NEW YEAR, NEW ME and YOU, Time for a Life change!!

It's that time of year!!! People are wanting to make changes to their Health and Wealth!! Maybe you are wanting to get thinner?? Maybe you are needing an extra income for your family!!!!

Now is the time that our It Works Business is BOOMING with new customers and Team Mates!!

Do you or anyone you know need to slim down? I want to share with you my results!! The first pictures on the left were taken on December 26 and the AFTER on the right on January 30!! What a BIG CHANGE in just over a month! I'm down 20 pounds in the picture and even more now!!!

Here are my results after using A FULL TREATMENT of our amazing IT WORKS SKINNY WRAPS!!! I am absolutely THRILLED with my results!! These wraps are 4 for $59 as a customer OR for just $40 more you can get the same 4 wraps and OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!! I can't even believe that one $99 decision changed my life and my family's legacy.

We are now open in NEW ZEALAND and have a small team growing there! SO EXCITING!!

I have SO MANY FRIENDS going for so many of the big DOUBLE G.O.O.D. (Get out of debt) bonuses!! The company has DOUBLED the bonuses from where they were last year and I've seen these bonuses change hundreds of thousands of lives and families!!

Do you know anyone who needs and extra $500?

We also have a BRAND NEW BONUS OUT!!! $500 bonus in your first 2 months!!!

This is a very attainable bonus and I would LOVE to mentor you and help you get started!

Please EMAIL ME or VISIT MY WEBSITE to get signed up or request more information!!

Homeward BOUND! Iced In in Nashville!!!!

We left Disney's Fort Wilderness on February 28th. 

We stopped for lunch at a Rest Area

We were running behind AS ALWAYS HA HA

Our goal was to make it to my friend Vanessa's house by 4pm.

We got there at 8pm.

Got the RV all parked and settled in and 

We were greeted with a FULL MEXICAN SPREAD of Street Tacos.

SO YUMMY!

All of the kiddos had a BLAST!!!!

Making memories with friends is PRICELESS!

After we ate, we headed up the street to our friend Ronda and Ray's house for a quick visit! The Captain and Ray get along SWIMMINGLY!!!  They are both "REWIRED" Wrappers!

God brought Ronda, Vanessa and I together through THIS CRAZY WRAP THING!

We laughed till we peed, shared a glass of wine and enjoyed each other for a couple hours.

Vanessa is a STRONG WOMAN!

Her husband is a Major in the Army serving in Afghanistan right now.

He will be home one week in June and then their entire family of 5 will head to Korea for 2 years. Strange to think that this may be the last time I see her for years.

She does an unbelievable job of handling EVERYTHING while her hubby is away.

She was the lady who drove 3 hours to watch our sick kids when we attended our Son-In-Law Matt's Memorial Service. She has a loving, giving heart and I am SO thankful for her friendship!

We spent 15 hours in Atlanta and then it was ON TO Murfreesboro, TN!

We enjoyed WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP with My friend Gretchen's Family!!

We ate some YUMMY BBQ!

12 kiddos under one roof just having a GREAT TIME!!!!

Then it was time to GET OUR TRAINING ON with Gretchen's BIG TEAM in Tennessee!

She has grown SO QUICKLY with 64 Distributors on her team in just a few months!
She just snagged a $10,000 bonus and will be getting a $15,000 bonus this month!

This business has CHANGED HER LIFE!!! God brought us together through this blog! She has four bio kids and two adopted precious ones. We are truly like SISTERS! It is SO CRAZY! I am SO THANKFUL for her Sisterhood and friendship! It is such a BLESSING to see her life change physically and financially through THESE CRAZY WRAPS!

The Captain trained on how a guy gets involved int he biz and what his role is!

I LOVE watching him lead!

This is our whole team of Wrap Stars that attended training!! THESE WOMEN are going to CHANGE SOME LIVES and see their lives changed very quickly!! I was almost in tears as we went around the room and they all shared how the products have already changed their lives! THE GREENS were the #1 topic! I heard everything from helping insomia, lupus, migraines, restless leg, giving lots of energy, weight loss and so much more! SO MUCH happens when our bodies are in an ALKALINE and Detoxified state!!!

