Excited is an understatement!

I think you must all realize how expensive 3 adoptions (and 1 failed one) in 3 years must be. So, what do you when you have no money left? You go on vacation, of course!!!

I am so very excited that my absolutely wonderful mother and my amazing sister have offered to babysit all the kids while Scott and I take off for 8 glorious nights on vacation this summer!


First on the itinerary? Our nation's capital. I have a few pictures of visiting Washington, D.C. with my parents when I was about 3 years old. I've never been back since. It's always somewhere I've wanted to go and we just knew that until the kids got older, unless we went alone, it's not something that they would appreciate! So, we're spending 3 days visiting not only museums, monuments and all that this awesome city has to offer, but we are also going to Chinatown there (which I love) and attending mass at the National Cathedral!

Next on our self-made tour we are heading up to Hershey Pennsylvania to spend the day at Hershey Park!! Another one of those places that I've always wanted to go to. Yes, the kids would probably enjoy this, but they are still too young for all of those thrill rides....and we're not! So, off we go! I do have some guilt about leaving Amanda behind, because I know she'd love it, but we have Disney right around the corner from us and she could goes on rides whenever we are there, and we don't. She's ok with the trip, because she considers the rest of it to be "too educational".
After spending the day at the Park and visiting Chocolate World (YUMM!!!) we will be heading a bit east to a little town called Lititz in Lancaster, another place that I've dreamed about going to for many years, but for some reason or another it's never happened. We found a beautiful, quaint and inviting bed and breakfast where we will be staying at. The day will be spent visiting the Amish Village and taking a buggy ride through miles of covered bridges and the Dutch countryside. Our hosts at the B & B will also be arranging a dinner for us at an Amish family's home, so we can experience true Amish home cooking and chatting with the family about their lifestyle and homelife.

The next morning, after we finish our scrumptious breakfast at the B & B, we head southwest to a teeny, and I mean teeny, town that we found. It's the most incredible place I have ever seen. A beautiful cabin in the mountains of West Virginia surrounded, by well, nothing! Yes! A secluded cabin in the wilderness where for 2 nights we will just be enveloped by God's beautiful creation. Nature at its best! A perfect way to end a vacation full of non-stop, touristy, sightseeing.

I spoke to the girl who runs this place and she mentioned that the population there is less than 400! There is only 1 grocery store in the entire county and it's about 10 miles away from the closest town, Franklin. This, I believe, will be my favorite part of the trip. There are no phones, no cell phones, no paved roads. Yes, there is running water and there is electricity. I'm not that adventurous. It's plain perfect!

I can just envision us sitting on the deck sipping coffe and watching the sunrise over those majestic mountains. We plan on also doing a lot of sitting outside by the fire-pit and watching the millions of stars that fill the night sky without a man-made sound within miles from us. One of our stops on this part of the trip will be a visit to Monongahela National Forest and stand atop the highest peak in West Viriginia, Spruce Knob. Lastly, we plan on getting lots of r & r and definitely sleeping late.....lots!!

Finally, on our last day, we will head to Baltimore, Maryland where we hope to meet some friends from the adoption world (Susan...it's a go!) for dinner before heading back early the next morning. I'm sure I'll be dying to see my little, and big, kiddos after all that time. But, we're really gonna try and make the best of having time for us alone and not make every conversation end up in talking about the kids.

Ily and Mom, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to us! Of course, to our Lord and Savior, thank you for blessing us with such the best family in the world and for providing for such special time for my sweetie and me!

If anyone has any suggestions or advice regarding the trip, I'd really love to hear from ya! By the way, did I mention that I am sooooooooooooo excited?!!!!

MIDNIGHT UPDATE: Oh my goodness! I logged in tonight to find lots of questions and oodles of great info as to where to go and what to do! I'm soaking it all in like a sponge....so, please...keep it coming! The only problem now is that now I don't know how we're gonna fit it all in, because I want to do it all!

When I get back from our trip, I'm going to have to leave again to "fat farm"! Those that know me, know that I LOVE food! So, all of these restaurant suggestions are being taken very seriously! It seems like I'm gonna be eating 6-7 meals a day at this rate!

B. - I looked up the Shoo-fly pie....YUMMMMMERS! Sounds so delicious. It's definitely on the list!

A few of you asked when we are planning on going. Our flights are booked for the last week in July. I know....hot, hot, hot. But, we're coming from Florida, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Oh! If anyone knows of a great place to whitewater raft around the Franklin (WV) area, please let me know.

Also, some of you have emailed me asking if we could somehow stop and meet you. Lord knows I would absolutely love to...but, I think Scott would hang me from the nearest tree if I mention again about my "adoption friends" wanting to meet up. I personally think that he's afraid you may talk me into "just 1 more"...heh! If I were traveling alone, or with the kids, I'd definitely try and find the time and place to meet up with some of you. But, we're trying to keep this trip as close to a romantic, forget-about-the-kids-trip, as possible.

On a positive note, it's a reason for another trip to the area. B. and P. - My favorite city is NYC....so, I know for a fact that we'll be up there at some point, hopefully with the entire crew. You can count on us getting together when I do make it up there!

Also, someone asked about how concerned I was about Anna Grace's attachment and the fact that I will be gone for 9 days. Trust me, I've thought long and hard about it. By the time July rolls around, she'll have been home for over a year. One of my very soon upcoming posts will be about Anna Grace and her attachment. So check back sooon for that one in the next few days.

I will say that she's improved by leaps and bounds in that area, although we do continue to have setbacks every once in a while. I have succumb to the fact that it will definitely take her much longer than it took Kai to be completely attached and able to trust us. It's ok. We've got all the time in the world to wait for her for to feel completely secure. She'll eventually see that we are not going anywhere, and that neither is she. Again, that's another post.

I just wanted to pop in here quickly to say thank you for all of the suggestions, comments and emails I have received so far. I've made notes about all of them and my little file is growing quickly. Scott is incredibly impressed by the wealth of information that I have gathered from my bloggy buddies! You guys rock!!