Are you nervous?

 A new friend asked me today how the process was going.  I told her that this week (Tuesday, I think) I sent all of the documents in our dossier to the Brasilian consulate in NYC (and one document to the consulate in Atlanta) to be legalized.  They should return to us within a week or so and sit waiting in our file box until we receive USCIS approval.  Then is one last round of certification and one last, big, fat FedEx envelope addressed to Brazil.

She asked if that meant that we could meet our kids "any time" after that.  I supposed that it does.  Then she asked if I was nervous.  

Nervous.  I don't think that's an emotion I've ever felt during this whole process.  I've felt excited, hopeful, impatient, disappointed, ready, peaceful, worried, sad, brokenhearted, affirmed and encouraged, but it has never occurred to me to feel nervous.  Could that be because of how sure we are that God called us here?  Could it be because the wait has been so long and we just feel the anticipation of finally holding our precious ones?  Could it be because we don't yet fully realize what our life will be like and how quickly it will change forever?  Could it be because of the many, many, many loving friends and family members we have standing by ready to support us as parents?  Maybe all of the above.  

I told her that I hadn't felt nervous yet, but that I'm sure there would be moments of frenzied, panicked nervousness when we are trying to get everything ready before getting on a plane to Sao Paulo, or butterflies in our stomachs while we wait to meet them for the first time.  

Every time I've ever been nervous before a presentation or speech of some sort, I am reminded of what someone wise once told me (I think it was my mother), "The nervousness means you care."  I'll embrace it if it comes... but I know it won't last long.