Are we almost there and where’s my girdle? June 17, 2008

Picture this – you and your kids are driving down the Natchez Trace Parkway (the most boring place I can think of, you know 50 mph and trees in every direction) and you have been driving for days and every child with you is now asking the same wearisome question – Are we almost there?  This is exactly how I picture God’s reaction to my never ending question about our family’s adoption – Are we almost there?  But today, well it is different!  Today I feel like – Wow, I have finally arrived.  At this point you should hear the Jefferson’s theme song “Moving on Up”.  Finally I get to blog about my adoption experience, and what an experience it has been.  This whole adoption thing started over 2 years ago.  It seems like forever!  First the paperwork wasn’t ready, then it was, but wait it had to be filed, then it was filed, but wait there is a waiting period, then complete another dossier and now, well at last all things are in order and finally we can see the end.  It feels like getting off the Natchez Trace onto a four lane with a speed limit of 75 mph!  Things are moving faster.   Anyway, two complete dossiers later and we will be getting to see our kids next week.  They will get to come and visit with us for a summer visit.  Three years after looking into my son’s beautiful green eyes we are finally getting to practice being a family for the summer.  To be honest I am feeling everything!!  There isn’t an emotion that I am not feeling!  I need some support before I have to up my Lexapro dosage.  So… in preparation for the arrival of my two teenagers I want to spend the next few days girdling up myself.  No that is not a mispelled word – not girding up because women don’t do that; we GIRDLE up.  If you are a southern lady you know what it means to girdle up yo’ self.  We have done it hundreds of times, especially if we are seeing old classmates and people we don’t like.  Ever so often you need something to bind you together and hold you up and help support the parts that want to drag a little bit.  Ever so often you need to look in the mirror and feel like you can conquer that dress that is a size too small and ever so often you need to be pressed in odd ways so that all that is good just spills over.  Here I go this week girdling myself up and praying “Seams don’t fail me now!”