We said goodbye LATE into the night as the kids played and we charted out the course of some of the girls businesses!  That's when we CHECKED THE WEATHER and realized that leaving the next day was NOT going to happen. We Boondocked in a Wal-Mart parking lot, stocked the RV with all the necessary supplies and decided to hole up in Nashville for a couple of days until Winter Storm Titan blew over! It was COLD in Nashville! COLD!

It was SO FUN to just snuggle in for 2 days! We watched church via the web and made Grilled Cheese, tomato soup, burned a beachy smelling candle and watched some new movies! Nick practiced his banjo. It was some good down time after going strong the last few days!

We headed out Tuesday morning for my parents house in KS! I LOVE LOVE LOVE listening to motivational speakers and leadership material. Caty and Brendan chose to ride with me the entire 11 hours! Caty sat in the back watching movies with her headphones on while Brendan and I listened to music and LOTS of motivational speakers! His favorite was John Maxwell!!  You are NEVER TOO YOUNG to start working on YOU!

We ate dinner with both sets of our parents and The Captain did a little banjo concert!

They were IMPRESSED! Especially my dad who is a former Band teacher!

Here he is with his Dad looking on :)

We got up and hung with my parents for the morning and got a surprise visit from my Dad's brother Daryl! SO MUCH FUN!! His daughter, my cousin Sarah is a leader with It Works Also!

We left for home around 1pm.

It Snowed on the way home.

Our housekeeper came a few days after we left for FL.

It was SO NICE to come home to a SPOTLESS HOUSE! 

I missed VERY FEW things about our House. One thing I did miss was our bathtub! You can't take a bath in an RV!! As soon as dinner was done, we had a NICE LONG BATH! We pondered what we would do different next winter. One thing is STAYING LONGER!! We both agreed that we came home too soon. We had such a BEAUTIFUL and WONDERFUL time living as Snowbirds. The memories, friendships and fun our kids had are irreplaceable. We thank our God for allowing us to LIVE THE DREAM with our kids. 

We are busy getting unpacked, organized, getting back into a routine and planning our next RV Trip in June!!!  

HAPPY SUMMER!! and BIG NEWS :)

HELLO!! LOTS OF NEWS :)

We have had a BLESSED SUMMER!!

We sent our kids to public school last school year. It was quite an adjustment!! Now we can say WE TRIED IT!! We LOVED the school and the teachers and staff but MISS OUR FREEDOM :) Especially now with The Captain being RETIRED from flying and being home, working full time with me on OUR BOOMING BUSINESS! But we will be going back to homeschooling this coming year! I will admit, I'm nervous to be homeschooling  my first high schooler but know that God will get me through!

You all know that we lost our son in law Matt in Afghanistan last year...He was a HERO and will never be forgotten.... Well, we have some big news :) God has sent our oldest a true ANGEL.. He holds her when she cries.. He understands.. He has been at war himself and was injured badly...HE GETS IT...  They were Married in March and are expecting OUR FIRST PRECIOUS GRANDDAUGHTER IN SEPTEMBER! They are living in Dallas so we will be in TEXAS A LOT!!!!!

We have been BUSY TRAVELING in our RV! We spent 3 weeks in Florida in May and June!!! We were blessed to take one of our two kiddos birth siblings with us that has never been out of Kansas :) SO FUN! We plan on spending FOUR MONTHS in it this winter from NOVEMBER 1 to March 1! We are SO EXCITED to plan this trip!

BUT THE BIGGEST BLESSING was to be able to Bring our parents down to FL on an ALL EXPENSES paid trip!! We got them a little house RIGHT on the BEACH with their own separate master suites! A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME!! Our GOOD LORD and OUR BUSINESS made it all possible! WE ARE SO THANKFUL for the precious memories made!

I am blessed to travel about one weekend a month to different areas to train my GROWING IT WORKS TEAMS and also to BE TRAINED!! SO FAR this year, we have been to FLORIDA, DALLAS, ATLANTA, CHICAGO, NEBRASKA, KANSAS CITY, and headed to CALIFORNIA this weekend and SAINT LOUIS in a couple weeks then Back to FLORIDA and WEST VIRGINIA SOON!  The FRIENDSHIPS FUN and Freedom that God has Blessed us with have been UNREAL!! SO MANY adoptive MAMAS on our team!!! Its truly something ONLY GOD can Orchestrate!!! It has changed SO MANY LIVES both physically and financially.. UN... REAL!

