No news is not good news.

We are so ready to get our travel date already. This has definitely been the time that has tried our patience the most. It has been said that the end of the adoption process is much like the end of a pregnancy - you are just ready to meet your little one! It is definitely true. The loss of patience, anticipation, and just an overall feeling of being done with it. Instead of being asked over and over if you are in labor, we are asked over and over if we have received our date yet. No, not yet :(

It has also been said that adoptions are quite the roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs and unexpected twists. I have to agree with that too. In general our process has been very smooth and quick, completing everything in just 3.5 months without any major hurdles. We knew all along a possible shutdown may occur and so we worked quickly to finish everything. The same day we received our last piece of paperwork needed, we also learned of the July 11th closure. At that time we were told it may be possible to travel beforehand. We waited anxiously only to find out it wouldn't happen. So we tried to come to terms with our 3 month wait. Then we get news that special needs adoptions will continue and prepare to travel right away, possibly the end of July. We went from 3 months to 3 weeks. We are now almost 2 weeks in to the "re-opening" and still no date. Now the soonest it could be is the 3rd week of August. See where this could play with your emotions? Wait, be ready, be ready quick!, and then wait some more... AHHHHHH! Tis the wild ride of adoption, especially in our particular country.

There is suppose to be more dates given this week. The last 2 weeks it has been on Monday. Pray we hear something soon! As in Monday :)

Ivy's room is almost done!

I had so much fun doing her room! It was especially fun because I have never done a nursery before. Our babies co-slept with us so I did not do a room for them until they were older. I changed my mind about a million times but this is what I finally ended up with:

I still want to get a rocking chair for the bay window and a lamp and other small accessories. And one of the things I am most excited about is still missing! I ordered something from etsy to go over the crib, just waiting for it to arrive in the mail. Love the pom poms though!!

I love old furniture redo's! I almost painted it aqua but chickened out and went white.

We are all ready for a sweet baby girl to join the family!

Wonderful change of plans!!

We were told yesterday that Ivy's country will remain open to special needs adoptions during the closure. That means we will be getting a travel date in the next few weeks to go get our girl!!

This is a huge answer to prayer for all those little ones who will not have to wait months more to be rescued. It really is a race against time, as we are reminded by yet another death of a little one on Reece's Rainbow recently.

This leaves us scrambling a bit as we weren't expecting to travel for at least three more months. Soooo happy though!! Top priorities include: throwing my sisters bridal shower, getting the kids school supplies/clothes, finishing Ivy's room, preparing our rental for the new renters, making a hard cover photo album of our life/family to show to the judge, orphanage, and most importantly - Ivy!, and buying the last bit of Ivy's immediate needs. This does not include preparations for the trip itself. Oye, I just gave myself a stomach ache!

Hold on baby girl, mommy and daddy will be there SOON!!

No more being lonely.

No more days without hugs and kisses.

No more going hungry.

No more sitting in dirty diapers.

No more being forgotten.

Soon, you will be an orphan no more!