Ethridge Update

Long time, no post.  We've been pretty busy around here, but I'm not sure if I have many pictures to prove it.  Mostly busy with not so fun stuff...

Wilson has just finished his first round of achievement tests- which he though was fantastic.  They were his best everyday!!  Can't believe I have a little one big enough to be filling in bubbles on a scan tron sheet.  (Scan tron is probably an outdated word- they probably score their cards by infrared web cams or something- but you know what I'm talking about)  He's also the proud care taker of two baby turtles (although I see us cutting that back to one by the end of the week- two babies are very cute, two adult 10" turtles in my study, not so cute).

Phil has continued his Geocaching quest with Wilson and Miller eagerly following him anywhere for a treasure hunt.  It's all fun and games until someone gets poison ivy, though.  Poor Phil, it seems that this is going to be our "first sign of spring" from now on.  He never had it as a kid, but now it just seems to hunt him down!

I have been anxiously patiently watching emails and adoption boards hoping to hear that Eliza Grace is being processed to leave Korea.  If there is in fact any pattern to time lines she was probably submitted for her emigration permit last week.  However, our social worker in Korea has been out of the office since last Wednesday and won't be back until tomorrow (maybe today, I can't keep the time difference straight!).  Then the US office will be closed this Friday for Good Friday, so it may be next week before we hear anything.  Early this week I realized I was actually a little relieved that we didn't hear anything last week.  Up until now going to get her has seemed so far in the future and so abstract.  Monday it sank that I could have just heard we'd be going to get our baby soon and I kind of freaked a little.  You know when you're engaged and you know you're going to get married and you've bought a dress and picked out a cake and looked at 1000 flower arrangements, but then like the week before you go "Oh my gosh, we're really going to do this!"  Or when you've been pregnant for 10-1/2 months and you've set up a nursery, been to the doctor a gagillion times, washed tons of tiny clothes, but it's not until you're driving to the hospital that you go "we're not getting back in this car with the back seat empty...ever again!"  Well, I'm there.  We're really going to pick up a 16 month old and say "you're living with us now, ok?"  What if she hates sleeping in her crib?  She's probably never slept in one before- most babies sleep on mats by their foster moms.  Which leads to the next panic attack of what if Pottery Barn doesn't sell the quilt that Miller has on her bed anymore and we wind up with this really miss matched room (wouldn't that just be the end of the world!?)  To ensure we won't have TOTAL chaos, I did go buy a few more yards of the fabric that is on Miller's headboard- at least those will match.  What if she screams the WHOLE time we're in Korea, what if she screams the WHOLE way home, what if she really hates us for a LONG  time, what if I NEVER sleep again!? 

What if I stop worrying and remember Who set us on this path and Who will see us through.  What if I remember that we've been new parents twice- neither time was a perfect walk in the park, but we wouldn't change a thing.  What if I remember the indescribable joy I have in my heart every time I see my sweet baby girl's face and the ever growing impatience to get there and hold her.  Oh yeah . . . everything's going to be GREAT- mismatched beds and all!

So then I pulled it together to go to jury duty this morning.  Yep jury duty.  There's just something about being in the courthouse in Canton that brings back the scenes of A Time to Kill.  We were greeted this morning with "Y'all'n come in the courtroom now"  (Note to my non deep south readers: Y'all'n is actually three words in one "you all can").  We all filed in and proceeded to be entertained by a video (yep- VHS) of the jury process.  Thanks, I watch A LOT of Law and Order- I really don't need the video.  You can return it to whatever high school substitute teacher you stole it from, k?  Then we got to take a break- thank goodness- that was grueling.  Then we got to the excuse part.  I got out pretty early on- kind of wish I had gotten to hear some of the other sob stories.  What was my airtight case?  Sick child, we're going to see a specialist in the morning.  "Ma'am, you'n* go.  You don't have to call or come back."  I said thanks, the judge said "yes, ma'am".

*you'n singular of y'all'n

Which brings us to, Miller and her fourth ear infection of the last few months.  We're going to see her favorite ENT (I say that in most sarcastic tone my keys will allow me to type) in the morning.  I hope he feels like this is just a string of bad luck, but I also hope if we need a third set of tubes he can tell now so that we can get it over with before we leave to get Eliza Grace.

My sweet Nan is still with us, but is very weak.  None of us understands the reasoning behind the aging process or what the Lord is doing through it, but we trust that he does work all things to his glory.  I am also bitter sweetly optimistic that Nan will see that glory first hand soon.  What an awesome thought!

My best for today has probably already happened.  Right before I sat down to post, the Fed Ex lady pulled up in my driveway.  She flung open the door to her truck and said (with the biggest grin and in the most excited whisper) Have you gotten the baby yet!?  I slumped my shoulders and said no, not yet.  She frowned and said, "I hadn't seen y'all in a long time, I just knew you'd gone to get the baby"  She handed me my package and told me, "hurry up and go get that baby- I'm getting impatient."  "Me too, girl.  Me too!"  Eliza Grace, we may never know how many people are cheering you home baby girl, but I'm so thankful for each one I find out about.  Hope you're sleeping well.