We also had a BIG BIRTHDAY just a few weeks ago :) Blakely turned THREE!! Hard to believe this little miracle is GROWING UP SO FAST!!! 

We also just finished our YEARLY WHEAT HARVEST here on the farm!! UNTIL NEXT YEAR!!

Praying you all have a BLESSED and HAPPY SUMMER!! I am going to TRY to get back to blogging at least twice a month!! I have missed you all!! BLESSINGS TO YOU!

Hurtful-what NOT to say to an adoptive family..

Just a few tips about what to say/not to say to an adoptive family.

• DO NOT introduce the children and parents to complete strangers as... "THIS IS NICK AND JEN and their (insert #) ADOPTED KIDS!!"   THIS DRIVES ME BATS!!! and is very hurtful..This happens..All.the.time! UGH!

WHY??

The kids DO HEAR THIS and may feel bad like they are inferior or not just our "normal kids" which we consider them...

• DO NOT SAY "So and so is their birth daughter and so and so were adopted and so and so are blood related."

WHY?

Same reason as above.  THE KIDS HEAR THIS! Yes, its no secret that they are adopted but it is NOT everyone on earths business especially strangers. We are all RELATED by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ! AMEN!

• Don't say "THEY ARE SO LUCKY to be adopted by you."

WHY?

We are the lucky ones, God chose these children for us and chose us to be parents of these children. Period..

• DON'T SAY..."Well it was YOUR CHOICE to have all those kids."

WHY?

It was NOT our choice it was us being open to our SAVIORS plan for our family. This is GOD'S DESIGN not ours.

• DON'T SAY "REAL PARENTS in regards to birth parents" SAY BIRTH PARENTS...

WHY?

Real parents ARE the parents who raise, nurture and care for their children...

• DON'T SAY..."ARE THEY ALL YOURS?"..."You mean you gave birth to all of them?" 

WHY?

I know people are curious but think about the children. They are all THERE LISTENING TO THESE QUESTIONS GUYS!

Don't get me wrong, We are extremely proud of our children and we are open to sharing our amazing, miraculous story but there is a point where hurtful comments get to a person. ESPECIALLY ones said in front of the children.


And the point is "THIS IS OUR STORY TO SHARE."

OF COURSE it is no secret to them that they are adopted. I just want to protect them and for them to feel NO DIFFERENT than any other kid when they are out in public.

The bottom line is...JESUS ADOPTED US ALL as his own...

"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward."  Psalm 127:3

Notice the Bible does not say "the fruit of JENS WOMB?" That means ALL children are a reward and I sure feel blessed with My rewards! THANK YOU LORD!

My Birthmother...Lots on my mind....PART 1

I have wanted to write this post for YEARS now...It's just very difficult to write and get my emotions into words...

As my 41st birthday approaches..I think back to the date of my birth and what my birthmother was thinking then...

I also wonder what she thinks now..

We know each other but are NOT CLOSE...

I feel most of the times she doesn't love me, let alone like me..

AND IT HURTS..

I never really cared to meet her for I was raised by my own doting infertile parents who already adopted 2 boys and longed for a baby girl...They were/are WONDERFUL, Christian, Loving parents.

As an adopted child, the only thing I really wanted growing up was to see a picture of my birthmother..I NEVER longed to meet her. Once we did meet though, things changed..

I was born almost 41 years ago...To a BEAUTIFUL young Mexican girl whose mother (from what I understand) told her it would be much better to give me up for adoption than try to keep me at such a young age....She was sent to live in a Catholic home for unwed mothers until I was born.  I am SO THANKFUL she chose to give me LIFE!

On June 26, 1970, I was blessed to enter this world. I was fondly named "Cheryl Ann" after my BM's best friend and immediately placed into state foster care without my birthmother being offered even a glimpse of me.  SO SAD, for her.. to have me wiggling in her belly all that time and not even get to see my face...not get to hold me...I feel for her.

