S-T-R-E-S-S

Well, I think the overwhelming stress excitement of getting ready for our trip might just do me in!  Our bedroom seems to have spontaneously combusted.  There are suitcases, clothes, and donations on just about every surface.  I can't seem to find enough hours in the day to get it all done.  I think we may have a couple of weeks coming up where our homeschooling is made up of 'life experience'.  I also agreed to be part of a Christmas Extravaganza that some women from church are putting together.  It's going to be a really fun event, but I need to sew a lot of stuff and I haven't even been able to think about that yet.  Unfortunately, it's the weekend after we get back.  My table will probably be pretty lame-o.  That's the least of my worries right now, though.

I have recently become obsessively fixated been thinking a lot about our Maci.  She's never been away from me for one night.  The longest we've ever been apart in her 3 1/2 years is probably five or six hours when I was at a couple of quick births.  I'm trying to prep the older two on how to deal with all of the emotions Maci is going to express while we're gone.  I would really appreciated prayers specifically for her.

I have to say, though, it will be interesting to see what it feels like to be myself, separate from my many appendages.  I have recently been able to start leaving a couple of kids at home while I go shopping and I love it!  I feel so normal and anonymous.  It's lovely!  No one is looking at me like I'm crazy as I try to manage my three ring circus up and down the aisles.  No one asks if it's a school holiday and then says oh or hmmm when I say we homeschool.  Not one asking if they're all mine, which inevitably leads to the adoption when all of the kids chime in that there's actually another one on the way.  

But still, eight days without the fabulous four is going to be about all I can handle.  I adore my kiddos.  


So, nine days until we head to the grandparents.  That's another freak out I'm having.  A couple of days ago I realized, DUH!  I have to pack all of the kids, their schoolwork, and the dog to be away from home for ten days.  I've been focused on getting me and Justin ready.  But no, there's so much more to it!  I have a little song that's stuck in my head for the past few days.  Do you know it?  We used to sing it as kids... I am slowly going crazy, 1,2,3,4,5,6 switch.  Crazy going slowly am I 6,5,4,3,2,1 switch.


I really don't want to leave off with this being a whiny post.  We are incredibly blessed to be able to have a mini vacay in Paris and to be able to bring another child into our home from halfway around the world.  Yes, the logistics are mind boggling.  But, this is what life is about.  These moments where I think I might actually be going crazy, the school days made up of looking at maps of Paris and researching the climate in Ethiopia, the love we already have for a child we have never met.  It's a wild ride, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  


One quick funny... Maci talks about Little E all the time.  The other day, the doorbell rang and she yelled, "E is here!  E is here!"  She hangs out in his bed and plays with his toys.  Yesterday, she started telling me that Ethiopia is going to be her brother, too.  Now, first of all it's super cute to hear the word Ethiopia come out of a three year old's mouth.  Seriously.  I love how she says it.  Secondly, it's also been impossible to convince her that Ethiopia is a place and not a person.  Poor girl is trying to wrap her mind around everything she's seeing and hearing.  So, if you hear that we're getting a child named Ethiopia, that rumor is false.  For now.  ;)


Nine days until we leave for Clovis!!!  Ten days until we get on the plane!!!  Two weeks from tomorrow we meet Little E!!!