We are GO for launch!

The last three days have been a whirlwind...

Besides being sick and then electromagnetic pulse awakened into energetic powerball from the steroid shot and B12 shot, the world was rather weird yesterday. First my car wouldn't start after a car wash and I had to ask my friend Bonnie to come get us. Triple A came, got it started, and we took it to the Firestone dealer where our friend Dave Bowers had his folks take care of me. The old gal needed a new battery. (Tell me about it! :)

Then when my friend Regina was taking us back to the Firestone dealer to pick up the car, my garage door automagically came down (on its own accord) while we were backing out and we rammed it pretty good. The door was off at least three hinges and hanging crooked at half-mast. Just lovely!

I could not find a garage door servicing company answering phones at 5:15pm Christmas Eve, so our friend Mr. Pete (Bonnie's hubba) came over and worked on it for 'pert near two hours. Works like a gem now! It needs a few hinges and panels replaced so the garage door project was right up at the top of my sister Cindy's "to do" list. Thank you Mr. Pete!

Then the toilet in Jordan's bathroom is stopped up. Plunger no workee. Move "call a plumber" into Cindy's priority list.

By this time on Christmas Eve, it was just about comical. I had too many things left to complete (and Santa duties to boot) to have the option of a meltdown. I felt like I was "under attack" (Reference Mamma Mia ABBA song). A couple of friends got a good laugh when I declared, "Get thee behind me Satan!" and claimed the rest of this trip to be His, and now I know we are protected! I am not kicking the daggone donkey.

Finally - the silent night, holy night set in... and all was calm and bright. I am comforted to know that there will be many unexpected twists and turns over the next two weeks, and it is HOW I manage through it that is important. Flexibility and hopefully some grace!

So Christmas Eve and day was just awesome with Jordan. Regina joined us for our holiday festivities and Christmas dinner. Jordan modeled her princess shoes, dresses and costumes all day long. She loved it!

This afternoon I was printing out and laminating a Vietnamese Dong to US Dollar exchange rate chart when it hit me. I am really going alone to a foreign communist country to adopt a baby and bring him back home here. I am going alone. My trusted adoption COO (sister) is managing the operations at home this time instead of traveling with me. OMG. Then when I took out Jordan's clothes and other items from the suitcase, I was so sad and already missing my little girl. She was SO sweet today, affectionate and loving... whew... this is tearing me up!

But I am totally excited too! I kinda feel like Jason Bourne - in the international travel scenario way of being cautious and alert. (But not like Jason too, because I am 1) not a man 2) not a spy 3) I don't have any aliases.) I am on a mission though! A big one.

Thank goodness Cindy arrived this evening. Boy was I glad to see her! She helped me "re-pack" til almost 2am, pared down packing items to the necessary (simplify!), provide additional osmosis courage and then we had our traditional weighing bags on the scale photo op. Picture posted later - the camera is packed! Posted now! Suffice it to say, I am checking two bags that weigh about 48.5 lbs. each.

It has been just a ton of mixed emotions because I so want Cindy to go along on the trip! We had to swallow back tears a couple times tonight. We spent time reviewing Jordan's social calendar and other household management tasks. She has a list o' things to do now! Hehe. :) Her time here will go by fast, and she is carrying her passport in case she needs to make a mad dash to the Hanoi Hilton or hot LZ and bring us home! Can you say "helicopter babylift"?

So I am officially in "virtual adoption labor". My contractions are slow and far apart! I am still fearful of a retreat phone call - I am rather skiddish after all the starts and stops. My flight will be 21+ hours including layovers in LAX and Bangkok. I arrive in Hanoi at 9:35am on Sunday, December 28. (I'll be 13 hours ahead of Dallas time).

I am happy, nervous, scared, courageous, thankful and so very humbled by this opportunity. Angels in my life have been (and are) watching and praying over me. Thank you to all the angels out there!

(Angels include but are not limited to: Mama and family, Margot and all the QC golf gals, Cheryl, Shaunda, Patsy, Elaine, Brian Sr. and Denise, Lisa Dett, L2B, Spains, Powers and McCoys, Bac Ninh Yahoo Group, WC agency clients and staff, "Where are my People?" people and many others. Thank you for your love and companionship along this journey.)

Stay tuned!