5 Stockings were Hung and the Countdown Begun

Five little days left until we leave for China.  I know in my head that this is real, that it is actually happening, and I am preparing for it, but today is the first day it really hit me.

As Hubby was making the usual Sunday morning pancakes before church this morning, he looked at me and said, "Today is our last Sunday as a family of three!"  Right there, smack between the eyeballs, it hit... hard.

Adoption has its similarities to pregnancy in the emotional roller coaster as I compared in my last post.  However, there is something quite noticeably different.  Like pregnancy, in our adoption we are given a couple of pictures that tell you just the tiniest bit about your child and some medical information that may or may not be accurate or complete.  Unlike pregnancy, you do not know if your baby is being taking care of, fed, loved, held, safe, warm, protected.  You have no idea if your baby is being neglected in a crib for 20 hours a day.  You have no idea if your child is eating or getting her diaper changed.  You have no idea if your child is hurting if anyone is there to pick her up, hold her, kiss her, comfort her. 

In adoption, all you can really think about is getting there as fast as humanly possible, praying that God might get you there even faster, before she winds up in the hospital all by her tiny little self with pneumonia for the third time in her short life.  Thankfully, our wait is almost over!

Today we hung up five stockings by the chimney with care, and celebrated that we have just five short days left before we travel half way around the world to meet our daughter. And she will be home to see those stockings before Christmas!  Thank you Lord!

I know we'll be a family of four, but the dogs have to have a stocking, too!