Today we received the best news ever!! We got the invite from ICAB to travel to the Philippines!! It was exactly 3 months and 1 day from the time we signed the acceptance papers. Amazing!! I got the call from our adoption coordinator just before lunch and I couldn't believe it. I really thought that we would wait for another few weeks yet. After work I rushed home to start packing and I'm now all finished but there is so much left to do to the house. We have to start the childproofing, paint the playroom and about a hundred other things. Oh well, that will all get done sooner or later!
We are hoping to leave on Wednesday. ICAB didn't send us Rafael's passport number so we can't book the return flight until Monday. Our adoption coordinator asked ICAB to send us his passport info so hopefully we'll have it by Monday. This is all so crazy and exciting. I can't believe the time has finally come. If anyone has any helpful hints for this big journey, I'd love to hear them now.
Good luck to all of you still waiting. I hope and pray that your turns come very soon. It is so worth the wait so hang in there!!
17 comments:
There's only one thing to say: WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOO! Get packin', girl, and go get that baby! SO, SO, SO happy for you! Many blessings!
Hooooooraaaaaay!!!! (Had to break my blogging fast) to say congratulations!! I am soooo thrilled for you!!! Only advice that I had passed on to me, Benadryl, Tylenol, and Gravol. Hopefully you don't need any of them.
Oooh, I can't wait to see your adorable little boy in your arms!! Say hello to our girls from us and give them big hugs!!
Hugs and blessings!
Deborah
I am crying tears of joy for you right now! I'm so very happy for you...I can't wait to hear all about it!
Follow the advice of the DB family...benadryl, tylenol and Gravol...my sis in law is a nurse and she said gravol for the little ones is a must on the plane.
Oh I'm so so so very happy for all of you!
p.s. you'll have to share the pics of his room...I can't wait to see it!
Congratulations! I'm so glad your travel invitation came sooner than expected. Be safe and enjoy!
Helpful hints: Make sure you buy a seat for your son. Whether he sits in it or not, you'll be glad to have the extra room. It's worth the money. Don't bring a carseat. You won't need it and it's too heavy. Try to book bulkhead seats. You'll have a ton of extra legroom to stretch out...and they have bassinettes you can put babies in if they're small enough. Bring snacks for all of you. Lots of good snacks in the Philippines that are great to carry onto the plane. Bring Benadryl in case of allergic reaction. Bring an extra (or two extra) sets of clothes for your son and yourselves on the plane. Children under stress and with changes in environment and diet often react with, um, unexpected bowel developments. Sometimes it's constipation, but sometimes its "the other." Plus, they sometimes throw up on planes. You do not want to sit on a plane for 20+ hours covered in poop, pee, and/or vomit.
Take 10x the number of pictures you think you should while you're in the Philippines. You will never regret it.
Have a wonderful, safe, happy trip to your new son!!! So, so, so happy for you!!!!!
Wendy, thanks so much for all of the tips. Some I knew, but alot I didn't. If you think of anything else I need to know, just send me an e-mail!! Thanks again.
Hi Renee,
Congrats on your travel invitation!! That is wonderful!!!! I just found your blog, so I'm excited to follow your journey from here. Hopefully, we won't be too far behind you :) Have a wonderful trip!! Blessings!
Haley
it's amazing... wednesday come very quickly!!! Enjoy all in your trip. We pray for you!
Mélissaxx
!!!!!what great news! have a safe trip there (to you both), and a safe trip back (to you three)! have a wonderful time there with him... that part goes by way too fast. and keep taking those terrific pics you take :-) ~emilie
I've been waiting for this Renee!!! God bless to you both and to little Rafael, who will soon be in your loving arms. Not a bad time to travel somewhere warm, either. :) xoxo P.S. Don't worry about childproofing, he will always figure out a way to get into what you don't expect. Do it as you go along!
Oh Renee!!! I am elated about this news!! It really is sooner than expected. I'll be thinking of you and praying. Let me know if I can help with anything. Wahoo!! You're almost there!
AHHHH!!!!!!!! I totally was thinking you'd wait longer, and this is the best news! I heartily agree with everything Wendy wrote in her comment. I don't know what your timeline is like, but I wish we had had 1 or 2 days to rest on our own before having Ezekiel with us.
SO SO SO excited for you, Renee. You have waited so long for this and your time is finally here. Congrats, Mama!!
Congratulations! How exciting! I've been checking your blog every day to see if you had received the "Go" and I was so excited to read your latest title!! Enjoy every minute, and as was already said, take as many pics as you can. 2.5 years later I still love sitting looking at our pics & remembering those special moments.
I'm so excited to read of your journey to your beautiful son.
Great news!!! I don't think Rafael minds about unfinished details in the house. Just rush there to pick him up!!! We still have a lot of unfinished things here but the best thing is that we have Noah in the house. I'll think of you and pray for a safe journey.
Godspeed!!! Enjoy every moment. :)
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