Wyatt: Mom can you get the checkers game for me?
Mom: Just a minute Wyatt, can you get it?
Wyatt: No it's too high.
Mom: Just stand on the toy box to reach it. (I was holding Mason who was sick and lethargic--he didn't want me to put him down)
Wyatt: Mom, I can't reach it, I need you to get it, you are tall, like a giraffe.
Mom (thinking to herself): What?? Me a giraffe. (well that left me speechless, I got up and got the game)

Well we have been so busy. Last weekend was great with no clinical so I spent the whole time between taking the kids to the church Easter Egg Hunt and birthday parties and studying. It was nice to have the weekend off, I have this weekend of too because of Easter then it will be back to clinical for a few more weeks. The semester will be over April 30th so that is just around the corner!

I have busy preparing our Registration packet for Russia, thankfully it is not too much work so I hope to be done within the month. It depends on a few letters getting back to us in the mail.

Wyatt is so funny....lately he has taken to calling me Honey. He says it so sweetly. An example is when I was looking for something in the pantry he goes "here it is honey". It just melts my heart.

We had the first talk with our Russia coordinator today and we have been assigned a region in Russia for our adoption. What this means is that Ellery is from the Tyumen region. It is in Western Siberia, yes Siberia. John and I will get to travel there twice. Who knew we would have to travel 23 hours just to see snow. Today the high was 24 and snowing in Tyumen, brrrrrr! I did a little research on Tyumen which you can too but here are a few interesting facts:

1. Miss Russia 2007 was from the Tyumen region.

2. The region was est. over 400 years ago and is surrounding by two big rivers (forgot names) it was the first town est. in Siberia

3. Is called a walking city but ironically in the pictures I saw I sure did see alot of cars

4. Population is around 600,000 people ( i think that's about the size of Columbia)

5. It is cold there and snows and snows and snows ( I sure wish the boys could see that, they would get enough of snow to last a lifetime and I will probably see more snow in that trip than I have seen in my lifetime-unless we get lucky and travel in the summer) Right now it is -10 degress celcius as I am writing this. wow

It was so exciting to find out that, that is where she is from. It makes this adoption seem even more real to us. This week I am going to start collecting the paperwork, it is a little different that China but I don't think it should take me more than a month or so, we'll see. It should go faster since I've done this once already! Please pray for our baby girl.

Well I went to school Monday night, I did pass the test but most of my class did not. Only two people have dropped that I know of and alot of people have very close to passing averages so they are going to stick it out and see if they can pass. I was relieved that it went better than I thought though some of my dear friends are in danger of failing :(


New info on the adoption:

John and I have been struggling as you may know for some time about the wait time with China adoption. I finally got to a point when I said I can't do this for 4 or more years. The waiting is truly hard and it is taking a toll on me mentally. I spoke with our adoption agency last week and after discussing options with them we decided to switch to the newly reopened Russian program. We talked and prayed about it and decided that this was the right decision for us. We want Ellery to be raised with her brothers not by them. IT has been hard because for a long time now I have pictured her with dark hair and almond eyes, now I have to think that she will look different but more like us. Right now the Russia program is about a year wait, our agency told us we would probally be home with her by this time next year. I am nervous about this because I don't know much about the Russia program and the health of the children is more of a concern for Russia than China as for as I know. The big thing is that I just realized when we switched that it is very possible that Ellery is either alive or is in utero! That blows my mind. I immediately started to pray for her. Pray that she is safe, that someone is looking out for her and loving her, and if she is in utero that her mother is taking care of herself and her pregnancy. I just cannot believe that she may be alive right now, I can't wait to meet her and bring her home to her forever family! Please pray for her too!

Wyatt's latest cute phrase:

I took Wyatt and Mason to the mall Friday and wyatt asked me if he could ride the "carosalad" it cracked me up so much I kept making him say it over and over so I could laugh. I really can't figure out what makes him call it carosalad instead of carousel but it is so cute.

School update:

Tommorrow is a big day at school. We get test number 2 back and I may lose as much as 1/2 or more of my class. This semester things are much harder and the tests are real tough, I think tougher than they have to be. I am so worried about what it will mean for many of my friends. We are a tight knit group, like a family and it will be hard to lose anyone. My prayer tonight is that we will all get through tommorrow night without to many tears!