The Lists

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!! I am on a sugar high already, thanks to our clients.
I ran home at lunch, and our passports, with Visas, have arrived. Our plane tickets have not - hopefully they are en route. For those with travel in their future, here are The Lists:

The To Do List:
1) Get 60 day supply of contact lenses, prescriptions, vitamins
2) Hold mail
3) Call credit card company and tell them we'll be abroad
4) Order all the cash in new bills (~ 2 weeks in advance)
5) Blank check with neighbors for emergencies
6) Blank check with dogsitters, along with letter autorizing treatment until I can be reached
7) Copies of passport/visa, for us and to leave with my parents
8) Copies of life insurance policies/bank info left with parents (we will be traveling without our daughter, so this is for her benefit)
9) Purchase travel insurance - we used http://www.travelguard.com/, they have an adoption discount
10) Copy music and Russian-language cd's to mp3 player
11) Copy videos to bring with us (~40)
12) Set a few lights on a timer
13) Turn of water to the outside faucet
14) Set thermostat to 55F
15) Close off the dog door
16) Set up blog just for our daughter, to leave her messages/pix/videos
17) Get cellphone "unlocked" - to allow us to buy SIM card in Kaz - this only works if you have a GSM cellphone.
18) Setup contact info & website with adoption doctor (we're using Dr Friedman with CHOPAdopt, of Univ. of Penn). And practice uploading videos/pix to website so she can view them.
19) Cover the garden for cold weather
20) Arrange for someone to rake while we're gone
21) Setup bills/mortgage for online autopay (they already are, but if they weren't, this would probably be important)


The Packing List:
1) Digital camera/camcorder (carry on)
2) AA batteries for camera (we can probably get them there, but we're playing it safe)
3) Electical adapter/converter (note - you need a 25-50 watt converter for cellphones, laptops, etc, not just a 1600 watt adapter, which would be for hairdryers & irons).
4) Laptop & power cord & cord for dial-up internet (carry on)
5) MP3 player & headphones w/ splitter (carry on)
6) MP3-player speakers
6) Power strip (cuz we have several electrical devices, and only one converter)
7) Unlocked cellphone and charger
8) Deck of cards (carry on)
9) about 8 books total that neither of us have read (2 carry on). One I bought yesterday - a "how to" book for clinical massage, for grown-ups and babies alike :-)
10) Workout equipment - a yoga mat & yoga DVD's, a jump rope, resistance bands, and a "thigh toner" - I have no idea if the latter is any good, but can apparently be used for thigh and tricep presses, and was cheap, small & light weight.
11) Peanut butter, energy bars, instant oatmeal
12) 2 coffee mugs and an "over cup" drip filter
13) Money belts, with cash divided
14) Change of clothes for carry on
15) Prescriptions, vitamins
16) Minimal toiletries, apparently they'll have whatever we need there. I brought contact lens solution cuz I'm picky about it
17) Passports & all the adoption documentation (in water-proof accordion folder) (carry on)
19) Melatonin (carry on)
20) Clothes - dark, warm. No sneakers except for working out. A nice outfit for each of us for the court hearings. Dark socks, per someone's recommendation.
21) A present for the baby (a plush book with finger puppets, picked out by Ava)
22) Lots of childrens OTC meds & first aid stuff, for the orphanage
23) The Gifts (a mix of cosmetics (thank you to Ava's mom) and jewlery, and one tie)
24) A scarf to wear as my "recognizable" piece of clothing - adoption doctor recommended I wear it everyday, to help child recognize me.

Tonight we will determine whether all of the above will fit into 2 suitcases and 2 small backpacks. I'm optimistic.

I can't wait to step off the plane in Kostonai!!!!!

It's a go!!!!!!!!!

In 53 hours we should be boarding a plane to Kostonai!!!!! On Saturday morning, we will (hopefully) get to meet Lucatore. After all the anxiety of the last few days, I am now filled with calm. I am just so happy. I'll post back with the packing list once it's completed, for those who will find it helpful. Thank you to all of you leaving supportive comments, they have really been great to read over the past week.

Pins and needles

Today is the day when our agency is supposed to confirm whether or not we leave in 72 hours. Yikes. My heart is fluttering and my tummy is churning. The weekend was busy. We've got about 75% of the prep-work done, still a few loose ends that need tying. I'll be back to the blog as soon as we know something. If folks would like me to cut & paste our to-do list into the blog, for their use, I'm happy to do so.

Smiling Heart

Still no Letter of Invitation, BUT... Our agency called today and told us that despite the absence of an actual letter, she expects us to leave on Nov 1st - a mere 8 days away. We are stunned - so much to do, so little time, and it won't even be official until Oct. 29th. So, as always, there's the possibility that this is another false alarm. But fingers are wrapped around themselves 50 times over.

Sad heart

I have a sad heart, even though I know it is not rational.

I realized something last night. We were told last month that an Asian baby girl would be coming off the registry in mid-October, so we would be likely traveling at that time to meet her. It is now mid-October, and we have not received an LOI. Even if we got one tomorrow, that would not put us in Kaz until very late Oct. or early Nov. And the baby girl's registry date has likely not changed. This means that this little Asian girl is probably not meant to be Lucatore-Lucia. Hopefully it also means that she has already found a loving home, and does not need ours. And that little Lucatore-Lucia is still out there waiting, and soon will be sending for us. But my heart still feels a little broken, because it started to fall in love with the mystery baby girl. I cried a bit last night.

Lucatore-lucia, I will be as patient as I need to be. I know you are worth it. Love -mom

(P.S. - thanks to all who leave comments- it really brightens my day to check in and read them!)

My little walrus

The other night I dreamed that we went to get Lucatore/Lucia, and were surprised but no less happy when we were handed an adorable baby walrus, all swaddled up in a cozy blanket. We brought her home, and I was introducing her to all the neighbors, family and friends. She kept wriggling out of my hands and slithering behind the counter in the kitchen, and I'd have to lure her out with a snack (just like I do all day long with cats at work). She had really charming little tusks. Could this dream be prophetic?

In other news, it's October and still no LOI. We went to a meeting last weekend, to go through all the details of our trip. We're ready. Or mostly ready. All we need is a travel date. I am using alot of energy trying not to obsess over when the letter will come. Hang in there, my little baby!