The crib is set up. I have a stack of diapers waiting. Our suitcases will be full once the load of laundry in the dryer is done. On the outside we are getting prepared to add a new little one to our fold. In three days we will be on our way to make Zhong Xun a Williams. (Now if I could only find time to clean the house. It looks like a tornado hit in here!)
Packing the suitcases and rearranging the furniture to include a crib is the easy part. Preparing our hearts and minds is a totally different story. It takes more effort – slowing down and having honest conversations with ourselves and our other three kiddos.
Can’t really predict if Little Man will grieve loudly and deeply. Not sure if he will be scared of us or ready to jump right into our caos. Will he want to be “babied” by two older sisters? Good grief! I am not even sure if I am packing the right size clothes and if he will want to sleep in a crib or be ready for the bottom bunk in the boys room. How can I be prepared for this – not to mention help the other kids be ready!?
Lunch and shopping with Big Girl today – squeezing some one on one time in before we leave. (The two big kids are staying behind with Nana and Papa. sniff. sniff.) We bought gifts for the orphanage director and nannies while chatting about how life was about to change. Well, I was talking. She was smelling all the lotions at Bath and Body Works ignoring me as I rattled on.
“Mom.” She interrupted my sermon. “Let’s go to Build-A-Bear.”
Totally not on my list of getting things prepared list.
Big Girl quickly came up with a plan and called her siblings to join her. I watched them pick out a bear, make him with one leg and dress him in “American” clothes. A gift for their new brother. Great care was taken in picking out hearts to place inside – one from each of them. They told the workers in the store how excited they were to have a new brother who was created special by God. How cool adoption is and how our family would soon be all together. They paid for “Little Brother Bear” with their own money and made a plan to present it to Isaac at the airport for their first meeting.
I might not be prepared, but as Big Girl proudly toted a one legged bear through the mall I realized, my kids are ready.
Casting A Stone 
God bless you on your journey. It is such a pleasure to read your entries. I truly look forward to every new entry. You will be in my prayers constantly.