OH MY GOODNESS !!!! OH MY GOODNESS !!!

Over the weekend, I got to keep my little buddy Kaleigh. It was her first sleep-over. We had such a good time, just playing and watching movies. Kaleigh will be an only child ... so I thought is was a bit odd for her to talk about her baby sister all weekend. She insisted that she had a baby sister.

Rumor queen posted over the weekend that a new special needs list was sent out online.

I thought to myself ... could this be it? NAH ... surely not.

Monday came ... and nothing.

Tuesday came ... and nothing.

Wednesday came ... I spent the day with Kaleigh and her mom, Karyn. We had lunch, rode the trolleys downtown, and went to the Museum of Discovery and played.

When we parked downtown, and we were waiting for the trolley to pick us up, a healthy little ladybug landed on my arm. She sat there for a while ... just looking at me. I remember thinking ... I wonder if this is a sign of good things to come.

Karyn and I talked about how slow the referral process was moving, and how long it was taking to get a referral off the SN list. I made the statement that my baby wasn't ready yet. When God had her ready for me, I'd get a referral.

Then came Thursday.

About 9:15 am, my phone rang. It was Kimberly from the adoption agency ... she wanted to know if I was at work. Actually ... I was off and still half asleep.

Kimberly wanted me to come to the office at 11:15 ... she had a file on her desk for a little girl, who would be 2 in April, with a SN I said that I'd accept.

OH MY GOODNESS !!!! I had just received "THE CALL".

I was immediately wide awake. My heart was racing, and I suddenly was shaking on the inside.

I called Momma and Daddy ... made them both get on the phone at the same time ... and told them I had a meeting... Momma cancelled her dentist appointment so she could go with me. Daddy went too.

I called Kelley ... and the turkey head didn't have her phone with her. I tried the work number ... she didn't answer. I called Jane, Kim, Karyn, and the girls at work, and asked them to start praying that God would guide my decisions, and help me to make the right ones.

Kelley finally called me back ... and actually made it from the State Capital to the Adoption Agency Office in less than 10 minutes.

Kim A., my social worker, showed me a medical report and developmental report on a little girl.

Once I read thru the report, and let the info sink in a little bit ... she showed me her pictures.

I looked at her eyes, and I started to cry. For the very first time ... I was looking into the eyes of my daughter.

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! OH MY GOODNESS !!!! This is finally happening. After 3 years and 7 months, I have face to go with the name that I picked out before I ever even filled out any paperwork.

OH MY GOODNESS !!! OH MY GOODNESS !!! Needless to say, after consulting with the doctor's office that will be handling all of Mari-Grace's SN issues ... I accepted the referral.

OH MY GOODNESS !!! OH MY GOODNESS !!! If filing my dossier, and getting my Log In Date was the equivalent of finding out I was pregnant. Actually holding the pictures in my hand is the equivalent of my water breaking. I am now officially in labor for the next 10-12 weeks or so.

I am now in the process of submitting my LOI (Letter of Intent to adopt this child).

The next step is waiting on my LOA (Letter of Acceptance from the China Center of Adoption Affairs).... it should take 2-3 weeks to get my LOA. After that ... it should be about 10 weeks until I get TA (Travel Approval).

It hit me today ... this May ... I will be able to celebrate Mother's Day (at least knowing I have a picture, and my baby girl is waiting on me).

I may very well get my little girl on July 4 ... what a great Independence Day.

Mari-Grace will be here in time for my birthday in September.

She'll get to experience her first Moon Festival with the FCC group.

I'll get to take her trick-or-treating... Thanks to Jane ... she has cute Giraffe costume !

We'll get to celebrate and be thankful for our forever family at Thanksgiving.

Santa Claus will have a new house to stop at this year.

In about 4 short months ... 2 lives will change ... forever ! And what a blessing that will be for us both.

I'll post pictures and details as soon as possible.

This is it ... the final leg of the journey is underway ... and the Great Adventure is about to begin !!!