Starting to pack!

Packing for an international trip is difficult! Or a pain - whichever way you want to view it. United lets you have two checked pieces of luggage each and they EACH can weigh 70 pounds. BUT the in-country flights we will be on in Vietnam your luggage can only weigh 44 pounds. So, basically you need to pack that way from the get go! We are packing lightly, kinda! With three girls going on the trip it is not that easy! It was real fun seeing the look on the girls faces when I told them they had to pick "one" pair of sandals and "one" pair of tennis shoes! How dare I??!! They basically had a different pair of shoes out for each outfit they intend to wear!! Now I am trying to help them think "tourist" instead of "fashion"!!

We will have one suitcase full of things for the orphanage - coloring books, crayons, markers, paper, lollipops, otc meds, and other misc. things. It will also carry all of the gifts from America for the foster family and birth family. So, at the end of the trip that suitcase will be empty and ready to be filled with all of the treasures we want to take home with us! At least this trip we won't have to buy a new suitcase for that purpose :-)...we're off in 23 days!

Happy Forever Day to our Sophie!

Seven years ago today, February 5, 2001, Sophie was placed in our hearts and arms and officially became a part of our family. We have been blessed to be her parents and are so happy from all the joy she has brought us. We got her some emerald earrings as a gift to celebrate our milestone. And, in 29 more days we will make our way to Vietnam! Happy Gotcha Day Sophie!