You may have seen this already but it is going around on some of the blogs I read and I thought it was so fun. Google your name followed by needs. See what pops up and then pick the first ten that make sense. I laughed at Rebecca's and was curious what came up on mine. Since I share a name with some famous folks I got some interesting results these were the first ten, that I liked, made sense and were appropriate for my blog.

Jennifer needs a smack daddy. (too funny- )

Jennifer needs to play by the rules.

Jennifer needs to give birth in the next week. (ok not me but one of my patients)

Jennifer needs to accept that she's gained what looks like some major pounds. (my personal favorite-can you think of what famous Jennifer this was referring too?)

Jennifer needs a Tony award.

Jennifer needs a shave.

Jennifer needs a muzzle. (yea, it's that putting your foot in your mouth disease I am guilty of)

Jennifer needs your prayers.

Jennifer needs to develop age appropriate language for school situations. (again- foot in the mouth)

Jennifer needs some time to herself. (Amen!)

Give it a try it is so fun!

Sellers and I were waiting on Noah in the car. We started looking at You Tube and typed in China Orphans. I selected an orphans dance video and we watched. Sellers was very interested. After a few minutes he asked "are those the orphans mom?", referring to the dozen or so children sitting against the wall. "Yes, and the children dancing are". Sellers asked "those are children"?. "yes, Sellers they are older. They are probably 12 or older.". "You mean those children still have no parents"? he said. "No, They don't. There are a lot of older children that never get adopted Sellers, it's sad isn't it?. Without hesitation he said, "when I grow up I'm going to adopt lots of them. Is there a limit to how many you can adopt mom?". It had never occurred to him that some children would spend their entire life in an orphanage without a family.

I wish that I could post them here to share with all but we recieved 3 new pictures of Lily today. They are posted on our private blog. Go see them. If you do not have access to that blog and would like to please email me.

Wyatt is so loving. He always shares with people how he feels about you and probably says 5 times a day- Mom, do you know how much I love you? Today he threw me for a loop when he said this, it melted my heart.

Wyatt: Mom, do you know why I love you?
Mom: Why?
Wyatt: 'Cause you're my Best Friend.

Awww, isn't that so sweet. I picked him up and cuddled him and said, "you're my best friend too Wyatt".

I heard from Blessed Kids and paid for the translation and pictures. I should recieve them in 24-48 hours she said. I will try to restrain myself from checking my email every 5 minutes.

I didn't write this and am not sure where it originated but I thought it was so funny, especially for us China adoptive parents.

YOU MIGHT BE ADOPTING FROM CHINA IF.......

you know that I-600 & I-171 aren't highways.....

you've been expecting a baby for over 3 years.....

you understand that it's 2006 in some parts of the world.....

you've "paid for" 3 citizenships, but never brought anyone into the U.S.....

you know that waiting for China has nothing to do with Dillards or dishes....

your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #3 or #4)....

you never know how many days next month will have....

you know that babies come in batches....

you've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime....

you automatically assume everyone who is expecting is having a girl....

you own new clothing in 3 little sizes for all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big)....
.
you look twice when you see a lady bug....

you're more interested in what will happen in March 2006 than in March 2009....

you know people who understand when you talk about 2 day months & 5 day months....

your due date hasn't changed by days, but by years....

you know who the Rumor Queen is ... AND ... you don't know who she is....

you know that forecast doesn't have anything to do with the weather....

you've waited so long, they re-checked your fingerprints to see if they changed....

trying to understand why they're printing you again, you study your own fingerprints and wonder if fingerprints grow wrinkles....

when you speak of "that time of month" you're talking about CCAA updates & referrals.

And You might be adopting from China if you love someone you've never met with all your heart.

I won't go into details here but I got an email from Blessed Kids this morning and they have pictures and updated information on Lily. I am not sure how or why, and it makes me wonder how complete strangers can get more information about my daughter than I can, BUT I am excited. She is going to translate the information, I will pay a small fee and the info is mine. I am checking my email often waiting.....I'm so excited! When I get them I will probably post them to the Loving Lily site.

Well I almost officially feel like a nurse ;0). I have been on the Labor and Delivery floor two days this week and have had many different experiences and I really love it! I was able to help deliver a baby this morning and it was awesome! Babies are so perfect and sweet, it is a good thing we are "fixed" or I might be pining for another one someday. (not really! Biologically -WE ARE DONE!)

This past week I got an email from someone who is going to get their daughter from Lily's orphanage on the 23rd. I am excited because she is going to visit the orphanage on the 26th or 27th and is going to try to meet Lily and take updated photos of her! How exciting! I hope she is able to, I am dying to know how she has changed since her referral pictures. I also will post some information soon about our travel website and how to access it.

