We're coming Zach

Teri and I will be getting ready to go to the airport in a little bit so this may be my last post for a little bit. I will try to post a message when we get to Hong Kong if I am able. I am amazed I was even able to sleep last night I was so excited, but I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
We went over to Teri's mom and sister's house last night for dinner which was very nice. Gloria(Teri's mom) said a wonderful prayer before dinner and said there would be another member of the family(of course I lost it). Teri also gave me a card that her coworkers had given for her and I which had a gift card and the cutest pin that said "I am a new parent". Thank you all for the sweet messages in the card. I am amazed at the number of people who do not even know me but are so supportive and interested in Zachary and this journey. Zachary also received the cutest socks from Gloria(the box they came in was so cute, it said PRINCE on the box). The socks have crowns all over. Too cute. His cousin Ashley sent him the cutest stuffed elephant that goes perfectly in his nursery. Thank you Ashley. I am so very thankful for all my family and friends and for all their support.
Mom, you have been with me from the very beginning of this journey 3 years ago this month. You went through all the highs and lows, the joy and tears and thoughout it all, you always encouraged and supported me. I will never forget it. I seriously could not have made it without you.
Steph, you are a wonderful sister and I will never forget your words to me during one of the hardest times of this journey several months ago and all of your love and support throughout this amazing journey. You will be a wonderful Aunt to Zach.
To all my family and friends, once again, I am just overwhelmed by all the support. It means alot. Thank you all.
Finally, to my brother Scott and my sister-in-law Teri, I would not be sitting here typing this post and getting ready to leave to get my son if it were not for the both of you. There is nothing I could ever give you that would even come close to what you both have given me-the chance to be a mom. If I had not been able to start this process when I did, I would never have made it before the shutdown. I promise you both I will raise him to be a fine young man and Christian. Thank you both. I will never never forget what you have done for me and Zach.
Well I better get ready. I will try to post as often as possible. There is a place at the bottom of the posts where you can leave comments if you wish. I love you all and we will see you in a couple week. Mommy's coming for you Zachary.

I finally feel like I can relax a little bit. Wednesday was a great day. I received my Visa which relieved a lot of my worry as without that Visa, I would not have been able to get into Vietnam.I also received my plane tickets in the mail. I almost started crying when I saw little Zachary's plane ticket. It came in his Vietnamese name Nguyen Thanh Nhan. Packing is pretty much done, just need to pack the backpack. My sister came over last night in the midst of all the chaos and there so many clothes all over the place and she wanted to know just how many children I was expecting to bring home. I think she was trying to tell me I was packing way too much which I probably am. I had a conference call Wednesday as well with the Vietnam director at Children's Hope. She said there will be someone to meet us in Vietnam when we get off the plane and take us to our hotel. We should also be able to go to the orphanage the same day and see Zachary. I can't believe in just a few short days I will be holding him in my arms. I will not be able to take him with me Sunday but when I go back Monday, he will go with me back to the hotel and then Tuesday we will have our Giving and Receiving ceremony and it will be official. We will be staying in Ho Chi Minh probably until the following Monday as there will still be other things that need to be done while in Ho Chi Minh such as getting his medical done. When we fly to Hanoi, I will have an interview with CIS and get his Visa probably the following day. Once we have Zachary's Visa, we will be free to leave. There is another family that is also adopting a 12 month old girl from Tam Binh 1 orphanage also in Ho Chi Minh. We will meet up with them Monday when they arrive. They also have a blog http://www.familysalmagundi.blogspot.com/. I have been in email contact a couple times with Mindy and look forward to meeting her. Well gotta go, my sister in law Teri(the best sister in law ever by the way) is arriving today and we are meeting her and her family for dinner. I will try to post tomorrow before we fly out.

