giving thanks

we're packing our bags and heading to be with family for thanksgiving.  we're taking some important things with us this year - and it's not turkey and stuffing!

• initial adoption application
• doctor's approval letters
• printed photos of us
• padded mailer

we plan on taking the time this next week to officially finish our initial application and make sure we are ready to get this thing in the mail by December 1.  we're so excited to finally be at this stage of the game.  since we've been fighting infertility since 2004 it seemed like a baby would never come, but now we can both not only see why we're on this path, but why we needed to wait, and why adoption is how we'd be building our family.  we're both so hopeful and assured by God that a baby is on the way.

i feel like putting the application in the mail box is going to feel like getting a positive pregnancy test.  i remember talking with will last thanksgiving.  we were standing in his parent's yard discussing our Christmas letter, where we were announcing the plans for preparedness in adoption for 2011.  we talked about how open we'd be with family and friends so as to not deprive ourselves of the feelings and support that expectant parents have all along the way.  i do not think either one of us dreamed how not cheated we'd feel by this process, and how much more amazing we feel right now than we ever hoped we could.

so much to be thankful for this thanksgiving.