Over last weekend we were back in NYC and NJ. It was time for the annual UDMA Show (United dance Merchants of America Show)-recital costumes. As a dance teacher we get 17+ catalogs of costumes for the dancers to wear at the Recital. When you go to this show you actually get to see all the costumes in person and have people try them on. You actually get to see the flow of the costume and see if they are quality made costumes or cheap costumes for the astronomical prices they ask for them. So we've gone for the past 5-6 years. The show is actually in Seacaucus NJ, and we stay in NJ. But Manhattan is only 20 minutes away by PATH train. So we left about 3:30-4:00 on Friday, and spent Saturday in NYC.
We went directly to China Town when we got to NYC. It's now my favorite place to go to. The Pearl River Marketplace is always a lot of fun. We usually walk out of there with a big bag full of stuff. This time we got some panda paper lanterns for Avery's room, they are so cute and they aren't very big. Gary got a Buddhism book, and we got Chinese magnetic words. They are like the magnetic poetry you can buy but these have english on one side and chinese on the other-very cool! I got a couple of fancy postcards that have our years on them. I am an "ox", and Gary is a "dog". They are very pretty but the funny thing about them is they summarize your characteristics and things to avoid etc. On mine it says, "Will have problems with people who are horse, sheep, and dog". Gary's says will have problems with people who are, "ox, dragon, or sheep." So I guess according to Chinese zodiac signs we are not right for eachother. So it just goes to show you how much of this stuff is so not true or reliable, and really has no bearing on our lives-"real life". Gary and I are so well suited for eachother it's not funny. But we did get a kick out of it.
I got some Chinese prayer flags to put up in the studio, the kids have all gotten a kick out them this week. We got some tea cups and a bunch of other stuff. I love this shop!!! We did do some street shopping in China Town. I got a jade necklace that means protection. The girl selling all the necklaces was telling me what they all meant. I was wearing my chinese character "daughter" necklace and she noticed that. She said," that symbol is for girl", and we explained that we were adopting from China. There is a favorite shop of mine near Canal Street in China Town. I got a really pretty scroll there last time. We found it again and I got another scroll, with a picture of a child on it-very cute!! The chinese characters on it mean life. Every time we went into a store the people would explain to us what the characters were and what they meant and I really appreciated that, it was so much fun!!
We went to the Virgin Megastore to look for some of the music we were using this year for our shows. That's the only place we went to near Times Square, except for Dallas BBQ for lunch. After that we went to Central Park and walked around there for the rest of the afternoon. I really like it there on the weekends. Every corner you turn is a new experience. We would see street performers, jazz bands set up, roller skaters dressed up and groovin' to their music-very fun and funny I couldn't even tell ya!! But we have pictures!! We went to the Bow Bridge part of the park and the Bethesda Fountain part of the park. It was a nice peaceful afternoon, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous!! We left the city about 6:00. We've been there so often now that we know how to get around and where we want to go. We had a light dinner in the Meadows Complex where we were staying and got dessert from Olive Garden and went back to the hotel. We had a great time, and a nice get away. I can tell you though, it takes me 3 days to re-coop from a trip. I'm no good until about Wednesday Thursday-getting old!!
We've had some good news about the extention of our re-application. They just passed that we don't have to go to the new form and re-do everything as long as you don't let your original application expire. So, that's good news!! We just got our medical paperwork, and financial paperwork re-evaluated, and our fingerprints re-taken. All of the paperwork has been sent back in. We will have to get our federal fingerprints taken again, and I think an update on our homestudy also. Lots of fun!!! We are 15 months in and have about 15 more months to go. We have a get together at our adoption agency on the 25th, to meet other families at our agency that are waiting also. I am going to try to ask more questions about the special needs list, and see if might be able to have that option.
So that's the update on the Newtons who are adopting!! Still waiting....and waiting...frustrated and tired. But hopeful!!!
Love to all~
Alli & Gary
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