We are off!

Well not quite yet. I will go to bed soon and hopefully sleep (ya right). Get up at 5:00 am and leave for Salt Lake International Airport at 6:30. I honestly and really excited and nervous. I have checked and rechecked every list possible and have gotten weather reports on Atlanta, Washignton DC, Rome and Addis Ababa....All is clear. I will post as I go!

Here we come Grace Demot!

Two Days

Thursday (today, right now!) and Friday (tomorrow). Only two days until I leave for Ethiopia. I have only one simple request. If you are reading this (the 4 or 5 that do:)) PLEASE pray for us. Pray for my family back home, I am worried about leaving my precious 3 for two weeks, I know it's vain of me to think that they can't survive without me. I spent two hours yesterday making a calendar and typing up a "agenda bible" for my husband and the other people assisting me with my kids. Don't get me wrong my wonderful husband is fully capable of taking care of this home, our children and his job but a part of me thinks I am the only one who can do it, I know I am crazy but at least honest. Pray for my Mother and I and Shane that we have a safe and healthy trip. Please pray that all goes well with Demot - I have heard so much about bonding and attachment problems in the last few weeks I feel a bit nervous that she won't love me as much as I love her. I know, I know, I know there will be an adjustment but I pray it is a gentle one for both her and I. I believe in miracles, Shane said the most beautiful thing to me last night, he said "I have butterflies in my stomach because only 3 days until your reunion with Grace Demot". Re-union - get it? I know we have met before, I know we have made promises before and I know she is meant to be with this family now at this time. I bless her birth Mother and pray for her every day, I thank her for the gift and bless her aching heart, I promise many things to her and to God for this special child. Any and all prayers are so much appreciated and have been felt along this entire journey - Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.

Tick Tock....

Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock...The days to departure are coming soooo slowly. I know it is because I am so excited. I have a ton to do and feel a bit stuck but I know I will get it all done. I got a little information on Demot yesterday: She was sitting in the playpen with another baby playing with lots of toys. She is so beautiful and smiles when talked to, very happy. I can't even wait, seriously I have never in my 38 years been more excited for anything. Nervous? Yes! But nervous is the same thing as excited... Only 2.75 days left until my Mom and I leave for Ethiopia. I have a deep feeling that I am in for a life changing experience.

Making lists and checking them twice...

So a few years from now I do not want to forget any of this process. The "Making A List And Checking It Twice" is a BIG, HUGE accomplishment and event in this process so I will fill you in a bit on what this all entails. Returning families have supplied their 3-4 page packing/shopping lists for others traveling and that has helped a lot. I now have 5 different lists on my office desk. The travel plans list, food list, packing list, child's names list, contact information list and to do list (that is the biggest one). Today my Mom and I went to Wal Mart (yah hoo Wal Mart) and did our food shopping, medicine shopping and a few last minute baby items shopping, 2 hours later we were done! I still have to go over the to do list and make sure I have not forgotten anything and then the big work begins. I get to pack!!!! I hope I can get over my over packing sickness that has plagued me for my whole life. I have to just keep telling myself "keep it simple". I have our 3 huge donation bags packed and weighed and have Grace Demot's stuff laid out (of coarse I have WAY too much), I pray I can fit everything I need to take in one suitcase (ya right!!). I will type up all of my kids agenda's for people and organize babysitters, rides etc...this week. I will get my final Hep A/ Hep B shot Tuesday, last day of work on Wednesday, I will post more about that later :( Exchange money, figure out my video camera. I feel like I have a handle on things which is good for my type A OCD personality. 7 days from today I will be on an airplane to get my baby girl, HOLY COW! Unbelievable....

Showered with love!

