Juxtaposition:
the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
It’s finally here: the night I’ve dreaded since I found out our travel dates.
And it’s finally here: the trip we have dreamed of since January 2012.
I liken this adoption step as a blending of marriage, child birth, death and surgery. So much expectation, pain, excitement, emotional overloads and details.
It also feels like when you train for a road race: you gradually work up to long miles. But then, weeks before the race, you start to taper. Suddenly 8 miles feels like a walk in the park. 3 feels like a warm up. Let’s just do this thing. I’m ready. No more tapering.
Currently Brian is wrapping orange craft ribbon around the handles of our common navy suitcases. Elam fell asleep only because I held him until he drifted off. I have made 8-10 lists for the grandparents as they care for our kids. Calista is reading an American Girl book to her grandparents. Just a normal night around here.
The eve of an epic adventure to a country we have never seen. To pick up a 3-year old son we have never seen. To leave our kids longer than we ever have. To bring to our American home a boy who has only known Chinese food and some type of Chinese language.
Such a surreal juxtaposition of things. So excited. So sad. So terrified. So grateful. So ready.
I am realizing that in just 6 days, there will be no need for my “Asker in China” hashtag or category in my blog. Maybe I’ll change it to “Asker from China” …
Let’s do this thing. But first, let’s try to get some sleep around here.