Little Girl Dresses

I'm not sure this is an image I could have ever dreamed of...little girl dresses hanging in the closet next to my bike kits. I'm sure I'll say that over and over and over again in the years ahead, "I never dreamed..."

We are so close, just two weeks out from the big day, although she could come at any time. Mom is doing great, but like any woman with only 2 weeks left, is attempting every strategy in the book for getting this package delivered NOW rather than later.

We are as ready as we know to be, which for those of you with children already, is code for, we don't have a clue, but we'll figure it out. My task list today is to finish reading What to Expect the First Year. It's on the Kindle and I'm in location 2250 of 22028...it's going to be a long day.

Some friends of ours, Uncle Brian and Aunt Kat bought the first book, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess. Anna's final baby shower is this weekend. Lot's going on right now but it's manageable.

More to come soon, just an update.

Amazement

The past few weeks have been fantastic.   We've celebrated the end of a great year, we are hopeful for the upcoming year and the new adventures that await.  I've found myself in this strange "freaked out" state.  I'm not scared, I'm not nervous, I'm just freaked out.  I do not know what to expect, and although I know it will all work out, the "not knowing" freaks me out.

This morning I was driving home from a meeting and glanced back to the little car seat base in the back of the vehicle; struck by the truth that in just a few short weeks, there will be a little human in there.   A little human that I will be utterly responsible for. 

I've been on break from school and don't go back until the 14th.   It's been an incredibly relaxing vacation and I'm using every ounce of it to get ready for this year.   I'm lifeplanning with my friend and business partner +Brian Fletcher and trying to get some running miles under my belt before things change.  

I'm curious...if you are a parent and you are reading this short post...what one word of advice would give to a new set of parents adopting a newborn?   Just curious!

Good news! The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the bill to avert the fiscal cliff) made the adoption tax credit permanent!

Permanently extend the increased adoption tax credit and the adoption assistance programs exclusion. Taxpayers that adopt children can receive a tax credit for qualified adoption expenses. A taxpayer may also exclude from income adoption expenses paid by an employer. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 increased the credit from $5,000 ($6,000 for a special needs child) to $10,000, and provided a $10,000 income exclusion for employer-assistance programs. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 extended these benefits to 2011 and made the credit refundable. The bill extends for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, the increased adoption credit amount and the exclusion for employer-assistance programs as enacted in EGTRRA.

While this may not apply to us because God paid all our adoption related fees, it is a great blessing to many people and may help us in the future.