[WesieMom]

At what point did you start getting your "bag" ready for Pick up? We just entered PGN last week, but I am finding myself feeling very "unprepared"
And although, I am sure we are going to be in PGN awhile, l feel like "I have nothing done"
Did you wait until you were IN PGN to get your pick up bags ready or did you wait until your were OUT to start packing things?
Hugs,

[afl]

Keep in mind you still have several weeks on average after getting out until pink/Embassy appt. So, you should have time after you get out to get everything ready to go. I'm not going to pack until we get out.

[WesieMom]

Yeah I know..just curious as to how others done it?

[Mom2Isabella]

Well, I packed and unpacked Isabella's bags about a million times during our 7 week pgn stay. Mine I did not pack until the night before. I do better keeping myself occupied by packing to distract how nervous I was.

[JoyS]

Lisa,

I have often wondered the same thing. Part of me wants to march upstairs and pack all those really cute clothes for him and start preparing, but the other part of me is scared I may jinx it in some way.

I usually don't do the superstition thing - and feel like doing something to make things "happen"!! LOL

I do think that I am going to start packing some things next week.

I know I will have plenty of time to prepare - but it helps me to do something to feel like I am making progress.

Also I may start packing our foster family gifts - just because when that call does come - I am gonna be Crazy excited - hopefully even for the 3 or so weeks in between for travel.

Tomorrow is our 7 week anniversary in PGN.

Good question - I can't wait to see others replies.

Joy

[Mandy4President]

I started packing the day we got referral. Luggage is in my bedroom next to the nightstand.

Truely, not kidding.

I have a lot more to pack, but things that I found and bought for the foster family I've thrown in there. That way I have them and they are not in the closet, under the sink, in the garage...you get the idea.

I think that if you're a nervous packer go for it. Start with something that you may not have to unpack, like foster family gifts. Buy whatever you're going to, get it packed, and then move onto baby stuff. You'll probably pack and unpack a million times, but I think it's therapudic.

Congrats, by the way, on getting into PGN! I hope your stay is short!

[jlinberger]

With my son, I don't even remember. We were in PGN for 5 months, so if I had packed at the beginning of PGN, nothing would have fit him by the time we went to pick him up. I am sure I didn't start packing some things until after we got out of PGN. I am a great last minute person, though. As a matter of a fact, with him, we got pink on a Thursday. I booked our flight for the next day at noon and had us sightseeing Saturday and Sunday before we met our son Monday. There weren't pink appointments last year- it was just "get here as fast as you can" kind of thing.
For this adoption- I don't know, I probably won't start packing until after we get out of PGN, because who knows how long we'll be in. Now... do I have diapers sitting out on her changing table, crib all ready, room painted, etc? You bet!!! Hahah!

[TerriBB]

We're starting our 11th week in PGN...and I really don't see and end in the near future. That being said, I've got 4 separate piles; one for us, one for an orphanage, one for the foster family and one for Flora.

I've bought those Dawn towels (to wash bottles in the room), baby wash clothes that already have soap in them and swim diapers (so far) .

I've got a list of clothing that will be going with us and some of those may actually move into Flora's room - as the temperatures start to cool off.

[chica_latina]

We found out that we were PGN for a week without knowing it, right after we returned from our 1st visit trip..

We stayed packed..

Then Mr. Barrios took over PGN and Baby Girl has been there, as of today, for 100 days - over 3 months!

We are no longer packed.

Baby boy got out of PGN on Tuesday and we still haven't packed.. kind of got burned by the system.

[2bASingleMom]

yeah - I wasn't one that had the bags packed early. I'm always expecting the worse - helps me to be pleasantly surprised!

I did make my list and get clothes washed and all, but I was not an early packer.

[annaguat]

I made a drawer full of items I thought I would bring for the girls for the pick up trip. I also got gifts, new money and other items ready. In my closet I hung clothes I wanted to take for myself and I made a list of everything I wanted to take. Eventhough I had soem time after coming out of PGN everything went so fast and i just could not think. So I was glad to have made some prepparations beforehand. Best wishes and may your pgn stay be brief. Anna

[KKR213]

I made a list of everything I would need for John. My appointment was on Wed and I got to Guat on Monday so I spent the weekend washing all his clothes and things. I packed and repacked and repacked up until the last minute the weekend before leaving. Then had to give stuff to my mother since it all wouldn't fit in my bag.

Hope you get to pack really soon!

[MNStarr]

We packed when we got our pink slip. Even though it felt like I was doing nothing I didn't see any reason to pack and repack because there were certain things that I needed. I did have a very good list detailed so when the time came I knew exactly what needed to go in.

[kcbailey777]

I don't remember when I packed but I am sure the baby's stuff was packed early.

What I did to cut down on the stress of feeling unprepared is to make a list of everything you need to bring. You can then go buy what you don't already have and it cuts down on the stress of thinking you forgot something. I then marked the item off the list only when it was packed. You can have a basket of items you want to bring in one place but I wouldn't put the items in a suitcase this far in advance.

Have fun planning your baby's homecoming. I pray that it is soon.

Lisa

[steve in ca]

To be honest I did not pack until I got the call that we were out, and would be traveling about a week later (had a one day BC from Antigua). I also did not prepare the nursery until then as well. I couldn't stand the anxiety of maybe not completing. It was kind of fun doing the nurseryt andpacking last minutes. The adrenaline rush was fun.