5 month anniversary

I thought it appropriate that I should mark (and celebrate) our adoption journey milestones on this blog. Thursday, October 2nd marks the 5 month anniversary of the submission of our dossier to Ethiopia. And actually, tomorrow, Oct. 5 would mark the one year anniversary of the submission of our dossier to El Salvador. I very clearly remember thinking when we submitted our dossier (both times) that the months ahead seemed like an eternity, but sitting here now on the other side, the time has actually gone by quickly (isn't that the way life always works?). Many events have happened in our lives, mostly good but a few bad. Here's a year review of the life of the Taylor's, a year we will always remember as the wait for our daughter to come home to us:

October 2007 - Marks the one year annivesary of Travis' employment as Youth Director at our church. To be honest, this was one path God had in store for us that we never saw coming. But I know Travis would agree with me when I say I can't imagine my life without those kids.
November 18, 2007 - We celebrate Travis' 31st birthday.
December 2007 - Last Christmas season was kind of depressing for us both. We had started to get mixed feelings from the El Salvador program, and our home just felt empty. I am sure this Christmas will be much more uplifting as we should so close to knowing and bringing our little girl home.
February 2008 - One of my best friends, Shari, and her husband Ben have their first child, a precious little girl named Savannah. Savannah was a bit small and had to spend 17 days in the NICU, so Travis and I were making several trips a week to St. Francis. I have many fond memories of sitting in Labor and Delivery with Shari while both of our husbands were out of town with the youth, taking Savannah's first pictures in the NICU, spending time with Shari in their hotel "suite" and waiting to visit Savannah every two hours.
April 21, 2008 - We celebrate my 27th birthday...hopefully I will celebrate my next birthday with our daughter!
June 2008 - Travis and I took our youth group on an 11 day mission trip adventure to the Navajo Nation in Arizona/New Mexico. This trip, although completely exhausting, was worth every single second. I'm totally bummed that I will miss next year's trip, but I'm pretty sure I won't be much help with a baby in tow.
July 1, 2008 - Travis and I celebrate our 8 year anniversary.
September 2008 - A lot happened in September. My best friend Anne got engaged (and will be getting married December 27 and moving to Morrocco in January!); our goddaughter, Gabrielle, turned 2; we lost our friend, Charlie May, in a tragic motorcycle accident; we painted the baby's room; our good friends Alex and Amie moved back home from Denver, CO to Indiana.