*My Sweet Puppy & The US President ;)*

I know I have posted this picture before but I am in love with it. He's the sweetest little guy. I can't believe how far he's come from that scared, shaky, untrusting, little piece of skin and bones he was when I brought him home!

 And here are couple pictures I took of our kitty Mr. President a couple weeks ago. He's gotten big. He look almost exactly like his big sister Opi except he has white whiskers and a bigger white spot on his chest. As for personalities they are complete opposites, I don't know if it's because he is an outdoor cat and she is an indoor cat or what but he is super sweet and she's the Devil's mistress... Ain't he cute!?!

*Family*

I stole this from a friend's blog, but I had to, I just love it! Thanks http://www.meandmineblog.com/! 

This says everything I feel in just a few words. I love family, I can't wait to add to mine!!!

*I Love Spray Paint*

Hi, my name is Jency and I am addicted to spray paint..... Wait wait... That didn't sound right... I'm not addicted to it in that way... What I meant to say is... Well, I do love spray paint but... I'm not addicted to it... Okay, so I am but... Oh, let me just show you jeez!

This is what I did for Halloween decorations this year... It's all I did, haha I don't get into Halloween too much. But, I had this idea in my head and I loved it. So Joey and I went to a little pumpkin patch and picked out a few smaller pumpkins all together for $2, then I found a can of $3 Gold Metallic spray paint and some fake spiderweb & black meshy stuff for $3, I borrowed my MIL's old metal chair and WALLAH. It was cheap, it was super easy & fast and guess what... I can use the pumpkins for Thanksgiving decor too!

Just a little tidbit on our Halloween just for recording and keeping my family informed: We got invited to our awesome friend's Carlie & Gabe's cute new house over the mountain for a Halloween get-together. It was so fun to spend time with them and our other friends since we had been so busy and anti-social lately! Joey & I didn't dress up, I didn't have time to come up with something, so we went as party poopers :) Now, it's our turn to have a get together at our house so I will have an excuse to get it cleaned, the bathroom fixed, the carpets shampooed, the mudroom tiled, new shades & curtains bought, all my canning mess organized and put away, and the storage room moved upstairs so I have a pantry/craft room again! I'm thinking Christmas party?!? 

*The Veterans In My Life*

Today I want to recognize (hopefully along with every single other United States citizen) the men & women who have, still are and are soon to be serving our amazing country of America through the military. I can't even describe the feelings I have towards the people in the armed forces who literally fight and strive to keep our country free. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am so proud to be an American! What a truly wonderful place we live in!

And today I would really like to thank my Daddy, My Grandpa & Granddaddy and also Joey's Grandpa. Grandpa & Granddaddy... not only did you serve your country proudly (and have some pretty cool stories to boot) but also, if you hadn't been in the military I don't think my parents would have met. So I'll just thank you right there for that one simple thing :) Love you both, and I miss you Grandpa, can't wait to see you again someday! Hope you're up in heaven boasting about your adventures and achievements today, you deserve it ;) John(Joey's Grandpa), I love you to pieces, you are an awesome man and I am so impressed at all you have done, especially for our country! I love that you hand wrote everything you thought important to document of your time in the military, and also to know how hard that was for you to do that but how you knew you needed to... Our children and their children and so on will be able to read that book and get to know their Grandpa John H. a little and know how bravely he fought and served so they could be free. Thank you!

And Daddy, even though I probably.... okay, I wasn't at all... thankful for you dragging us all around the world for the Air Force when I was younger, I'm beyond grateful now. Just FYI ;) I'm so proud you are my father, and not only for the selfless, hard work you have done (AND are now, doing again) for our country; but, also for your example and for the all around amazing person you are. Thank you Daddy. I love you!

I am bummed I don't have access to some pictures of these 4 good looking men in uniform... let me just tell you... they're hunks! 

(Don't mind my humongous cheeks please)

*Baby Steps*

Today I stopped in at the LDS Family Services... It was surreal to actually take this big of a step. Yesterday it was all talk, tonight we are going over mountains of paperwork, check lists and articles. Through this agency we are required to do a lot of things... One of which is I need a doctors note implying that I am infertile, which I don't know yet whether I am or not. The case worker/manager didn't think I would have to go through an OBGYN because my regular doctor has already been helping me try and get pregnant (charting, advice, tips and what not), so we'll see if he would be willing to fill out an infertility paper and write a note for now until I am able to go and actually get all the tests done. I really liked this agency and it is a possibility this is the agency we will be going through. The application and home study is pricey, but the good part is that money we will spend on them will eventually go towards our actual adoption when we get placed with a child, where with other agencies they charge separately for the application/home study AND the actual adoption. Also, with this agency they have an option where you can help the birth mother out if you feel like you can where you donate $3000 dollars towards things for her (ie: Dr's visits, the birth, rent, food, phone bills and so on), if she doesn't use it all (it's all monitored through the agency so she doesn't spend it on things not needed) then you get the amount unused reimbursed back. Where as, in some other agencies you could be charged for (if it's what the birth mother wants/needs and you are willing to do it... you always have a choice) all of her birth medical bills and/or other things that can easily add up to more than $3000, so there isn't a set amount like LDSFS has. Does that make sense? Anyways, I had a really good feeling towards this agency but, we are still going to look into a couple others first. We want to make sure we make the right decision before we spend (a lot of) money on applying.