I lived in the same foster home for the 4 months prior to my parents picking me up and adopting me and changing my name to Jennifer Bea. Of course I don't remember any of this but it does affect me today.  I am IN AWE at God's plan for my life and beyond impressed that his plan included this commonality that I share with my adopted children.  Because I can tell them "MOMMY IS JUST LIKE YOU." "I WAS IN FOSTER CARE." "I know how it feels to miss your mommy and be sad that you can't be with her." "To wonder what she is like, what she is doing, where she is living." AND SO ON.... God's wisdom is SO FAR beyond what I can fathom to have set up this awesomeness. Don't you agree?

My parents were told VERY LITTLE about me. They didn't even know I was 1/2 Mexican. Isn't that WILD? OH HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED! Oh how I am thankful for the openness we share with our childrens birth families.

I lived a wonderful middle class life growing up with 2 school teachers for parents & 2 ornery older brothers. I was a spoiled yet well-rounded girl. I was afforded all the opportunities I was ever remotely interested in. Sports, Girlscouts, church, baton twirling, acrobats, dance, music etc. We LOVED traveling and camping as a family also.

When I was 20, my life changed when I had "the oldest". I was a single mom who worked a couple jobs to try to give her as close to the great life I was raised in. My parents helped A LOT when she was little. She was a precious little girl.

I was just mulling along with life. Struggling to make ends meet and take care of my sweet 5 year old girl when.....I went to the mailbox one day during the 25th year of my life and...

MY LIFE WAS PERMANENTLY ALTERED..

Stay tuned for PART 2!

OH, AND GO VOTE WOULD YA?
I need several HUNDRED more votes to make it in the top 25 which I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO DO. It only takes a second. THANK YOU!

Could YOU BE TINA'S FAMILY????

PLEASE check out this PRECIOUS LITTLE DOLL!

A friend of mine who is currently Tina's foster mom has asked me to spread the word on my blog and ask if any of you may be interested in adopting her.

Please EMAIL ME if you would like to seriously consider adding Tina to your family!

Please join me in praying that this precious one finds her FOREVER FAMILY!

Loss of a Baby or Child? ADVICE?

I received this picture long ago from a friend as I was mourning not being able to have a biological child. She gave this picture to me as encouragement that Jesus was HOLDING my future child/children and had them "all picked out for us" in HIS TIMING. I remember my heart being SO SAD during that time & this "lifting me up". It still hangs on the mirror in our bedroom.

BOY, has GOD BEEN FAITHFUL to our family and filled our home to the brim with adoption from foster care, private adoption, 3 different sibling sets and giving us the blessing to carry a child through embryo adoption.

But today I look at this picture differently as the oldest had a 20 year old pregnant friend who was doing GREAT last Monday at her OB check up, went into labor Thursday and when she got to the hospital, her precious one was already gone....

I see Jesus holding her little one in His arms in heaven.

I come to you all for advice as I KNOW many of you have suffered the unbearable loss of a baby or child.

1. HOW CAN WE encourage this young mother in the weeks, months and years to come?
2. What helped you get through it?
3. Are there any books, websites etc.. that I can send her for strength?

And please say a prayer TODAY as she lays her precious one to rest as I type .

YAY, YAY- A MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY!

Meet soon- to-be adoptive mom, Lena. Feeling God leading them, Lena and her husband decided to adopt a child domestically after many losses with trying to conceive. Lena created Premades For a Purpose as a way of raising funds to assist with adoption expenses. She appreciates your support – be it by way of prayer or by purchasing a premade design.

Want to win one of Lena’s designs for your blog?

She offers some really adorable blog designs for the Blogger platform, and I think you’ll like what you see!

All you need to do is visit her site and tell me in the comments which design you would choose if you won! I will announce the 2 winners ON FRIDAY September 3rd!

You can also help Lena by grabbing her button below and spreading the word. Even if you don't win, you can purchase one of Lena's FAB DESIGNS to help bring their little one home! Lena's designs share the two A's-ADORABLE AND AFFORDABLE! So mosey on over and get you one!




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As a fellow adoptive mother I totally support this wonderful family in their efforts to bring their special child/children home as God leads them!