I have to Thank Sarah, a fellow blogger for helping me solve yet another problem around here. Cups. I believe I was washing about 20 cups a day and I am NOT joking! I kept trying to teach the boys to stick with one cup a day but I think they kept forgetting which one they were using so they just grabbed another. This was driving us crazy. I almost put up all the cups and was going to paper but I hated to waste that much paper. Then Sarah, who also has a large family suggested we keep a water bottle for each kid in the fridge and they stick to that one water bottle. Why didn't I think of that??? This week we went to Target and everyone picked out a water bottle. We have Cars, Spiderman, Camp Rock and a plain grey one (we even went ahead and picked up a Hello Kitty one for Lily). The beauty of it is it worked! They took to this idea quickly and a bonus is they are drinking more water! Thanks Sarah!

Oh and about my sink...I am thrilled to say that idea worked too. Of course it takes a little more effort but After almost two weeks I have no dishes in my sink and I even took the tape down. I have only had about 8 in there the whole time. What a difference!

Spend it with those you love, I am.

A while back I mentioned a blog. It is in my blogs that inspire me list. Please go read it now if you haven't already, especially her recent updates (jan. and feb.). Every time I read her posts I am amazed.If you want to see God at work go there, I believe you will be amazed too. Her ministry is such an inspiration to do something. How one little person with nothing has changed the lives and futures of so many.Her stories are so amazing they are almost hard to believe, only God.
It is listed as The Journey, check it out!

Many of you have probably noticed Wyatt's front tooth was badly chipped. When he was about 19 months he fell off the top of a slide at the gym and chipped it. At the time it was pretty bad but the dentist thought he was too little to do anything, they needed to wait on his 2 year molars to come in to have anywhere to attach a pedi partial. Gradually the tooth died. I had gotten used to his snaggle tooth as we called it but more and more of it started to chip away. We recently decided to go ahead and spend the RIDICULOUS amount of cash (no insurance for this one!) to get him the pedi partial. Today he had the rest of the tooth pulled and they took impressions for the RIDICULOUSLY priced pedi partial. In 6-8 weeks (probably while we are in China) his new little tooth will come in and TADA he will have a normal smile again. Even though I had gotten used to his snaggle tooth grin I am excited to see what he will look like with 2 front teeth while still a "baby".

Work is going fine but we are struggling with our schedule. And I am trying to break John in to taking on some of the things I need him to do (that I usually do-homework!) to keep things rolling around here. It is an adjustment for everyone for me to be gone more and this week is especially hard because it is 5 days not just the 3 days I will be working when I am done orienting. John's Uncle Ray died Monday so that has also made this a hard week. We went to the funeral home tonight since we knew we could not be at the funeral tomorrow. We know Jesus was his personal savior and he is in a better place, with no pain and suffering but it is still hard on his family.


This is a conversation between Wyatt and his Papa recently (what I can remember) regarding Papa's new beard he is sporting...

Wyatt: I like your beard Papa, did Granny make it for you?
Papa: (I am not sure what Papa said)
Wyatt: My dad has a beard but his is scratchy, his doesn't have fur on it like yours...

I start work tomorrow. I 'm not nervous yet because it is just orientation but I am wondering how it is going to feel going to work again. This week I have to work all 5 days so I am really dreading that! and of course John has to be out of town on business so that complicates things a little. Thank God for the grandparents, they are such a help! (and aunties and uncles)

Some families from our agency just got travel approval and had waited about a month so if we get ours in the same time frame then we will definitely be traveling mid to late March. I have got so much to do and so little motivation. (that often happens when I've got so much and feel overwhelmed) But I am checking off one little thing at a time!

If you pray, please pray for our Lily. I am really starting to worry about how she is going to handle leaving everything she knows. I pray that we will know how to help her adjust or at least know where to go for help. She will have so much change in such a short period of time. Just please pray for her.

Update: In an entire week I have gone to bed every night with an empty sink. I even removed the tape a few days ago. Some may not understand how happy this makes me but if you have ever struggled with dishes and have a large family, you know this is no small feat!

1. God has been placing people in my path who have adopted older children and I am so grateful. It is hard to explain to others how much this online community of people mean to me. They are some of the most amazing people I have ever "met".

2. Mason and Wyatt are OBSESSED with ice packs. When Noah was a little guy he would not put ice on anything without screaming and crying but somehow these guys love it! Whenever we are home they will get a boo boo and need an ice pack. Seriously, I see no boo boos. They have even started to request them at bedtime. It is so silly but cute. It may have something to do with them being shaped like monkeys and frogs :0)

That's all for now!

