7/9/08 - 5 days to go.

Expecting a child is consuming. When I was pregnant with ds1, by the end of the pregnancy I was huge and tired. He came at 41 weeks, with medical help, and at 10 lbs. During the pregnancy, I spent time talking to other moms getting advice on a wide range of subjects. I was tired. In the last few weeks I used to take naps as well as go to bed early. But sleeping was difficult as I was huge and the baby was active.

With adoption it is actually in many ways similar. I still feel pregnant, but it is not as visible. I am consumed with thoughts of "are we prepared?" I'm getting prepared, and spending time with other moms getting advice on a wide range of subjects. Its a different type of fellow mom search, as I'm not as visibly pregnant, but my radar for adopted families is up and I'm meeting blended families everywhere I go. I still don't know what is about to come, but I'm excited. And yes, I'm not sleeping well. Last night I woke from nightmares of fighting of Cobra snakes in the middle of flooding.

I'm presuming that the conclusions of both pregnancies will be similar. Child in hand, sleep deprivation till everyone gets on a schedule, but the creation of more love than thought humanly possible and some satisfaction in just being there.

Today we received our visa, passports and tickets back from the travel agent. I went to the bank for a cashiers check for the agency (covering all intra-country travel costs) as well as cash for all the payments required for the adoption process (donation to orphanage, passport fees, registration fees, notary fee, visa fees, medical check up fees, and yes, even $5 for a baby photograph fee). When I told the lady at the bank that I needed new (post 1990), clean money, and in specific denominations. The woman was totally accommodating, which surprised me.

Today my office surprised me with a baby shower and cake. My girlfriends surprised by with lots of donations for the orphanage. I'm starting to relax more and looking forward to the trip. Amazingly, its been 21 months getting to this point. It is happening fast, but still,some how, not quite fast enough.