It does mean, also, that our bags have been packed for a couple of weeks now. My "hospital bag" is a giant suitcase filled with baby girl things that I just MUST have there lol. Like a special book, my moby wrap, blankets people have given to me, a special doll a good friend made for our little peanut, and, of course, stuff like clothes and bottles.
Aside from the load of paper, it was fun to add a touch of decoration to the room that will be hers. If you know me, you know that I am so not a decorator. Organizer, yes, but not decorator. Just not my thing but I actually had fun adding a storybook theme with gerber daisies to the room without buying a thing! My mom and I decoupaged some canvases I had with old book pages and I also strung book covers along the wall.
The hardest part in preparing our home for the baby has been getting the boys to share a room. Oh my! They just can't seem to fall asleep in the same room in less than two hours...so we have been creative in our pursuits. For the time being they have been falling asleep in separate rooms and then we move one of them. Not ideal, but it is much more peaceful and everybody gets a lot more sleep! They'll get it eventually. Riiiight????
Traveling still is kind of up in the air. The social worker recommended that our boys not meet the baby until the 5 day 'revocation period' is over...just to protect them from the "what ifs". Although that makes everything more tricky, I do kind of agree. It would be really hard for them to get attached to a baby and have it not work out. So we'll see.
There are many unknowns. We're praying God's will and protection over our family and over this sweet baby girl. It seems so often that she (and us) are just another number and another case to the legal parties and agencies involved. A number and not a real, live, baby. I keep coming across verses in the bible about caring for the fatherless. Like Isaiah 1:17 "...Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless;..."
We aren't sure what our next few weeks will look like but we are desiring to trust that God knows and he will help us through the hurdles and do what is best for this baby girl. I am very excited to kiss her cheeks, though I hope I have to wait a couple more weeks first :)