Ouch!!! ....Yea!!!!

Yesterday, July 12th, was a day I had been counting down to for about 2 weeks.

First of all, it was the day Kevin & I were scheduled to get several of our travel vaccinations. For those of you who don't know me well, I have almost no phobias and don't consider myself a fearful person at all. But that all goes out the window when it comes to needles.

I am not really sure when my aversion to needles began, but it goes as far back as I remember. It was the reason that I pursued natural childbirth (& succeeded 4 times). No, I'm not kidding. And, yes, labor pains are more painful than most shots, but in my mind labor is natural...it should happen. Someone poking you with a needle just does not seem to register as natural and normal in the fight or flight portion of my brain.

As a child, I seriously contemplated kicking the shins of anyone with the intention of piercing my skin with a needle and then running like crazy. I never carried out the plan, knowing my mom would drag me kicking and screaming back in, but I mentally rehearsed it and planned escape routes! (My son actually tried half of this plan when he was five, but that's another post).

Most people seem to outgrow their childhood fears, but I have had a difficult time shaking this one. The fact that I have impossible to find veins only reinforces my "this hurts, run for your life" mentality every so many months! Yesterday I went in knowing I would have to get 3 shots. I've had the appointment on the books for at least 2 weeks. Hours before the appointment (okay, I'll be honest, even at the appointment) I was looking for loopholes to get out of taking them. We'll be in the city...I'll avoid all potential risk factors...maybe I got the vaccine as a kid? No, no, and no. The rational part of my brain scheduled the appointment so I would have accountability (no ditching and going to Panera!). Kevin's appointment was at the same time. I listened and accepted the doctor's reasoning for non-avoidance and even smiled once or twice. But that doesn't mean I could control that part of me that just hates it. A physical reaction is a physical reaction. Sweating. Looking away. Forgetting to breathe. Causing my poor husband to think I might pass out. Yeah, I did great.

And, by the way, just a little tip. Never, never, never trust a nurse who says, "This won't hurt a bit." Who's ever heard of a tetanus shot that "didn't hurt a bit?!"

But it's done and she still has her shins and I do believe I've been stuck less for Lily than I was for any of my other children. That's a praise.

The second thing to which I was counting down was the Article 5...the next piece of paper we needed to have before we can get Lily. It was scheduled to be ready for our agency's Guangzhou office yesterday. After not hearing anything yesterday, I called our agency and found out that it did indeed arrive!

YEA!!!!

That means that now we are down to the last significant thing before we board a plane for China...Travel Approval! I am so excited to be this far! I will post some specific prayer requests regarding this in the next several days.

Finally, yesterday we made the blog public. No more signing up or in. I pray that the Lord will use this to glorify Himself and encourage other adopting families and families whom the Lord is calling to adopt (even if they don't know it yet!).

Praising Him,