Thursday, June 22, 2006

The Winds of Change

We picked up our nursery furniture last night--crib, changing table/dresser, and mattress. It is a weird calm feeling to have our little boy's furniture at home. Of course it is still in boxes and I have no idea how we are going to get the nearly 200lbs dresser upstairs into the nursery--it was quite a show for us to get it in the house. It is always strange when hubby and I carry something together, especially something heavy as he is 12 inches taller than I am. I am strong an all, but at a serious height disadvantage. But we got the dresser in the house with only nearly dropping it twice. It was quite a work out and I have some bruises on my arms for my battle service. I wanted to open the furniture so badly, but I can't until we are ready to take it upstairs. I am planning on working my butt off in the nursery this weekend. I have to finish grouting my kitchen floor--that is on today's agenda--then I will devote my weekend to the baby's room. I have to sand the drywall--my absolutely least favorite thing to do in the entire world--prime--my second least favorite, paint and then lay a floor. We are going to put Pergo or someother type of lamininte "wood" floor up stairs. We would do real wood but our ceilings in our second story--technically it is a 1/2 story--are only 6 1/2 feet high.

I really want to get these things done. I am driven by my desire to have as much done and ready as I can. We shall see. And I have a ton of stuff for the baby's room that I want to put out and set up.

Another change--hubby and I talked last night about travelling to Ethiopia. We have found out that unless the baby is really sick when we bring him home, hubby is not eligible for paid time off outside of his vacation time which is 3 weeks. He finally admitted to me, that he would rather have 3 weeks off at home with the baby to bond than to spend 8-10 of his vacation days in Ethiopia. I don't blame him. I have to look at it from his perspective. I will be getting to stay home with the baby everyday all day. He doesn't like to fly that much as he is 6'5"--planes are not comfortable for him. He wants quality time with the baby. It will also save us a lot of money. We won't have to board our dogs--$55 a day--nor will we have to pay someone to take care of our cats--$20 a visit 3x per week. Only one of us will have to eat.

This would freak me out but both of my brothers have expressed interest in going. So I won't be going alone. Hubby is okay with it because we have decided that he will go next time. We plan to begin another adoption from Ethiopia soon after our 3 mos post-placement visit. He will then go and his mother can go with him. I am very at ease with our decision. I would love for both of us to go together, as it will be an experience, but I also think his time is better spent bonding with the baby at home for 3 straight weeks. It would be hard if he had to go back to work after only having one week home with the baby.

I do feel for him, because now he has to tell his mom that she won't be going to Ethiopia. She wants to go and really wants to travel to all the sights. We have decided to not travel with the baby this time. At first I thought, how could I travel all that way and not see the sights. But now I think, how can I see all those sights when all my baby wants is to go home. We plan to take our kids to Ethiopia when they are nearing the age of 10. It will be an experience to see it all together. To experience their birthplace with them. To see it for the first time through their eyes. It will be the experience of a lifetime.

3 comments:

Fizzle said...

Hard not to go with your spouse on such a major trip, but so exciting that you have others willing to go with you!! When's your travel date?

Dawn said...

Fizzle,
We have no idea when we will be traveling yet. We are still waiting for our case to be filed in court. I am hoping for mid to late August. But that is just a dream....

Anonymous said...

I am so excited for you! The nursery is one of the most fun parts of the baby dreaming. Letting your mind go, imagining a little body sleeping in the crib, all of the little outfits. You are getting closer!
How cool to have a brother to go on this trip with you. B loves his daddy, but he loves his Tio also! Noah is so lucky.
Karianne