Getting Closer

This week we signed adoption papers! There is only one small thing left that needs to be done and we're all set to legally be Anellah's parents. Our court date is still set for August 6th and anyone in the San Francisco area is welcome to attend on this happy day. We'll also have a party, of course, but I haven't planned that yet.

Family Vacation Summer 2012

What a wonderful vacation we’re driving home from! We are thankful that we even had the opportunity to go in the first place and second that everything went smoothly. The smooth trip began on July 3^rd when we realized we were packed and ready to go so why not leave that evening as opposed to waiting until morning? We drove to Redding, CA that night and to Bend, OR the next.

Crater Lake

From Bend we drove to Yakima, WA and stayed with some of Daniel’s high school friends. It was fun to be able to catch up with quite a few of them. The next day we drove to Davenport, WA and met up with my parents, brother, sister in law, and nephew. We spent July 6^th-12^th at my parents’ unfinished cabin. It was a mix between camping and squatting. The cabin has a roof, exterior walls, a few interior walls, exterior doors, windows, a refrigerator, 2 toilets, 3 sinks, and a stove. That’s pretty much all.  The biggest perk  was the fancy lodge and swimming pool in the private community. We definitely enjoyed our time with family making meals, swimming in the pool, boating, and napping.

After about a week there we headed to Western Washington to stay with Daniel’s parents in Port Orchard, WA with a brief stop at my Grandparents in Fall City, WA. We wanted to be sure my grandparents had a chance to meet their newest great-grandson. Again, we enjoyed more laid-back time with Daniel’s entire family (two sisters, two brother in laws, 2 nieces, and a new nephew).

At one point when I couldn’t find a good place for Capper to nap and he was grouchy while Anellah ran around like a wild-child I thought about how much easier the trip would have been without kids. Easier yes, and although it may have included more 
logical conversation,

 more fishing,

 less crying, and more uninterrupted sleep, 

Capper sleeping where his great grandmother's baby dolls slept many years ago!

it would not necessarily been better! 


We surely would have missed out on a lot of splashing,

 laughing, 

 hat wearing,

 s'more eating,

 spinning,

 a TON of swinging,

 cousin time, 

bubble blowing, 

dancing,

and general playing. 

We miss our Family already but it's good to be home.

Time to Pack Our Bags

It's time to get a move on! I need to pack our bags because we're going on vacation! We hadn't really done any preparing because I didn't want to waste time doing something that would just need to be undone.

I had resigned myself to being completely content not going on this trip despite knowing that it meant Anellah's body was succumbing to her liver disease and that it would be disappointing not to see family. But that's what is great about God, He is able to give peace in the midst of huge unknowns. I started feeling a little anxious today because I just wanted to know one way or another what was going on in Anellah's body, if she'd even have the procedure, and if we were going to go to Washington. So when Daniel texted, "Praise God! Pack your bags! We'll be home today! No evidence in her esophagus, they saw a little portal hypertension in her stomach though but nothing that needs any intervention." I was shocked. I almost jumped up and down (and might have if I wasn't sitting on the floor holding Isaac and Capper). I could tell he was surprised and excited too because he rarely uses punctuation in texts.

Another answered prayer is that I was able to convince the surgeon ahead of time to allow us to use the pediatric blood lab again which is SO MUCH better for Anellah than the adult lab where they poke her at least twice but usually more.

So now I must run, I have bags to pack, a couple loads of laundry to wash, a car to get ready for a long road trip, road trip activity bags to assemble, and celebrating to do!!!! Please join in thanking God for answered prayers and good news!

Waiting in pre-op, "I want breakfast PLEASE!!"