Um, Houston I think we have a slight problem

Oh my gosh, I started packing and I have no idea how I am ever going to fit everything that I need. I think there is alot of stuff I will just have to leave behind and get while I am there. Besides waiting for my Visa to come, I think packing has been one of the more stressful things trying to make sure I have what I need and knowing what I can leave behind and get when I arrive in Vietnam. Not sure if I will go straight to the orphanage when I arrive or if I will have time to get supplies first. My mom and I also went to the police department today in Gulf Breeze , Fl to get the Britax carseat installed. The certified technician was Vietnamese and arrived in the states when he was 5 years old. He said they left the day before the fall of Saigon. It was so interesting to hear his story. He brought the carseat inside the police station and went over all the parts and how it worked and then we went outside and he showed me how to install it. He told us so many things that I never would have thought of such as never put your child in a carseat with a jacket on, just their regular clothes. If child squirms around and jacket may become bunched up or move around and could change how the straps are on the child and how tight the straps are on the child. The carseat was installed rear facing which he will need to be until he is 1 yr AND 20 lbs as even if he is 20 lbs and not 1 year, his bone density is not as strong yet. I saw a video before of a crash showing the effects of a child in the rear facing position and the front facing position and I will keep him rear facing for as long as possible. Gotta go, more packing to do...

Baby Shower

Today my mom and sister threw me a baby shower. It was so nice. Boy did we ever cut that one close. If we had planned it 1 week later, I would not have been there for my own baby shower. My mom and sister did a great job and I think everyone had a great time. Zachary is so lucky to already have so many people who care about him already. Throughout the adoption process, my family and friends have all been very supportive. There have been alot of twists and turns, joys, as well as heartaches during this three year journey, but I know that everything was for a reason and was suppose to happen the way it did as God had chosen Zachary to be my son. I can't believe that the journey TO my son is almost over and the journey WITH my son about to begin. I saw this on a fellow blogger's website:

"A child sat on Jesus' lap in the splendor of heaven.
The child asked, "Is it time?"
Jesus parted the clouds, looked and said,"No, not yet child.
"The child asked "When will it be time?
"Jesus replied, "When lessons are learned,hardships endured, and
loneliness lived,then it will be time.
"Time passed.
The child asked, "Is it time?
"Jesus parted the clouds, looked and said,"No, not yet child.
"The child asked, "When will it be time?
"Jesus replied, "When maturity is reached,self-worth affirmed and
spirits strengthened, then it will be time.
"Time passed.
The child asked, "Is it time?
"Jesus parted the clouds, looked and said,
"Their love is strong and their hearts are open.
Yes, now it is time-Your parents are ready."~author unknown

Making Preparations

Today was my last day of work. I will be off 3 months with the baby which will be really nice. I also spoke with Todd the travel agent and tickets have been bought. As it stands now, my sister in law Teri and I leave Friday Oct 31 at 2:35 PM and will arrive in Ho Chi Minh Sunday, November 2 at 10:35 AM. We are currently scheduled to leave Hanoi to return to the States on November 13 and arriving in Pensacola, Fl November 14 at 9:35 AM. I saw on the tracking screen that the Vietnam Embassy in Washington D.C received my Visa request Friday morning. I think alot of my stress will be relieved when I get my Visa as I cannot leave without it.

I AM GOING TO VIETNAM TO GET MY SON

I can't believe I am finally able to say these words but I AM GOING TO VIETNAM. My mom and I were up very early this morning and out of the house before 8:00. I never even bothered to check my email as I thought it was too early to receive approval as USCIS in Ho Chi Minh City had just started up their investigation again with my case after receiving updated paperwork from the local USCIS. I did not get home until about 2:30 and listened to the answering machine and it was Nicky from CHI saying I had my approval and to get with her for travel. WHAT!!! I ran to my laptop to look at my email and called Nicky. I could not even find a messaqe from USCIS at first but it had been sent to my junk mailbox. Of all places, something as important as this and it was sitting in my junk email box. Nicky wanted me to get my Visa off in the mail today so I completed my Visa form, raced to my bank to get money order and then raced to the post office with minutes to spare. What really blew my mind was when Nicky told me I would be leaving 11/1/08(later that night it had been changed to 10/31/08-9 days away. I called my sister-in-law Teri who is traveling with me-she and my brother were going to Hawaii that week and she is giving that up to travel with me halfway around the world to Vietnam. I have the best sister in law ever. More later. It is late and I have been spending all night trying to get things ready. I will never sleep tonight. I am so happy I will have my son by Thanksgiving and for his first Christmas.