It's the final countdown (da na na na... da na na na na na)

My title is a lame reference to the song from junior high school that we all rocked out to at the regular dances performed both by the hair band Europe and any pre pubescent teen with a hairbrush - but I digress. It is, the final countdown... 4 more sleeps until I leave. I had a really great time the last few days since I shared the excitement with Melody and Dwayne who have been impatiently (like all of us) waiting for travel dates to bring their beautiful little Kayan Mamush home from Ethiopia. It’s such a wonderful story of friendship and adoption although from completely different countries but coming together at the same time. Last night we shared a celebratory meal, great wine and the amazement that in a short time we will all finally be parents to little boys who have been in our hearts for months and months (and for them add in a few more months). Dwayne installed my car seat this morning and showed me how to do it on my own. I stood back and looked at it... finally... in my van... this is getting more real by the moment and I am thrilled. There's not much left to do other than a few odds and ends for work, packing and trip logistics. Ole my Russian friend is a Godsend for this trip. She'll be a friendly face, a Russian speaking trouble aversion feature, a tour guide, a menu reader, a travel planner for the local sites, a taxi fetcher and independence giver that I will be forever grateful to. Oh how this trip will be different and so much more amazing with her there to proverbially hold my hand. Flights are booked, insurance bought, reservations made for Moscow (staying at the Marriott Courtyard June 21/22/23 departing on the 24th) We will have 2 full days of relax time for sight seeing while the Moscow coordinator manages the processing of the documents at the Canadian Consulate for me. In Khab, thanks to Julianne my blog friend, I have arranged for a home stay for a much more reasonable price than the hotel. The weather is great, I will have freedom and autonomy with Ole and we will have the time to explore both Komsomolsk and Khabarovsk. I am looking forward to this trip being much more relaxed and enjoyable than the fight or flight trip over Christmas. Yes, the judge will likely grill me with more questions since I am single but in all honesty, I've had 29 months to contemplate the answers and my heart - I'm ready and I'm not afraid. I am actually looking forward to court and being able to state why I'm ready and why I think I'll be a good Mama - I don't scare easily...


Not long now - KLM here I come! I have a long flight with them where I look forward to enjoying an in flight beverage or two and not worrying about tight connections or where I'm going in Moscow - I know - I'm ready... bring on the GO!!!