Kicking It Off Right!

Okay, so I came in from watching the kids swim and called The Boss at work. I was updating him on our dinner plans, as my folks are driving in tonite for dinner and tomorrow's big birthday bash for my adorable niece. I'm starting on the brainwashing early, convincing her that I'm the world's coolest aunt by hosting her 1st birthday. In my backyard with a big, cool, refreshing and clean POOL! Yup, I'm not above using my material possessions to buy a little adoration. (Kidding, I'm kidding. Sorta.)

Anyway, The Boss answered in a totally up-beat, dare I say cheery, voice. Completely uncharacteristic of him, on a Friday afternoon when he's still stuck at work and he knows we're all out basking by the pool. (NOT that's he's bitter or anything. Just a homebody who really misses his kids by the end of a long week!) I charge ahead, starting to tell him my news for the night, when he asks me if I got his message. "What message? I was out by the pool and didn't have the phone." Wait a minute. The happy voice on the phone is starting to make sense . . .

It figures. The one time this whole week that I'm out for a couple hours by the pool. With out my phone. With out my cell phone. That's when the call comes. Yup. The call we've been waiting all week for. The call that catapults us into the final stage of the journey of a lifetime. THE CALL!

WE GOT TRAVEL APPROVAL TODAY!

So, I know I just heard it from The Boss's own lips, but I speed-dialed the agency as soon as I hung up with him anyway. Just a weird quirk I have - well, one of them anyway! Plus I immediately had tons of questions running through my mind, with packing lists and letters to teachers and medical releases, and . . . . . Did I mention that I'm working on the bottom 1/4th of a 24 oz. of Diet Pepsi? I just have waaaaaaay too much caffeine coursing through my veins right now!

Okay, breathe. So, here's the deal. The agency is submitting for a Consulate Appointment on Sept. 22nd. This will allow us to travel mid-Sept. and return home by the 24th. Just in time to get over our jet lag and re-cuperate enough to travel to Massachusetts to see my mom's family for my Grandma's pre-90th birthday party. It would be a great opportunity for us to introduce our baby girl. It would be wonderful to share the new-ness of our joy with my Grandma and my aunts and uncles. Please, please. Pray with us that the Lord has an appointment available on that date. The next available might be just late enough to push us back enough to not be up for an 8 hour trip to New England so soon.

So, that's the perfect start to the perfect weekend. Family all around (except for those Norwegians, whom I miss most terribly at occasions such as this! Really guys, you must think about moving your whole lives closer. Just for me. Pretty please?!) (Kidding, I'm kidding. Sorta!). As I was saying. A perfect weekend: family all around, celebrating a first birthday for one cutie pie, and Travel Approval for the other! What more could a woman ask for, I ask ya?!