Nursing School: Yesterday I finished yet another semester. This one was tough. I was not very motivated and it was time consuming but I managed to do ok. In the fall I will have my last semester and am scheduled to graduate on December 17th. It sounds so good to say that. I am so ready for school to be done! Next semester I will have management and advanced OB/Pediatrics. I heard they are tough but I am ready bc I know it is my last semester. Alot of people ask me what I want to do when I graduate but I am not sure. So far I am interested in OB, Peds and the Heart Hospital at Richland. I had clinical at the Heart Hospital this summer and I loved it. Low patient to nurse ratio, great people and a very nice, updated facility. I have to decide soon but I am waiting to see how things go this semester.

Adoption: This topic is a tough one. Adoptions in China are a mess. At times I wonder if it will ever happen. Things are getter tougher for adoptions to go through and the wait time is getting longer and longer. It realistically could be five years and well that puts us in our 40's starting over yet again. I don't know what is going to happen with the adoption, it is a total leap of faith and I am learning about patience in a whole new way. I just pray for things to change or for God to give a clear sign if we are do something different.

The Boys: Noah and Sellers are doing good and had a great time at church camp (non FBC). Wyatt is so active and our little daredevil. He thinks he can do anything and says he is already a grown up! Mason is finally talking well and was using the potty alot but has sort of lost interest in it lately. These guys keep us very busy but we love it!

Next week : VACATION!!!!

For some reason Wyatt and Mason can't seem to get it straight on how to address John and I. We never had this problem before. Wyatt will always say Yes, sir to me. I prompt him every time to say yes,mam. He will repeat it but the next time he will still say Yes, sir. I give up.

Mason has always called john and I both mama. Now I try not to take it personal but we have tried and tried to get him to call John dad and he doesn't. If you ask him who mama is he will point to me. Ask him who dada is and he will point to John but if he wants something he will look right at John and say "mama, gaga". I give up.

I was contacted this past week by an old high school friend.
She says its time to plan our twenty year high school reunion.
No way, twenty years. I knew it was coming but still hard to believe.
It's not that high school doesn't feel so long ago because it does.
So many things forgotten, classmates, teachers, how to speak Spanish.
It's just hard for me to accept that I am old enough to be out for twenty years.
I don't feel that I am possibly old enough to say
"My name is Jennifer and I graduated from high school in 1989".

Green permanent marker on the door.
Scuffs on the wall.
Dents in the floors.
Poop on the carpet (not once but three times).
Black spray paint on the garage floor, door and wall.
Plastic toys littering the lawn.
It didn't take long for us to break this house in.
It's hard not to get upset but after all it is just a house even if it is new.
Soon we will just have that old house charm that we have always loved.

I Would Gather Children

Some would gather money
Along the path of life,
Some would gather roses,
And rest from wordly strife.
But I would gather children
From among the thorns of sin,
I would seek a golden curl,
And a freckled toothless grin.
For money cannot enter,
In that land of endless day,
And roses that are gathered
Soon will wilt along the way.
But oh, the laughing children,
As I cross the sunset sea,
And the gates swing wide to heaven,
I can take them in with me!

I stumbled onto this poem on a blog of a family who recently adopted a child. There are times I wish I could gather children from around the world and take care of them.There are millions of orphans in the world and if only 7% of Christians in the world adopted a child there would be no more orphans. What an awesome thought. For every child in the world to have a home and parents, love and food. No child left alone, crying with no one to love or hold them. God calls christians to care for orphans, but why don't we care more? Why don't more of us do something to help? It has definitely been pressed on my heart to do something. I don't know exactly what yet (besides adopting one day from China hopefully) but I have been praying about it. I am excited about the possibilities of what it may be. I anxiously wait, knowing that God has the perfect plan for me.

My children love fruit. The problem is when I buy something different they like it's gone in a blink, so I try to "police" eating the fruit so it will last more than a day. One of their favorites are clementines. Small, juicy, easy to peel and if good they are oh so sweet and not very cheap. I bought some and sure enough they were going crazy wanting to eat them. Wyatt wanted one, one night after I said the kitchen was CLOSED! (my new phrase for -no you can not have anything else to eat today).
Wyatt: Mom, what's the magic word to get an orange?
Mom: (smiling and thinking about it)
Wyatt: Hocus Pocus?
Mom: Hocus Pocus? No. ( It is so hard to resist when they are this cute!)
Wyatt: What is the magic word?
Mom: Well, if you want an orange the magic words are, Mom is pretty (I decided I don't hear that enough)
Wyatt: Ok . Mom is pretty. ( and of course I give him an orange, not without the other boys noticing of course)
5 minutes later
Wyatt: What's the magic word to get another orange, Hocus Pocus?
How can I resist? I gave him another orange. That kid knows how to get to me.

This morning I woke up and remembered they were coming today to hook up our cable and telephone and DSL. I actually started dreading it. We have always been a TV family. John and the boys mostly but I enjoy a little TV now and then but lately we haven't had it and I didn't miss it. I don't think the boys did either, they didn't mention it. We watched an occasional DVD and that seemed to satisfy them. I even contemplated cancelling the cable but I did that to DISH the other day and I don't think John would have been to happy about that. So I went to school and just as I had dreaded when I got home the kids were plopped in front of the TV. No longer were they outside catching tiny frogs, building their garden or building forts. They were watching TV. I was disapointed. I was hoping that having TV back wouldn't matter. I am determined now more than ever to restrict the amount of time they spend in front of the tube. I want to see them in our yard, building forts, catching frogs and planting in their garden.

