Are we READY?!

This email came from our Orphanage Office in Haiti late this afternoon:
"IBESR Exit Letter in our hands, ALL is complete! You are ready to GO!"
Meaning: after 2 long years EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY DONE and we may NOT only go to Haiti in the morning, BUT we may LEAVE HAITI ON TUESDAY WITH LOVELY!
What an amazing answer to prayer this is to have every little tiny detail DONE! There are many people who go to Haiti to pick up their child but do not have everything in hand, and they end up being delayed, often by weeks their ability to leave. GOD and GOD ALONE did this! With the help of some very dedicated,loyal, honest, hard working staff at our O who worked tirelessy for us and ALL the other familes adopting, AND with the PRAYERS OF ALL OF YOU!
SO, The question we keep getting asked this last week, and especially today is
"Are you Ready?!"
Wow! I don't know. Is anyone really ready for giving birth to their child?? You bet ALL our bags are packed,lists have been made,remade, and checked off over and over,groceries were bought and cupboards filled so we don't have to go rushing out to the store on returning home, plans~OH THE PLANS have been made for Baby M and Elijah's care (bless so many of you helping with that!) my mind is finally starting to slow down, so YES we are "ready."
BUT do we have any clue what that really means??!! Of course not! We know our lives are about to completely change again as they have over and over during the years Jim and I have been married! We happen to be pretty good with change, guess that's a good thing. AND, we are ready for that change! We know we CAN NOT WAIT to be beyond the waiting and waiting and waiting for a phone call or an email or any contact at all about our baby! We know we CAN NOT WAIT to have her in our arms, in our home, in our lives in person! For that, we ARE READY!
Someone wrote an excellent message to me last night picturing our "labor" which we have been in for weeks and weeks now and ended by saying "Now take a REALLY big breath and GIVE ME ONE GREAT BIG PUSH!"
AWWWWWW Think that will be the way I look at traveling for over 24 hours to get back to our girl! ONE GREAT BIG PUSH AND SHE WILL BE BIRTHED!
We love and appreciate you all SO much! (and think we kept up with Lindsay's challenge of "a blog a day till we travel" except for maybe one day~Phew! Can't wait to offer that same challenge to her when her time comes!)
Shelly, Jim, Elijah,M and Lovely!!!
p.s Tonight's picture was sent us almost exactly a year ago and I have always thought it looked like Lovely looking up to Jesus praying for Papa and Mama to come back! NOW her and our prayers for that have been answered!
p.p.s.
many of you are asking for specific prayer needs so I will share a couple:
1. for sleep for both of us but mainly me as I have not slept this week and we fly all night Saturday
2. Both Jim and I have had physical illness this week (big surprise huh?!)
So, health for ALL of us...especially Lovely as she changes climates!
3. For my Mom and L who will be watching Baby M (and Elijah) and for their health,strength and confidence
4. For Lovely's time in the car and on the plane and for her little heart as she says Goodbye to the only family she remembers~All her friends and Nannies!
5. For the Nannies who have cared so lovingly for our girl and who rejoice but also grieve each time a child leaves
6.And last, for each Adopting Mama friend I have made and their waiting babies/children who are either SO close to the same point as us or very far away of no choice of their own! Too many names to mention but KNOW God knows!