300 lollipops), a suit case's worth of gifts and toys.

We still have 3 suit cases to go.

Not as bad as it sounds. Everything we're packing is laid out or hanging on a rack.

But the carry on's are ready...lol

OK... I'd better go... getting a look from Tamara's Mama here..lol

Yup still excited... not freaking out yet.

I'm mentally treating it like one of our big parties so I stay focused on what needs to be done.

I'll sleep on the plane... maybe?

~~~

What we can expect...

What we can expect...

I recieved an email tonight from our agency... last minute couching you might say.

I'm going to post parts of the email as I think it's important for family and friends to understand what this is really like. It is also important for them to understand that we ARE going to be following the agencies advice.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!!!!

***

have you> bought some pull-ups for the trip home? Have them> explain to her that it's special travel underwear> because sometimes it's hard to find a bathroom. Newly> adopted toddlers tend to become more babyish when they> first get home, it's part of bonding with the new> family. Emotionally you want her to go back to infancy> and redevelop as your daughter, bonded with you. Part> of this backsliding might be wetting at night so some> pull-ups around isn't a bad thing.

*

Tamara is very shy and not really used to getting her> needs met ever, more less immediately. The foster> mother does really well but she has special needs kids> to care for who require more care than Tamara. She may> not know how to react to being the center of attention> at first. While you're bonding with her everything> should come from the parents, even if it's a gift from> someone else it should be handed to her by you. The> other person can be there, of course, but it should> come from you. Food should come from you, feed her> from your plate with a fork if possible. Cuddle her> while she drinks out of a sippy cup and don't be> surprised if she starts wanting a bottle. Get her one> and let her drink out of it (with you holding her) at> home. A friend of mine adopted her kids at 8 and 5 and> used these techniques (plus others) and they really> worked. My kids were surprised when we went up to> visit and our gift was presented by the mother but I'd> told them ahead of time and they were fine with it.

*

Just remember that she's going to be very nervous and> scared, you'll just need to be patient until she> settles down. She doesn't have normal life coping> skills as she hasn't had a normal life, everything is> a change for her and change isn't always a good thing.> She isn't going to have as many points of reference as> a home-grown child her age would but that means you> get to be there for so many first and to experience so> many of them with her. Often people who adopt toddlers> feel they're about a year behind developmentally and> that's probably about right for her too.

*

You must be crawling out of your skin by now, I know> the feeling.

*

Thanks Kathy

I've had many adoptive parents and adoption child development experts tell me many of the same things. But you said it so clearly that I had to pass it along.

I hope you don't mind... I really thought it was important and I know that I will not have the time, patience nor energy to debate the bonding process later. As you know it can be exhausting.

*

I promised to educate on this blog not just entertain.

I also know there are adoptive parents and there are future adoptive parents who are following along. This part of the process will be of great interest to those who are about to adopt.

Bonding with your child comes 2nd only to their health.

*

It's very important that family and friends understand that it isn't personal but our child's bonding process comes before anything or anyone else. I am very serious about this.

I expect everyone to comply with our wishes.

Thank You!

~~~

OK.. enough serious stuff.

We're still packing and cleaning and trying to get ready.

Today I took a few hours to try and make myself look presentable for our daughter.

You know.. once you hit 29 ;o) it becomes a maintenance challenge leaving the country for more then a few weeks.

Hair

Facial

Wax On... Wax Off

Ouch... that hurt!

Tomorrow AM .. manicure /pedicure

Then it's back to packing and packing and weighing the suitcases

Trying to keep them all under 50 lbs. each.

My plan is to be finished by Sunday Eve? Yeah we'll see. lol.

In the meantime I also need to tidy up around here.

So things are tidy when we get home.

~~~

We also had a nice visit with our neighbors tonight. It's really nice to see how genuinely happy and excited they are for us.

Thanks for the earrings guys and yes ASH we'll try and bring you some Vodka .

Although??? I think they're more into wine in Georgia?

Good Night!

~~~

Love American Style

Love American Style...

Today's project was zooming off a letter to our agency for translation for the judge and putting the finishing touches on the photo album for the judge.

The letter is our opportunity to express ourselves. Explain ourselves. Yes I know what you're thinking there is no explanation for us ;o) lol

4 type written pages later we got a thumbs up from our agency.

The album is to show that we are a normal happily married couple and fit to adopt Tamara.

Not too much of a stretch ... right? lol

Anyway.. while digging through my computer photo files I found our wedding photos.

And so I thought I'd share a few.

Enjoy!

We haven't changed too much have we?

Our bridal party at Cave Pt. Door County WI.

A Beautiful Day and a party that went on for 3 days.

Almost 14 years ago.. Wow time sure does fly when you're having fun.

And this was Cave Point last year on our Anniversary.

Where we're standing was all under water 14 years ago.

Global warming perhaps?

Pretty No? For those who have never been. This is Lake Michigan on the Wisconsin side.

OK... better get back to it. Clock is ticking away.

~~~