Jason Pace

Joan goes to the school where Aaron used to teach in order to read a letter he sent to his former students. However, when Joan arrives, the students give her a hard time so Maya decides to use her street smarts to help Joan get through to the students.

Lynn gets upset when she learns that her record label is pushing back the release of her album to promote another artist, Chrisette Michele. When Lynn confronts the record label, they tell her they are concerned about how to market her because they feel she is not "black" enough. Meanwhile, at a doctor's appointment Monica decides she does not want to know the sex of the baby.

Maya and Darnell romanticize the idea of adopting until they attend a neighborhood group for people who have adopted children and are offered baby girl to adopt. Lynn reminds them that adopting is a big decision and encourages them to think about it for awhile.

Joan joins a support group for people who have relatives serving in Iraq, but is upset when she finds out they are not planning a holiday party due to financial restraints. Joan decides to turn the Christmas party she is throwing for her old firm into a fundraiser to raise money for her support group. Meanwhile, William pushes Christmas traditions on Monica, who isn't big on the holidays, and Maya and Darnell try to keep up with Lynn's extravagant gift giving.