Well we are in our new house. It hasn't been that bad but slow. I have to unpack around studying and school. We have been without internet access b/c we didn''t know when you moved to the boonies it would take weeks. Had we known we would have called to get it hooked up sooner but anyway we have three more days without it. We have had no phone, no TV, no cable, and no internet. For us it's an adjustment b/c we like these things but then again it's been great. It's been nice not having the noise and distraction of these things but I am ready to have them back. Well posting may be few and far between for a while. Just want to thank John's parents, Poppy and Nama. They put up with us for three weeks in their home and we appreciate it sooooo much. We love you and thank you. Also thanks to all grandparents for all they have done in taking care of our youngins! You are appreaciated!!!

Right now someone may be at our new house determining our fate. Yes, we are still with my in-laws and an inspector is at the new house today deciding whether we can move in or not. This is the fourth time they have been out. Every time finding something that needs to be done. We are sure today is it. We have done everything they asked. Will they come up with another to do list or will they give us the form to Proceed. I am so ready to move in. My in-laws have been generous and considering how intrusive 6 people can be I think it has gone well. But we are all ready to "get back to normal". Please Mr. Inspector let me move into my house!

Got the word, we are in! Now for the fun part, moving our stuff again.

Lately it has become all to evident that someone in our house in on the brink of adolesence. Today I think the world had forced children into growing up too fast. I know this is true, I have seen it. I am guilty of being one of those overprotective moms. I still police everything my children watch and listen to and have a hard time giving in to his desires to watch these adolescent soap operas on Disney. Some I allow, in small doses. I can always tell when he has seen too much of these shows. We still do not allow certain words to be spoken in our house that you would commonly hear today on TV and coming out of the mouths of kids everywhere. I am still very strict about who he plays with and who's house he's allowed to go to. Can I really trust their parents? He is starting to question why I am like this. It is becoming harder and harder to be the positive influence to him. He is more and more interested in what other people think about things and about him. It doesn't matter that I think he is cute, and loving and talented and "cool". It matters more what they think. I am worried about how I will handle these years . I remember all too well the adolescent years, most of mine were really happy but I do remember how hard those times are. Trying to figure where you fit in, who your friends are, just all around who you are. And unfortunately in our world being a Christian will make it harder for him.

After I wrote this I was thinking how my last sentence maybe came out wrong. Actually being a christian can make it harder and maybe easier. Harder because he will struggle with worldly things and trying to stay on the correct moral path but maybe easier because he can pull strength from his faith to stay on the right path. My prayer is that being a christian will be his strength to get through these years and something that he is proud of, always.

The boys have always called John's mom Nama. Noah started it. Wyatt for a while called her Nama and then suddenly started calling her Namahouse. We weren't sure what he meant. Poppy made jokes about it but we didn't know why he did it. Then one day it hit me. When we are going to their house we always said "we're going to Poppy and Nama's house". He just assumed that's what we call her. It always made us laugh. Lately he doesn't say it often. Today he did and I smiled. I love toddler talk.

Happy 3rd Birthday to our wonderful son! We love you!

Yes, I have been busy. Too busy to post and even think about what I wanted to say. This past week we moved (something I really don't like to do) and are staying at my in-laws (thanks for putting up with us for a couple weeks!). The new house isn't ready so we couldn't move in. We didn't ask for more time bc in this market you really don't want to turn off your buyer's. We really don't need two houses right now. SO the next few weeks are going to be stressful, I feel displaced and am so with 4 kids. I just want to say thanks for our families for all they have done to help! And while we are talking about families I should take this time to address the Father's in my life.

John- Well how can I say enough thanks to all you have given us. Your love, endless devotion and time and for setting such a fine example to our boys. You work so hard to take care of us and to give us the things we need and desire. You make sure our boys know how important God is and teach them to follow his word and to rely on his strength. I am not good at saying thanks enough but I do Thank you and love you!
Dad-A girl could not have asked for a better father. You have always been there for me and have helped me through so many things. Shoot, if it wasn't for your advice I might not be thanking John right now for it was you who encouraged me to give him a chance. I am forever grateful for everything. I also thank you for everything you do for the boys. I am so grateful they have such a loving and "fun" Papa!
Mr. O-You know we have come a long way in the last 15 years. I have not always been so nice but I want you to know how much I appreciate you. You are always there for us and have helped us many times. Thanks for all you do for us and with the boys. They really are fortunate to have such a great Poppy!
Ed and Chris-You are incredible Dad's to my nieces and nephews, they are so fortunate to have Father's that would go to the ends of the earth for them and are Godly examples for them.

Well for not knowing what to say I managed to say alot. Happy Father's Day to you all!

Little Red Schoolhouse - on the Prairie
Originally uploaded by sirchuckles

no more homework
no more lunch money
no more carpool

we can sleep in (Oh I wish they would!)
we can stay up late
we can go on vacation

Goodbye Elementary school for my first born
Here comes Middle School-I cannot believe it!

Goodbye First Grade for Sellers, Hello Second!

The Mommy bird, watching us from our rooftop.
The babies we love watching.

We have had the privilege of watching a mother bird make a nest, lay her eggs and now they have hatched and are watching her raise her babies. The nest is in a little tree and with our high deck we can see down into the nest. The boys have been so interested in the nest and I often have to remind them that they need to come inside so the mommy bird can feed her babies. Noah loves to take pictures and has been photographing pictures daily to document the progression of the babies. As I was looking at the pictures he showed me the picture of the mommy bird watching from the rooftop. That picture moved me and made me think of something I was talking about with someone at the pool yesterday. It was a long conversation but the gist of it was that mommies are always watching out for their babies. We can assess a situation in seconds and notice every possible threat (and fun stuff too) to our children. As I was thinking about this it reminded me of how God does the same thing. He too is looking down on his children and keeping a watchful eye on them just like me and just like the bird. Which by the way according to Noahs research is a Mockingbird.