Friday, September 25, 2009

So much to do!

Well, with the time change I assume that Clarissa's Visa Interview is already over, which means that now we're just waiting for the agency to call and tell us to come to Korea! That could happen any time now. I expect it either today or sometime early next week.

I have SOOO much to do and so much running through my head right now! I've got to pack, make travel arrangements, finish getting the house ready, I still haven't bought gifts for the foster family and my Korean friends family, I need to buy a few baby things to take on the plane for Clarissa...my lists are endless.

Holy crap, I have to fly on a plane! I hate to fly. :( I've never been out of the country before and I've never flown over the ocean. My stomach is in knots just thinking about it. Thankfully everyone keeps telling me how much fun it is to fly Korean Air. Apparently the service on those flights is amazing. Much different than the short domestic flights I've been on.

I think I'm going to be a nervous wreck until we leave! I woke up this morning with butterflies in my stomach. It really feels surreal. We've been waiting for this for SO LONG. But I think because we've been waiting for so long, it almost started to feel like the whole thing was just made up in my head or something and that it was never actually going to happen. I've gotten so used to all the waiting that it seems very strange to me that the waiting is about to be over!

We started this process in the early summer of 2007. Josh had just turned 7 and Matthew was 3! I've been waiting and hoping and wondering for so long and it's FINALLY here. In a few weeks Clarissa is actually going to be here! I'll finally be able to snuggle with her and kiss those sweet cheeks! The whole adoption process has been extremely long, extremely stressful and extremely expensive. I'm SO excited to finally get to move past that part of our lives and move on to a new phase with all of our children home with us where they belong. I know that there is still a lot more stress to come as we all adjust over the next several months, but it's a challenge that I'm ready to take on. Ready or not, here we come!

13 comments:

Leslie said...

I am so excited I am jumping up and down for you. I can't wait for you to meet your little girl.

Unknown said...

Deep breaths!!! and lists, lots of lists! LOL!
I have so many questions! How easy is it to get a flight on such short notice? How long is(are) the flight(s)? Once you get to Korea, do you have to travel more (besides visiting the town where Clarissa was born)? Once you land, how long until you can actually see Clarissa? What is the process when you're in Korea? Have you learned much Korean to get by while you're there?

Sorry so many questions! I'm just so excited for you and when I get excited about things, I want to know all the details! LOL!

(bookends)

Wendy said...

Getting a flight on short notice is probably going to be OK because everyone on the KOrean adoption message board I post on reccomends a travel agent who deals with this a lot. He schedules last minute adoption travel to Korea all the time and he works with Korean air to get adoption discounts on flights, which should help! Everyone says to just call him and tell him when you want to go and he'll know exactly what to do. I'm going to be calling him in a few days.

I'm not positive how long the flight is because I keep hearing different things. I THINK that maybe it's around 12 hours? It's long, that's all I know, lol.

The only travel we have to do once we get to Korea is for whatever sightseeing we choose to do. We will fly into Seoul and that's where the agency is and where Clarissa is, so we really only have to go to the agency to pick her up. Anything else we do is up to us. We're going to be doing a lot of sightseeing, but it will mostly be in the Seoul area, except for our trip to Clarissa's hometown.

I'm not sure how long it will be after we land before we get to see Clarissa. They try to schedule a meeting fairly quickly but it will just depend on when we get there and when they can arrange it. I would imagine within the first day or so.

We still don't know exactly what the process will be while we're in Korea. We only have to be in the country for three business days, so the agency has things scheduled for us on and off for those days, and if we want to stay longer than that we're on our own. We will be doing a lot of sightseeing, we will be visiting Clarissa at the agency or her foster mothers home as much as we can and then we probably won't get to take her with us until we're ready to leave the country.

My Korean is still pretty basic. I can say several useful phrases, but nothing too impressive, lol! We're lucky that we'll have my Korean friend with us some of the time. She wants to take us sightseeing and be our travel guide, so she'll be able to translate things for us while she's with us. I don't know what I'd do without her!!

Rebecca said...

I am so excited for you!!!

Rachael said...

This must feel like Christmas times 1000. I can feel your excitement through you and I don't even know you in person! Good luck. Can't wait to hear all about, every little detail!

Jen said...

YAY!!!!!

Rachael said...

Forgot to ask, are the kids coming? How are they handling the excitement? I'm excited for you just for the coolness of the trip. The baby part just puts it over the edge! LOL

Jen said...

OH, I did want to add, that xanax is a wonderful thing to take while flying. I hate to fly as well, and I would never ever ever fly without xanax. You're calm, cool and collective while on the flight, you'll have to dose like every 2-3 hours while flying, since your flight is a long one!!!

Melissa said...

I'm so thrilled for you!!!

I totally understood what you were saying about it finally being here-although definitely not as monumental, when I tell people we will be moving to Idaho next year, I feel like I am lying and that it isn't really going to happen! LOL I know it will be more real when we get closer and actually start to pack things and even more real when we leave our home and friends!

MaMeex5 said...

I am so excited for you and your family. I can't wait to see the message that you have the official word.

Have you seen that Katherine Heigl just adopted from Korea as well. I saw it on the cover of People Magazine today. Made me think of you and your journey.

Congrats on being one more step closer to holding your beautiful baby.

My5Blessings said...

Wendy, I can totally understand why you would feel verwhelmed...take it day by day. Make a list in order of importance and get done what you can. Put a picture of Clarissa somewhere to look at often so when you are having moments that you are feeling overwhelmed you can smile and know that it will all be worth it! Again when she comes home take it day by day and enjoy the ride! You will all be in my prayers that the next couple of weeks goes by smoothly.
Take care,
Michelle

Mommy La said...

omg yay! I could feel your excitment thru your post. My heart is jumping I'm so excited for you.

Hokie Family said...

YEAH!!!!!!!