Wide Awake.

My body seriously has no idea what time it is right now.  We were having dinner on our flight and a few hours later they are serving breakfast... it was already eight o'clock in Germany but only midnight to us.  During the layover, we weren't sure if we should be trying to sleep or eating more food.  It's such a crazy adjustment! 

We took the exact same flights this time around.  The only difference is we happened to find tickets for not much more than we were paying in stand-by fees, so we jumped on it!  I was soooooo appreciative, not only that we didn't have to worry about making the flight, but I got to sit next to my husband this time!  As soon as we sat down, he immediately handed me a cup of water... ha!  I jokingly responded, "You're totally going to be a water nazi, aren't you?"  He smiled as he looked around at all the German flight attendants and said, "Honey, I don't think this is the right flight for that comment."  Ummm... yeah.  I guess not!

Whereas I felt like we were on the Amazing Race last time, figuring everything out together with adrenaline pounding through our veins... this time, we knew just what to do.  We knew exactly where to go once we arrived at the Frankfurt airport, we knew what to expect when we went through customs in Moscow, we knew where to pick up our bags, we immediately recognized our driver, and we checked into our hotel with confidence.  Everything felt familiar and safe instead of foreign and scary.  I don't think I mentioned that on the last trip our translator held up a sign with our agency's name, led us through a dark parking lot, ushered us into his car, and asked us to give him the money we brought.  Adam and I were looking at each other like, seriously?!?  As my friend who is adopting with us said the very first day, "International adoption is not for the faint of heart." 

Speaking of our new friends, they were already at the hotel when we arrived!  There is a sports bar downstairs so we got some appetizers and talked and laughed and reminised.  It was so much fun to spend the evening with them.  Figuring out a different country together, getting ready for court together, meeting our babies for the first time together... it's bonding, I tell you.  :)  It's bonding for our marriage too.  I love the whole 'we're in this together' feel.   I'm sure statistically that adoption is one of life's highest stressors... up there with moving, giving birth, death.  As stressful as it can be, I take comfort in the fact that we are a team.  We have patience and compassion for each other because we know that jet-lag, not knowing when we are going to eat next, and hours upon hours of traveling is tough.  Yet at the same time, we are experiencing the joy of meeting our daughter, doing everything we can to bring her home as soon as possible, feeling God's hand on us the entire way... it's bonding.

God really has been there for us too.  Trust me, I have messed up some serious things with the paperwork, we didn't know if we were going to make flights, Adam lost his deportation card, we didn't call our bank to tell them we were in a different country so our debit card was put on hold, etc.  and God carried us through it ALL.  I heard this couple say in an adoption video, "God funds what he favors... and he favors adoption."  It's so true.  Not only did He fund ours, but he carried us in His arms through the entire process.  I have never felt so protected, so safe, so confident we are doing exactly what God wants us to be doing.  People sometimes say things like, "Oh, you must be so excited to finally have a girl!"  But it's really not about having a girl.  It's about following the call God placed on our hearts to adopt.  It's about giving an orphan (in a country where half of the girls are forced into prostitution when they leave the orphanage and 10%-15% commit suicide) a loving home and family.  It's about showing her God's unconditional love.  It's about making a difference for one. 147 million orphans minus one.  And it's about giving God the glory for all of it.

We get to see our little girl tomorrow!!!!