I got to talk to my sister-in-law who with her husband also went through the whole adoption process and she gave me some really good advice, shared some of her story and also offered to help set up some fund raisers as soon as we are on a list and our adoption process has begun. I am so glad I got to talk with her, I also informed her that she will most likely be getting tons and tons of phone calls, visits, cry sessions and so on during this whole journey and she was all for it. Joey and I feel so blessed right now. We can't thank those enough who have already helped and shared their support, advice and love to us! Everyday I have little things here and there that just solidify our decision to adopt is the right decision :)

Just read some of the things that have been shared with us so far!..

"I am praying for you and sending all kinds of good vibes for a fantastic family or situation to come your way with a child that you can provide a fantastic life for."

"I think thats wonderful, there are so many kids in need of loving parents."

"YES set up an adoption fee, every little bit helps."

"I truly admire you for moving forward in a positive way and looking at this with a beautiful attitude. You're inspiring to me while I try to come to terms with why this is happening to me. Thinking of you, and so excited that you are starting on the wonderful path to becoming a mother! How fantastic!!"

"Keep with it, the process is long, emotional, and stressful but its SOOO worth it. Stay close to the Lord!"

"Adoption is expensive. But, worth it."

"So excited for you guys and all your adventures coming up...adoption...good for you!"

"...maybe this is exactly why you haven't had your own yet, GOD has one already picked for ya." 


"Love you guys you will make amazing parents no matter how it happens."

Those are just some of the wonderful things people have said to us so far, and not even counting the phone calls and face to face conversations we've had with others. Thank you all so much! We know we couldn't get far in this process/journey with out you and your love and support!

Love,

Joey & Jency

This picture was hanging up in the case workers office and I kept looking at it. It's beautiful. I want to be a mom!!!

*Adoption*

Well, here's the deal. Joey & I are hoping to adopt. We've been discussing making this decision for a while now and we strongly feel like it is the right thing to do. We have wanted to start a family for almost 2 years now and so far have not been able to on our own. We are not 100% sure why that is, I haven't been able yet to seek professional/medical help on determining exactly why. We are hoping to be able to here soon, but in the meantime we still feel very strongly that adoption is the right answer for us now. We have prayed, discussed, and studied adoption and have even considered Foster Care with the hopes of adopting that way, and we know now that we want to start our adoption process ASAP. We are wanting to go through LDS Family Services but are also looking into other adoption agencies too (any suggestions?). We are struggling with the idea of the future expenses of this choice, but we know that we will be able to work through it because we know we are doing the right thing. We are both SO excited to hopefully soon add another loved one into our lives! We have been wanting this for so long, I have always known I wanted to adopt, ever since I started thinking about children and having a family someday (so, oh, probably since Jr. High haha). I think adoption is so beautiful, from the birth mother's selfless choice of wanting the best thing for her baby which in some cases is adoption, to the amazing case workers that place that baby into the best matched family possible, to the adoptive parents who want to give that baby a loving, supportive, special home. I can't wait to get the ball rolling and hopefully hold a precious little person in my arms who was always meant to be there!

We would love anyones help with things like:

- Your advice

- Your adoption story

- Spreading the word

- Letting anyone who might be looking to place a future little one into a loving family that we are wanting to adopt

- Your prayers

Thank you so much. I pray everyday that if this is the right choice for us (which we believe it is) that everything will go smoothly and work out great and hopefully {fingers crossed} soon :)

P.S. I am wondering if anyone would be willing to make a button for me linking to this blog with possibly a picture of Joey & I with the words "Hoping to adopt" or something similar on it. I will be keeping this blog updated with our adoption happenings as well as our everyday activities. I would love it if a baby's birth parents were to see our blog and want us to be their little ones parents. You never know right? If anyone would be willing to help me with that, that would be amazing!

Also, we have considered this but are not sure yet until we are completely set up and registered to be eligible to adopt... But, I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on us starting up an adoption fund... Good idea? Bad idea? Selfish? Please let me know. I know we would be eternally grateful for any help, but I don't want to seem cheap or anything similar to that when it comes to something this important to us... Thanks!

Love,
Jency & Joe

You can get a hold of Joey & I either through this blog or please e-mail us at: Jenc.West@hotmail.com!

*A Marriage That Works*

What are 5 things I think every marriage needs in order to work you ask??? Lets count on our fingers...

{Pointer Finger} Trust & Honesty

(They work hand in hand. If you are both honest you both can trust)

{Middle Finger} Friendship

(You're gonna wanna be the best of friends with your spouse... Trust me)

{Ring Finger} Selflessness!

(One of the single most important "musts" of a marriage. If you're always thinking "him" or "her" and not "me" and "I" things will be a lot happier around your house! Try it sometime)
{Pinky} Communication
(Talk about it!!! If you aren't happy don't do something stupid thinking it will make you happier, tell your other 1/2 about it, I guaranty they'll do whatever it takes to make you happy again... This goes for everything else, just talk about it!)
{Thumb} Love
(I'll betchya you married that person because you fell madly in love with them? Am I right? If you ever find yourself wondering if you really still love your spouse or not just remember why and how you fell in love with them. I bet it was worth it then, why not now? The best kind of love is eternal love)