Today my Mom, BFF Kristin and sweet Mother in Law threw a wonderful baby shower for Grace Demot. It was so incredibly beautiful. It was a brunch with every kind of food you can imagine. Friends, family, neighborhood friends, work friends and church friends all came to support this most precious little girl. Needless to say she will be a fashionista and I will have to change her clothes every hour to get the full use out of the 30 or so outfits she got. I tried to capture it all in pictures but it is impossible to feel the love generated at this shower through words and pictures. Grandma Treat (MIL) made a darling picture for Grace's room of all the pictures we have received from referral until now, so cute! Tons of great toys and books, a sweet as can be swimsuit, stroller, blankets, bows for hair (a must!), beautiful dresses, sippy cups, homemade towels with buttons and bows, shoes galore, I could go on and on. It was so fun and I am so filled with love and gratitude, my heart is full. My Mom had of coarse decorated the house and it looked amazing, pink, white, yellow flowers everywhere, candles burning and framed pictures of Demot at every turn. Kristin brought yummy salad and darling party favors (gotta love mint chips). My Mom had a table set with paper and pens for people to write letters to Grace Demot and is compiling them into a book for her so that someday soon I can read them to her and tell her of how much she was loved and is loved! What a gift to have so many beautiful people in my life, I truly am a blessed woman. Oh and by-the-way....2 weeks!

Gifts...

Gifts...

Gifts...

Gifts...

And more gifts!!!

Amazing food...

Table to write a letter...

O.J., juice and Mamossa!

The three Amigas.

Kristen my BFF, Grandma Treat (MIL), My sweet Mom (so pretty)!

Thanks gals, I love you all!

Amber

Plans are being made

Just an update. Airline reservations have been made, Salt Lake City to Washington D.C., D.C. to Rome to refuel, Rome to Addis Ababa! My Mom and I leave the 27th of February and she returns on March 7th. Shane flies in on March 7th and we return together with Demot on March 12th! We are staying at the Yebsabi guest house and I have heard great things about it. For now I am making lists and checking them twice. Trying not to feel buried by the endless to do's on top of the typical Momhood to do's. I can barely wait and have heard so many wonderful things about Demot from traveling families. Every report I get says she is SO BEAUTIFUL and quiet. She is Sister Almaz' favorite and gets fed personally by her. Oh the excitement and joy is almost tangible in this house. 2.5 weeks and counting...

Sweet 16!!!!

Typically this is an adoption blog but I could not let this day go without wishing my first princess a HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY!!! Morgan Leigh McMillan was born at 7:54 pm on February 5th 1994 and it was one of the best days of my life. What a joy she has been since the minute she entered this world. She is a gift from God and brings love, light, peace, kindness, adventure, laughter, strength, elegance, and pure, deep beauty into this family and to every person that is blessed by her friendship. Thank-you God for this gift, thank-you Morgan for being an inspiration to me and to your family...WE LOVE YOU!!!

Morgan's Nonny came at 4 am and decorated the outside of our house with hearts, balloons and signs! Tonight we will take Morgan and a group of girls to dinner then back to our house for a good old fashioned PARTY (I hope Shane and I survive). Tomorrow Morgan will go on her 1st date to the SweetHeart Ball...(will Dad survive?).

Love ya Morgie la Borgie, Morgster, Morganastan, Morg, Coop and of coarse Princess Morgan.

Morgan at age 3!

IT'S CONFIRMED!!!

I found out today that our confirmed Embassy date is March 10th! That is only 4 1/2 weeks away. That means I will leave on Saturday February 27th with my sweet Mom for Ethiopia. She will leave on the 5th to come home and Shane will fly in to meet Grace and we will spend a week in Addis Ababa. It's only 22 days until departure, until I fly 18 hours to hold, love and finally meet my little Grace Demot McMillan. It almost does not seem real and I am preparing myself for a wave of emotions that I have never nor will ever experience again. This process has been one of major growth that I truly never anticipated, but that is how we learn. My heart is tied to this little soul and I pray hers is as well. I would be lying if I did not tell you that I am scared. Scared she will not love me, scared I will not have the strength, scared I will get sick, scared I won't remember how to mother a baby, scared I am out of my league, scared I will not provide the kind of home that a biracial family needs, scared she will not know how much I have longed for and how much I love her. But, fear is not love so I will choose to not be scared but....excited! No, excited does not even come close to what I am experiencing right now, there are no words to describe this feeling so I will just pray that God will bless Grace Demot, bless me, bless my family with the love, knowledge and strength that we need at this time. And so it is!

Unbelievably Adorable

I got some new pictures of our little angel today and just could not resist posting a picture of her. I am so happy because she is smiling. This is one of the only photos I have received with her smiling. Oh how I appreciate all of the traveling families that so generously take time to snap some pics and details of our kids. I also learned that Demot is tiny (6-9 month clothes) and has no teeth. She crawls and loves the walker. I may just have to invest in one. Then again I think I will just hold her forever!!!