Getting Closer!!

We are counting down to the hosting trip - just three more weeks. Its funny because on one hand we have ton of things going on right now and I feel that I need as much time as possible to get all caught up on everything and prepared for them coming, but on the other, much bigger hand time seems to be dragging so very slowly as we wait to see them.

Last night as Zach I were talking about the girls, I finally allowed myself to get REALLY excited about seeing them :). I realized that I've really been holding back because I've been very concerned with all the changes in plans this summer that the group may not get visas. But as it is so close and the person in charge of the trip assures us that the visas will go through, we are fully in prep mode and high anticipation.

So, I can't wait see them come off that plane and have a much longed for reunion with Nastya and to finally meet Katya, although it seems I know her already. To hold them, to play a slightly different version of UNO with them, to see how Nastya has grown, to tuck them into the beds I am getting ready, to pray for them with them in our home rather than across the world, to feed them as much fruit and veges as they can hold, to see if they really can swim (they say they can :)), to teach Katya to ride a bike, to see if Nastya still remembers how, to cuddle, to ride horses, to see them delight in simple things, to be able to practice my broken Ukrainian and see them crack up at my attempts! I can't wait!

I am making meal plans, lists of fun things we might want to do, installing a program to help them learn English on the computer, and most fun - getting the things together that they will need. Tonight we began setting up a second twin bed in the extra room. I got the box out of the attic with all Allee's clothes from last summer and some even smaller than that. At Christmas Nastya was at best a size 7 so I need a few more things in that size. I don't really know how big Katya is but I am guessing around a 10, which would be perfect because Allee's old clothes is mostly 10s and I have lots of that. If she's bigger she can share with Allee. I think overall we are pretty set! The only thing I'm really not sure of is shoe size.

My sweet Allee helped me with the room and was so excited to imagine them enjoying the new bedspreads and clothes and had to bring in a purse for each of them filled with some lip glosses and a few pieces of jewelry that she wanted them to have. She also insisted that Nastya have one of her Breyer horses, since she was so in love with horses at Christmas. She has such a giving, thoughtful spirit - it is fun to plan together!

And to make things even more exciting, my sis just recently got news that she is traveling to Ethiopia just a few days before the girls arrive to bring home her baby boy!!! They have been waiting quite awhile and we can't wait to meet him. So while she and her husband are gone for 11 days, I get to care for my three year old neice.

So that's right - I'll have SIX children for a while - three that I'm not all that familiar with! And honestly - I can't wait!!! Not too bad for a girl who babysat once in high school and decided she wasn't all that much of a kid person. Who would've thunk it?!? Only God could have changed all that :) And I'm so glad!