Just some quick thoughts I want to record so I don't forget them.

1.Tonight I was reading to Mason and Wyatt. I usually read shorter books when reading to them both because Mason's attention span is pretty short. Well tonight we had been going through our "library" picking out some books to put in Lily's book basket and he came across the Alphabet Mystery (one of my favs) and took it to his room. Of course that is what he wanted me to read and I did. It was kind of long for Mason and he was ready for it to be over so about mid way through the book after each page he would say "ta da"! He just wanted it to end. Funny.

2. The boys have been wanting to rub lotion on my legs. This is a big treat for them and they love it. I think my legs are smoother and softer right now than they have been since I was younger! Much younger!

3. Tonight I also spent some time in "yiyi's" room. Mason is very excited about her room and has helped me do a lot. He helped me make the bed, carry some of her things upstairs and set her stuff out in her room. Tonight Wyatt helped too and we decided to take her dolls out of there package. They loved on and fought over these babies for some time. These two boys have never really been around "girl" toys so they were so interested in them. But it didn't last long and they were off to find some superheroes and things they could throw off the balcony.

4.We are struggling around here with our two older boys. Noah and Sellers have always been very close and gotten along well. I have never made much of an effort for them to make close friends because they always enjoyed each other. This is changing. Noah has made a good friend in the neighborhood. I am happy for Noah. He and this boy get along well and he is a good kid. I am sad for Sellers. He feels left out and doesn't understand why he can't tag along. A few times he has gotten very upset. Noah also is not sympathetic. He just wants his own friend. And truthfully I understand and think it is OK. I just wish Sellers had a buddy too, then it wouldn't be so hard. I have tried to step in and do things to make him feel better but I guess I am not as appealing as a playmate as I used to be.

Today I found a blog. This family adopted an 8 year old from China and have been home with her for less than 2 months. Tonight I sat down and read their story in one sitting. There are plenty of people out there adopting babies and toddlers but finding a story to follow like this has been hard to find. Everyday John and I worry about attachment and how we are going to communicate and interact with Lily. Will she let us hold her? hold hands? Will she show us affection and when? We think about this a lot especially with the reality now that we are so close to going to China. I engulfed this blog because it was candid and honest and it has helped me to see what our experience may be like. I know we will have struggles and I know we will have setbacks but I know without a doubt that we will be blessed. That adopting this child will change us forever. I know that no matter what she is our daughter, I feel so strongly that God handpicked her just for us and I haven't even met her! I trust him that much. Please pray for us. For Lily and all that she will have to mourn when she leaves China and for our attachment and bonding as a family. We are getting so close.

Wyatt: Why can't we break the road.
Mom: It is too hard.
Wyatt: So I can't break it with my feet?
Mom: no
Wyatt: You need a special toodle to break it?

Now that is from a child who has obviously watched too much Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
Oh, Toodles!

Today has been quite a day. I woke up at 5:15 (45 minutes before the alarm) and patiently waited for my dad (travel companion) to awaken. I got showered and dressed and we went downstairs in the hotel to eat breakfast. I wasn't very nervous and left the hotel at 7:15 to go to the testing center that was across the street (this was in N. Charleston). After checking in I sat down to take my test. The first few questions were tough and I started to panic just a little. Fortunately I got into a groove and before I knew it I was done. I will get the results in 24-48 hours (most likely 48). After the test my dad and I went shopping at the outlets (not his favorite thing-thanks for being patient Dad). I found some cute and very well priced clothes for Lily and a few things for the boys. When we got back to the car there was a message on my phone from Mei, out caseworker with Christian World Adoption. I suddenly got very nervous, thinking could this be it? Is our LOA here? I left her a message to call me back and could hardly eat a bite of my lunch waiting for her to call back. As soon as we got back in the car after lunch she called back. All I heard was, "Jennifer your LOA is here, I can't believe you got it so quick". Since we were in Charleston I told her we would come by and pick it up at the office. On the way I called John and shared the news with him. I can't tell you how much excitement and nervousness we feel. We had a great visit at CWA and she gave us a lot of information and stuff to do. I really can't believe we got LOA!! This means we will travel by the end of March at the latest. Boy have I got a lot to do!!! I will try to keep you updated but I am not sure how much time I will have for blogging! With a new job (gulp!), preparing to spend 2 weeks in China, figuring out what to do with the boys for those two weeks, finishing (well almost) Lily's room, and everything else I think I am going to be quite busy!
Thanks so much to everyone for their support,prayers and encouragement. We can't wait to bring Lily home!