It's a GIRL!!!!!

The day has finally arrived. 11 months, 2 weeks and 1 day and we are proud to say we have been referred a beautiful 6 week old baby girl. I am so in love already. As stated before I can't post her picture or her name as she is not legally ours yet so you will just have to trust me that she is the most beautiful little girl ever!

So everyone wants to know where I was and what I was doing so before I forget I thought I should write it all down.

I was in the office doing some cleaning and shredding. Nesting away as I have been for months. I heard the phone ring and I jumped up to go get it. I ran to the bedroom and saw on the caller ID Children's Home Society and I screamed and tried to answer the phone. For whatever reason our home phone wasn't working and all I heard was static. I quick ran downstairs to grab the other phone but by then I had missed the call. I was desperately trying to figure out how to call back when my cell phone rang.

This was it. This was the call I have been waiting for. Today, January 6th, I found out that our daughter is in Ethiopia and she is ready for us to come get here. Wait did I say daughter??? I for so long had been telling myself we were having a son and I was so fine with that. A daughter?? I can't believe it. I am going to have a little girl. My prayers really have been answered. I heard only about every other word our specialist said. I was crying. Tears of utter joy for sure. I couldn't believe it. I was in total shock. Our local SW was here in the morning to update our home study and she and our specialist just missed each other on the phone. I didn't think today would be the day but boy am I glad it is.

She is 6 weeks old and truly a little peanut. The nickname fits her perfectly. I wish I could hop on a plane right now and scoop her into my arms and tell that she is so loved. I can't. I have a few months before I can do that. I know that she is being well taken care of while we wait to go get her. Many blessings and prayers to the nannies and doctors looking after all our little ones.

I think someone better pinch me, this is really happening right?? I am actually going to be a Mom. What a glorious day this has been. Thanks to all who have been such amazing cheerleaders through this whole process. You know who you are. You have kept me sane as much as that is possible. I can't wait to share her picture so come on court date.

PS--I am wearing my pink AHOPE shirt so maybe that was a sign :)

17 days...

Well we are 17 days away from the 12 month mark. 17. Less than 3 weeks....

I have a blogging buddy who is 11 days from her 12 months and another who is 24 days away.

It is still a little surreal to me but I can't wait for my phone to ring. I can't wait to open my email and see that picture. To have a name to learn and a face to stare at and memorize every detail.

In the mean time I am trying to keep myself busy. I currently have a cold so my energy level is quite low. I have a book I am trying to finish by Sunday for my book club and I have a house to get ready for a visit with my social worker tomorrow.

In between tasks, I am checking to make sure I didn't miss a call and that my cell phone is fully charged.

Peanut, someday when you read this I hope you don't think your mama is crazy. Ok, well she is a little. Crazy in love with you the baby she hasn't even seen much less met yet. Her dream is to be the best mama she can be. It has been an almost 6 year process for her dream of motherhood to come true and she can't wait for that phone to ring telling her that her prayers have been answered and that you peanut are destined to be her little one. Waiting for you has not been easy but I know every second of the wait will be worth it when I can see your face and better yet when I can hold you in my arms. Never did I feel more at peace then when we decided to adopt from Ethiopia. It was if the stars aligned perfectly. I knew. I just knew that my baby would be born in Ethiopia and in my heart.

I survived today and 2008

I can't believe it is Friday already. Where did the week go??? I have had a crazy day as I left my cell phone at home. I usually wouldn't care if I did that but...things are a lot different now. I realized it when I got to work so it was too late to turn back and get it. I was a nervous wreck for my entire shift. I know my specialist has my work # too but it was still bothersome to not have it. It didn't help that my work phone kept ringing today. If it wasn't a telemarketer, it was my boss and then it was another manager. I literally jumped everytime it rang only to be mildly disappointed to hear it wasn't my specialist on the other line.

I made it home and am now within reach of both my home phone and my cell phone. I am really not expecting a call today. Maybe next week or the week after would be my best guess but you never know.

