That's it...

In an effort to be a rational, sane woman again (stop laughing!), I'm officially pitching my sad, pathetic pity party over SIL's newly announced pregnancy and I'm going to start obsessing over the adoption again (I am the picture of mental health, don't you think?).

By my calculations I have approximately 4 months to complete the cornucopia of projects and chores that need to be completed prior to Emma's homecoming. Why prior to the referral? Because I'm a masochistic, irrational person who always takes on more than she can handle. No, no, yes, but no, it's because I plan on being a sniveling, facsimile of a composed woman once that picture is in my hands. So, that being said, here's the list of my present action items (Notice the usage of a TQM phrase. You know I mean business when I whip out TQM):

1. Paint the nursery walls
2. Draw and paint the mural on the nursery walls
3. Paint the dresser
4. Find cute drawer pulls for the dresser
5. Find curtains that are not hideous
6. Find a curtain rod that doesn't look like a medieval weapon
7. Find a toy box
8. Paint the toy box
9. Paint the wooden letters that spell E-M-M-A
10. Find a laundry hamper that goes with the decor of the nursery
11. Finish the Welcome Home Book
12. Finish the Chinese "gifts" that go with the Referral Announcements
13. Design the Referral Announcements
14. Find a printer to print the Referral Announcements
15. Read the 10,000 books I've bought in the past year on adoption and raising adopted children
16. Lose 20 lbs
17. Find a toy box for the downstairs living room
18. Buy and install all the safety crap for the toilets, doors, cabinets, stairs, electrical plugs, etc.
19. Find size 12 month pj's - why can't I find 12 month pj's???
20. Begin to compose "The Packing List" (as a sidebar here, my agency sent a "suggested" packing list - it was 6 pages long people - 6 pages! How are you supposed to limit yourself to one check-in - weighing no more than 44 lbs - and one carry-on with 6 pages of crap to pack?)
21. Start collecting the suitcase of meds that you apparently have to schlep to China (there goes the check-in bag)
22. Retain Dr. Aronson
23. Start interviewing day care facilities
24. Figure out what an 8 - 12 month old eats??
25. Buy a glider
26. Talk to my employer about maternity leave
27. Finish crocheting the blanket
28. Start and complete the 100 Good Wishes Quilt
29. Learn to use the video camera
30. Buy a real camera

Obviously, I AM UNPREPARED!

So that's it, no more reveling in self loathing. I have a baby to prepare for.

Update: I must have had a vibe. The notorious brown envelope showed up in my mail today.