Happy 16 month Birthday Emma

We have arrived home. We actually got home yesterday, but I had no time to post. My house is crazy with paperwork piled everywhere and general house work piling up. I also came home to one very sick dog and one very missing dog. We have an old dog named Lucky, 14 years old, that is just a mixed breed that I rescued from the vet's office when Brady was a baby. She is getting very old and worn out, but now appears to be sick. She is currently missing in action, although we saw her this morning before we left for church. I can't stand for her to look so pitiful and I'm afraid we may have to have her put to sleep. At the risk of sounding cold (and I'm not - I love my animals), I wish she would just go to sleep and not wake up. I hate to have to take her to the vet and have her put down. I've had to do that before and I just can't stand it. One of our other dogs (we have 4), a cocker spaniel named Tramp, is missing. My mother thinks she saw him on Thursday, but he has not been seen since. He doesn't usually wander off, and he's getting old too. I hope he didn't wander off in the woods and die or something hurt him. It's very unlike him to disappear, but we have not been able to locate him. He's getting old, but he still has a lot of spunk. My lab and basset hound are still hanging around and appear to be fine.

I have been going over our travel instructions that we received from our agency and it's almost too overwhelming! Visas, passports, releases, take this, take that, etc. I can't wait until this is over with. I have had 2 biological children and that was much easier and I believe, less painful. And yes, I had natural child birth! Adoption is not for the faint of heart and I haven't even touched my beautiful child yet! Speaking of which, happy 16 month birthday to my daughter. I look so forward to getting her here! I don't think she will be home for her 17 month birthday, but I sure hope she is by her 18 month birthday! Brady has been asking me how old exactly she is and how old will she be in 2 years (do you see why I'm taking him to Sylvan). I told him she would be 3 years old in 2 years and he immediately started making his Disney plans for her first trip. Too funny:) He can't wait to take her to Disney World and let her experience that. I fear this little girl is going to be rotten.

I will be posting some pictures of our RA arrival and vacation later on. I didn't get too many, but I will post what I have so far.