We have a busy weekend of taking down Christmas decorations and cleaning. Our local social worker is coming over next week to update our home study. Can you believe it has been a year since the last time we updated?? Wow, 2008 really did fly by.

My one wish for 2008 was that it would be monumentally better than 2007. In fact that was a direct quote for a while on my Facebook page. I have since changed it. I wouldn't say 2008 was monumentally better than 2007 but it was definitely better. 2008 transformed me into a stronger, more patient, faith filled and hopeful person.

I am excited and nervous for all that 2009 will hold. The plan is to take one thing at a time and my sole focus right now is getting our referral. 2009 will be a banner year for our family and I am excited to get it moving so phone you better be ringing soon :)

Can we say 3 weeks???

It occurred to me today that we are 3 weeks away from our 12 months of waiting date. 3 weeks??? Can we say starting to freak out a little???? (okay A LOT)

I haven't heard from my specialist in awhile but at last word she had said that the trend was for people to get the call sometime in their 11th month of waiting whether it be 11 months and 1 day or 11 months and 29 days is impossible to predict. I have seen families get the call mere days before they hit the 12 month mark and others who got the call a few weeks before they hit 12 months.

Holy Moly! I can't think of anything else right now but my phone ringing. I have officially lost it. I am certifiable for sure. I want that phone to ring so badly and then in the back of my head I keep hearing what if it doesn't. I know crazy but International Adoption is crazy and anything could happen.

While I try to remain calm, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! May 2009 be all that you hope and want it to be. I am sure hoping that 2009 will be one of the greatest years of my life. I could use an awesome year. 2007 was a TERRIBLE year and 2008 was average at best. I am so grateful to all my family and friends for sticking with us through these last two years as rough as they may have been at times. 2009 sure looks to be the year for us and our new family. Fingers crossed for all my buddies at the top of the list may we be so blessed to hear our phone ringing soon from the 651 area code!

EDIT: No sooner did I post this that I got an email from my specialist. She said they are up to dossier dates of 1/10/08 (we are 1/22/08) and that she is pretty hopeful that we won't hit 12 months of waiting. Pretty was her word not mine and she unfortunately gave no hints as to when it might happen but soon. Okay--now I am crying, happy tears of course. I told you I was a mess :)

Back to reality

Well, it is finally time for me to get back to reality. It was nice to have a break from work and technology for a few days.

Christmas was fabulous. There was lots of good food, drink and laughs to go around. It was great to be able to spend it with family and friends.

The biggest surprise of the last week is that we are now # 8 on the unofficial list and # 4 on that list waiting for an infant. My cell phone ringer volume is as high as it will go. I am hopeful that the next weeks will bring us amazing news. I saw that we had moved up a spot on Christmas Eve after church. I cried. I do that a lot lately.

My hubby spoiled me rotten this year. We try to set a budget and I felt bad for going a little over but 2 years in a row he has out done himself. Last year I got this amazing lamp and this year he bought me a Nintendo Wii and the Ergo baby carrier I wanted. All I asked for this year was the Ergo but he thought I needed a distraction to keep me busy over the next few months while we wait for the phone to ring and then wait for travel. Isn't he sweet? The key will be to work for an hour on the To Do list and play Wii for an hour that way I can still get things crossed off that list.

I also went on my first official baby buying spree this weekend. We went to the outlet mall near the Dells and I bought some silly looking but cute baby toys at Old Navy and 5 onesies and a sleeper set at the Carter's outlet. If we are having a boy, I am so going back to the outlets to get the cutest little whale shirt and plaid shorts I have ever seen. It was hard not to buy one of everything in the store. In fact a couple walked in behind us and the husband said "don't we already own at least 1 of everything in this store." I looked at hubby and just smiled. He rolled his eyes.

These next few weeks I will probably be in a daze. Trying to get things done around the house, trying to figure out my new toy and staring at that phone willing it to ring. Oh and our home study update is right around the corner so I need to clean the house :)

I hope everyone had safe travels, avoided crazy weather and was blessed enough to be able to spend the holidays with the ones that you love.

PS--yes I am blogging while at work. Trying to starve off the boredom :)