A journey of a thousands miles...

That saying is used over and over and over again in International adoptions. In conjunction with the red thread saying for China adoptions you always see this saying also. I was in Syracuse the other day walking at the Carousel Mall, and planned my entrance and exit through JC Penney a certain way so I wouldn't be back tracking through the store and I only had a certain amount of time before I had to pick up my Mom at the train station. So, I went into the Mall through their 2nd story and left through their lower level. On my way out I passed the jewelry section and saw these neat rings and bracelets, and necklaces, with all sorts of sayings and words on them, ones that I've seen in a catalog called, Femail Craeations that I love. But the catalog is really expensive and I just haven't ordered anything from them. They have necklaces that say, "Live Fully", "Dance like no one is watching", things as such...sayings I love and use all the time.

As I was passing I saw a ring, it was sterling silver, and had a twist in the band and had a saying that went all the way around it. The saying was, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step". Meant to be!!! I bought it of course, the price was 1/2 the cost it would have been in the catalog. If I had not gone out this way through the store I would have never seen the ring...fate or whatever...I love this ring, and the more I look at it the more it gives me hope and that we can make it through the next 10+ months left on our wait time.

I also bought a ladybug bikini for Avery. It was $7.00 at Babies R' Us...CUTE!!!! I bought 24 months, it is adorable and I couldn't resist.

We have started renovations on the house. The downstairs bathroom, the deck, and the breezeway. Then after that we will start on the nursery.

That's it for now.

Love to all,
~ALli

I'm late blogging for Father's day...sorry!!!

Zhi Ba Tian
Pronounced- Ji shee-Baa-T-yen

That's how you say Happy Father's Day in Chinese. Hopefully someday soon we can teach it to Avery and she'll say it to Gary. We plan on teaching her some chinese. Plus, we want to learn some anyway before we go to China.

Hope everyone had a great Father's Day!!! We had my Dad over for breakfast. We had egg souffle, and belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. Indiana sausage, and bacon...it was really good if I do say so myself!!!

We went to Steve & Beth's for a BBQ late on for Ron. WE had hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage, chicken, 3 types of salads...really good again. No wonder I wasn't hungry on Monday at all!!!

We are starting to plan on re-doing the deck and getting paint for Avery's room and the downstairs bathroom.

I've been on vacation for a week and of course I have a million things to do...but I'm bored. Never happy, either too much to do, or not enough. Been signing dancers up for Dance Camps since the day after the Recital. Gary is finishing up the dvd's from the Recital.

Other than that it's all the same. We just got word from our adoption agency that 4 families just left for China over the weekend to go get their sons and daughters. Quite a Father's Day gift-WOW!!!

I am wondering with the earthquake, and all the monsoons and everything over there if this is going to put us behind even more. Hope not...can't take that!!

Hope you all are having a good end of the school year!!!

Love to all
~Alli

Crib...a no go

So, we didn't get the crib last weekend. We are going to still keep looking around. We have plenty of time though, we don't need to be in a hurry. We'll work on her room now and the house and in the mean time keep looking.

Looking forward to having some time off now. The Recital is tonight and then I'm off for 3-4 weeks. We'll be busy during those weeks though. We have a bout 8 grad parties to go to this year. I've got to get out in my gardens some more, and start my vegetables on the deck.

I have over 23 little ballerinas in my Recital tonight, looking forward to the day when we'll have a little ballerina in a pretty pink tutu to do a Recital.

Love to all~
~Alli

Happy 11 months to us!!!

Just a quick note...

We are now 11 months and 3 days into the adoption!! We are almost at a year...it seems like it's been forever but really I think in a small way it has gone by fast. We are so busy 3 times a year with shows that the weeks just fly by and then it's another month already.

I am off now from the studio, the Recital is next Tuesday. I am off for about 3-4 weeks. Gonna do some painting around the house and some cleaning and throwing out the stuff we don't need or use-AGAIN!!!

We are going to pick up Avery's crib this weekend. So, that's on our agenda this weekend-exciting!!!

Hope everyone is staying cool-this muggy weather is driving me nuts!!!

Love to all~

Alli