Blessed

No baby yet.  Let's get that one out of the way :)  Due date is 2 weeks from tomorrow, so it truly could be anytime.  I have enough to do at work this week to prep for being gone, and H has family plans laster this week.  So we'll generally hope that nothing happens before then, although we'd survive, of course.

T and I were discussing, assuming this placement occurs, that we're not sure if we can adopt again.   Our relationship with H & P is just so good, beyond all of our expectations, and we realize that is not very repeatable.  Time will tell how an ongoing relationship will go, but I'm still surprised at how much we genuinely care for these two beyond the realities of how we met.

H mentioned in an email recently that they'll have some gifts for us when we are down there, but one may be difficult to travel with, so may need to be shipped.  She then said one gift was specifically for me -- for Mother's Day.  I am constantly floored by how thoughtful H is in this situation.  She is not religious (but appreciates we would raise a child as a Christian), but noted still believes some higher power brought us together.  I could not agree more.  You can read quite often that adoptive parents feel that God brought them their child.  The flip side of that, of course, is that God "made" a birth mother lose her child.  So, in reality, while I believe God permeates everything we do, I don't believe He is responsible for our infertility or H's undesired pregnancy.  However, He does help provide strength and guidance through difficult situations, and therefore I do wholeheartedly have faith that He meant for us to find each other.  We are insanely blessed, and thank Him EVERY DAY.  This relationship with H & P is one of the most beautiful things I have known.

While I hope it's nice to get updates such as above, I know what this readership really wants.  Pictures and lots of them.  Since I don't have any to share of baby girl yet (yes, she does have a name, but that is not being shared yet), here are some of the nursery!

A little southern exposure for this little one

I made the hot air balloon mobile!  We're going to paint the mirror frame an olive green, and I replaced all the knobs on the dresser with an eclectic combo from Anthropologie.  We'll move the chalkboard down to kiddo height at some point too.

I love our patterns and colors :)

T is really looking forward to lugging the car seat bag through the airport :)  And not sure if the moose will give up the chair eventually...

I love this little niche.  We have a loose "travel" theme to the nursery, so lots of map & globe driven items on this wall.  And a hint as to her name with the large "A" on the wall...

We are actually taking two other of the elephants to Florida with us to give to H's children she is parenting.  That way, they'll all have the same animal to snuggle at night.

Our Florida to Iowa map hangs above the chair.  I also painted a fun orange side table that is there now as well.

The current bedding.  The skirt is reversible, and I have other fun sheets too!

Our "Florida" corner by the window.

We are obviously so excited for her birth day to come!  Hopefully we'll have news soon!