handsful

There I was, minding my own business, pulling weeds in the backyard. Not exactly my favorite thing to do! I felt something around my head and swatted, assuming it was a menacing insect. Something landed on my shirt, I looked down and it was a beautiful ladybug! I held him a minute, as he struggled to find freedom and fly away. He was so red (duh) and covered with lots of black spots. Could this be a special day in Lainey’s life…maybe she’s been born?

If you’re reading this and thinking “what in the world is she talking about?”, let me explain. For some reason, ladybugs have become somewhat of a good luck charm in the China adoption world. Years ago, right after a big ladybug season (I remember when there were tons in our bonus room in NC years back!), referrals for babies in China sped up dramatically. So, people have come to believe (or like to pretend they believe) that ladybugs are a sign of good luck, or something good happening in regards to the adoption.

Okay, so I don’t believe all that. I know ladybugs have nothing to do with how my adoption is going! But, hey, it’s fun and there’s no harm in having a little red spotted bug bring a smile to your face. It made me think of the precious gift that our family will eventually receive! Anything that brightens up this wait time…I’m all for!

Referrals come out today for a total of 9 days worth of LID dates. Congratulations to those families who get to see a picture of their child today!! There is one family that I have been following and they get their referral today! See this link:

http://salsainchina.blogspot.com/

I’m excited to see if they receive a boy or girl (they didn’t have a preference!). **Posted later, same day….Oh my! She got twin girls!!!

I’m a little disapointed at the small number of LID dates that the CCAA was able to match. If the numbers stay small, our wait time will continue to grow longer. I’m trying my best to keep my focus on God’s plan. We know that the timing will work out perfectly so that we receive THE child meant for our family.

A fellow prospective adoptive mom “tagged” me, which means it’s my turn to answer some fun questions. Here goes…

I am…a mother of 4, including a set of triplets.
I want…to be the woman God designed me to be.
I wish…China could speed up it’s referral process!
I hate…rude and selfish people. Well, I dislike their behavior, I don’t really hate them. :)
I miss…all of my family that lives out of state.
I hear…Marley crafting at the table, Randy on the phone, and the boys talking.
I wonder…why it’s so hard for my kids to remember to brush their teeth!
I regret…nothing, everything happens for a reason.
I am not…a good eater. I’m as picky as can be!
I dance…with my husband and get a crook in my neck (he’s tall…I’m short!)
I sing…in the car (doesn’t everyone??)
I cry…when I think of the sacrifice Jesus made because He loves me.
I am not always…patient with my kids (ouch)
I make…my own wheat flour and really good whole wheat bread. Yum.
I confuse…people when I give directions to somewhere. I’m directionally challenged.
I need…sleep and chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.
I should…be doing the laundry.
I start…too many books at one time!
I finish…things that I should.

I’ll now tag Janet and Elise!

After lots and lots of name talk and debate, Randy and I are pretty settled on a name for the baby we’re waiting for. There have been many on “the list” and Randy wants it known that he still has the right to change it, should another name strike his fancy.

For those who don’t know, our daughter Marley was going to be Rachel. About 2 weeks before she was born, he announced that he heard the name Marley and wanted to use it for our girl triplet. At the time, I was in the hospital, having been on bedrest for a week. I was uncomfortable, tired of nurses waking me at all hours of the night to check heartbeats and give me shots, and missing my 2 year old daughter Abbey terribly. I would have agreed to name said-girl triplet Rufus, if he could just rescue me from the current situation. Guess I was a bit vulnerable! We talked about it and polled the nurses on what we should name her and, in the end, she was deemed Marley. Funny thing…she looks nothing like a Rachel and the name Marley totally fits her personality (massively feminine with just a touch of attitude).

So, back to the name. Both of our daughter’s names end in “ey” and we wanted to try and continue that with girl #3. We also wanted the name to begin with a different letter than any of the current Clark Clan. We wanted a name with a nice meaning. Last, we wanted something unique and not-overused (but not too unique to be weird!).

With all of that in mind, we’ve chosen the name… Lainey. It means bright light or sun ray. We love it. If Randy comes up with a new name, I’m reserving the right to refuse. ;)