Packing, organizing, nesting...ready to go!

I feel like I have been organizing and nesting for weeks....and I have. The house is as ready as it is going to get. It is quite a task to stay on top of things around here when I have 4 other people working against me. It is just life in all its messiness, but sometimes I wish it would just stay clean! There is this need to be as prepared to leave my boys as possible. Make everything as easy as possible for the babysitter. Of course, I know everything will be fine and acknowledge that I am doing all of this to make myself feel more at ease...everything doesn't HAVE to be in order. But won't it be nice to come home and not have the linen closet be a mess, the kitchen cabinets crumb-filled and disorganized? Yes it will! I have done as much as I can to be able to totally focus on Tessa and the boys when we get home.

Here are photos of the packing....phew! It is I am almost done with this organized mess. We are carrying 4 large suitcases stuffed full of our "stuff" and donations, each with a 50 pound max. That just isn't enough!! I am really minimizing what I will be bringing clothes wise. I always tend to overpack and now is the time to get a handle on that. As you can see, I am a big fan of the space saver vacuum packs....those things are awesome.

A HUGE thank you to all our friends for helping us fill these suitcases with donations: formula, diapers, clothing, children's books, and $$$ for the orphanage. How incredibly grateful we are to you for thinking of Tessa, the orphanage that has been caring for her and being apart of this journey to Ethiopia with us. My dear soul friend, Marcie, has also organized meals for us with these same friends! After we return we will have meals delivered to us every Monday and Thursday into May. I can hardly express how much I appreciate this gesture. Thank you dear friends.

1 day and we are off to meet our Sweet girl!