Waiting 3 Year-Old Boy

**Update: There are a couple of bloggers who I have recently "met" who are featuring him on their blogs. This one is up (with picture), and now this one is up too (along with several other cuties!).

Since this is mainly a family journal and place for me to put my random thoughts on life and adoption, I don't usually advocate for specific children here. But today I am going to step out and do it anyway.

Back in the winter, someone brought a little boy (let's call him Jack) to my attention. His eyes were so beautiful that my heart just melted. And he was in desperate need of a haircut:) Jack was 2 1/2 at the time, and he was born with cleft lip and palate. His photos and file were all put together when he was about a year old, so he had been waiting a long time. After waiting on two agency lists for over a year, he was put on China's shared list in the spring.

Jack turned 3 in May. Because his file is so old, I don't know if his cleft has been repaired or not. What I know is that 3 years is too long to have to wait for a family, and he shouldn't have to wait any longer. I also know that boys tend to wait on the lists a lot longer than girls. If he had been a girl, he probably would've been matched within a month.

So, I come here looking for help. First, will you join with me in praying that little Jack will find his forever family? Second, if you have a blog, would you post a link and/or advocate for him? Third, if you are considering adding to your family, please consider Jack. He is so precious, and I can answer questions that you might have about what it is like to manage cleft lip and palate on a daily basis. I would also being willing to share what little information I have about him so that you could find him on the shared list.

Thanks!

Birthday Boys

We had the big birthday party this past weekend. We had the traditional burgers and dogs in the backyard shindig. Except this year we had one party for both boys.

Will turns 6 in a little over a week.

And Ben turned 8 in June.

(This picture was actually taken at my grandmother's birthday lunch, since Ben was way too busy at his party to pose for pics.)

OK, so we got Ben to pose once. But Kate didn't want to pose either. She was more interested in Will's best buddy, E. She asked me the next day when they could be in the same Sunday School class. The answer was 7th grade. That did not make her happy.

The grandparents pitched in to help us pull off all of the food, set-up, and clean-up. I honestly don't know how we would throw a party without them. Thanks to everyone who came and made this another great birthday!

And I'm not sure what the deal is with the boys wearing matching shirts lately. It seems like every picture I take is like that. I promise I am not doing it on purpose.

Ear Tubes, Part......4?

Yesterday, Tim took Kate to the ENT. I fully expected it to be a "Yes, there is still improvement. See you in four months," kind of appointment. But that was not the case.

Only two months after her last surgery, she has to have another set of tubes put it. Ironically, it wasn't even that right tube that has been clogged that finally convinced the doctor. Nope. The left tube? The one that has been fine all along? It fell out. Yipee.

At first I was really frustrated. Well, actually if I am being honest, I am still frustrated. But if you remember, I was praying for a clear direction from God on what we should do about that silly right tube. Well, the left one falling out is pretty clear. It wasn't my first choice, of course, but we don't have promises of "easy" now do we? We have promises that He will never leave us, and that if we ask him He will give us wisdom. And a whole bunch of other promises too, but those are the ones I am leaning on today:)

The surgery is scheduled for August 6th. On the bright side, at least we don't have to do ear drops for a couple weeks.

Because We All Need to Laugh More

Today I was reading this blog, and she had a link to "Why Having a Toddler is Like Being at a Frat Party."

And the comments were hilarious too. My favorite one was from Goober's Mom:

"No one walks in a straight line and they randomly fall down.

There are always fights that need to be broken up. And are immediately followed by 'I love you, bro.'"

I know this is an old post, but I thought I would share the joy:)

I Heart the Lake

As a child, I was on the lake almost every weekend of the summer. It is one of my favorite places to be in the whole world. So when my cousin Dianne invited us down for a couple days on her houseboat, we jumped at the chance! (Plus, we love Di, so spending time with her is a bonus!)

The water was just little nippy, but Mimi was a trooper and got in anyway:) Anything for the grandchildren!

Thanks, Dianne!

(And can you believe I posted 7 days in a row? I don't think I've done that since China.)

Edisto Island, SC

I know I already posted pictures of our 10 day trip to Ohio and South Carolina (didn't you know that they were close together?), but I thought I would post a few more.

After leaving Ohio, we traveled south to Edisto Island, SC, where we met our friends Christa and Alex. It is a pretty little island that is very laid back, which is just how we like it.

We built sand castles.

Ate ice cream.

Swam in the pool.

And hung out with good friends.

(Christa and Alex were forced into multiple games of Cheese Touch with my children. Sorry 'bout that.)

Others of us simply sought out the shade.

Some of us also liked to hang out at the condo.

The boys loved to play in the ocean.

While Kate preferred to stay close to me.

This was as close as she would get to the water without tears.

On Monday we drove into Charleston. The kids were only interested in staying at the beach, but I got them into the car with promises of horse-drawn carriage rides and ice cream. We delivered on the ice cream, but the carriage ride was not to be. It turns out that the horses go home if it gets up to 98 degrees, and it was well over that all week long. Instead, we ate at a deli, where Kate had some yummy (and hot) chicken and dumplings.

By then, the kids were melting, so we put them back in the car and drove them down to the Battery.

Tim insisted that it would be fun to get a picture of the kids sitting on the cannon, but Kate was not in agreement.

Then we tried to go to the Children's Museum, but it was closed. Bummer. So we got back in the car and drove to Magnolia Gardens, a plantation outside of the city.

For some reason, I thought that plantation/garden = shade=lower temperatures. But it was so stinking hot that not even the shade was cool. I couldn't bring myself to lifting my arm to take a picture, so you will have to do without.

(Note to self: Do not take three young children to Charleston when it is 100 degrees outside. Everyone will be miserable.)

We really did have a great time at Edisto, even though it felt like we were on the sun a good portion of the week. But that's what the beach is for, after all.

Long-Awaited Cuteness

We waited for our daughter's referral for over two years. And during that time, I tried very hard not to "nest". I avoided the girls' department like the plague, because cute girl clothes just made me want to cry.

But when we received a file and pictures for Su Xu Na, I suddenly had a date of birth and measurements. I had a face that I could picture as I shopped. I think I waited less than 48 hours before going to my nearest Kohl's and going a little crazy.

Among my purchases was this adorable pink dress with white daisies all over it. I was so excited to see her wearing it. We brought her home in the fall of 2008, but I had high hopes of her wearing it the next summer. But she wouldn't try it on. Not even once. Until this year.

She's only let me put it on her once (she far prefers her Spiderman T-shirt), but it was totally worth it. Complete cuteness overload.