Hi Danielle and welcome to YT
!!! And CONGRATS on your almost-home new baby!
It sounds like you have done so very much to prepare for your new little one, and it's so great to see this. We need more people like you in the world who really do their research and prepare, it's awesome!
I don't do crates bc all of mine just despise them, lol. But, some kiddos really do like them and use them as one of their little own spaces, so it really depends. If it were me doing this, I'd be leaving the crate open and I'd see/confirm that she really actually likes it...and I'd go from there. But your other option if you need to confine her to a smaller space at first is to fence off an area for her that is open...you could use various things to do this; an Iris pen is great! Or a small bathroom?
As far as schedule...maybe start out on the first schedule...but keep increasing her 12:30 time by 15mins or 30mins until you start getting closer to 2:30...I think she'll do just fine
!