Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving...

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. We did. We went to Ron & Judy's and Steve and Beth and the boys were there, and Grandma & Grandpa Newton and Aunt Nancy & Uncle Tom. My Mom & Dad went to Indiana with my brother John to visit my other brother Tom and his family. They go every year to Indiana and we go every other year, to make it fair for each side of the family. It's nice to stay home every other year, we can get the trees up and decorate for Christmas early and relax for 5 days.

All the stressful stuff for our show has finally all come together. Now I'm just having problems with some of the dancers and their attitudes. Teenagers...they sure are different these days.

Gary and I went shopping at 5:00AM black friday in Watertown...yes we're nuts, but got 3/4 of all of our Christmas shopping done. We've cut back on the amounts this year, we're really having to save for the adoption now, we've put it off for a little bit but now we really need to do it so we'll have enough time to do so.

We got both of the big trees up and all the decorations are out, strewn about the livingroom, I've had enough for today so I'll finish it tomorrow. It's a little sad to put up trees again with just the two of us in the house. It just isn't as much fun as when you were younger and I've said it before that I don't think you feel that magic again until you have children. To see the excitement in their eyes, and hear it in their voices. To answer all the questions about Santa Claus and Needle Nose and putting milk and cookies out and reading The Night Before Christmas, and filling up stockings and I could go on and on. Hopefully just one more Christmas after this one. Our house seems quiet, and not jolly...well decorated but not really full of holiday spirit. Hopefully our Christmas show and seeing some of our former students will help our mood this week.

I think Christmas is the hardest on us besides Mother's and Father's Day. We do get Avery gifts and put them under the tree unwrapped. It's more fun to buy for her than for ourselves...at least I think so. We'll put her stocking out and wish for time to pass quicker...so that she will be with us as soon as possible. We think she'll be born in 2009, the year of the Ox, the same as me, so I kind of see that as a sign...maybe meant to be to share something special like that with one of us, possibly.

Can't wait to see those big brown eyes staring back at us, with the biggest smile, and those pig tails bouncing around the house. Giving Daddy a look that melts his heart, and Mommy a smile that brings tears to her eyes, helping us with decorating the house, and dancing around to Christmas music. Someday...that's our Christmas wish...our daughter Avery Lin to be here with us finally. Everyday I pray our time apart gets shorter, and day by day I know we are getting closer to her. Although the wait at times unbearable...the journey...more than I can say.

So we hope you had a Thanksgiving full of memories and family. Our thanks begins with our journey, thankful to family and friends for their support, thankful to eachother for that enduring love and thankful that we have a daughter waiting for us somewhere in China, and knowing that the journey will be worth it.

Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Holiday Season!!!

Wo Ai Nai!!!

~Alli & Gary

I don't know...

Feeling really overwhelmed lately. We are in the middle of getting the Christmas Show ready and are busy, busy, busy. More busy than I would like, but busy enough too to usually keep my mind off of things. The Christmas Show seems to be fighting us every step of the way. Between my Insurance Company, and Worker's Comp. Board, the lighting, the selfishness of some of the students, it's unreal. I told one of the Mother's this the other day and their response was, "Welcome to Motherhood".

I was sort of insulted but then let it roll off my back. I truly don't think she meant it in the way I perceived it. I'm dealing with over 150 students and parents, being a business owner, putting a show together with just Gary & myself, no other staff. Teaching over 25 classes a week, picking out and choreographing over 70 pieces for the year, dealing with children age 3-18, and all the ups and downs of those personalities. Picking out over 30 costumes for the June Recital. Ordering leotards, and shoes, putting together the show order for the Christmas show, making sure the girls are selling their tickets. Gary and I are printing tickets, and hiring lighting and clean up crews for the night of the show. Organizing schedules for 34 girls and parents to be ready for the show. And a whole host of other things. So welcome to Motherhood just doesn't cut it. I would love to be able to say, "no we can't do that, Avery has this, or Avery has that, and our daughter and our family come first. But we're not there yet. I think it's the holidays, we're just starting the holiday season and it's depressing. I think I'm just really tired and need some days off to gain perspective. But sometimes you feel the need to slow down and take time for yourself...but we just don't do that. And the times we want to, we have other things that we have to be at or do.

After December 5th, hopefully Gary & I will figure out a way to enjoy the holiday.

Hope you all all have a great Thanksgiving!!

~Alli

Finger printed...AGAIN!!

So, we went back to the USCIS Agency in Syracuse this morning and got our Federal prints taken again. This is #2 for this. We're hoping with prayers and fingers crossed we won't have to do it again for a third time. Our appointment was for 8:00 AM. We were there probably 20 minutes and that was that. No problems and quick and easy, I remember last time when we were there there was a woman from Khazikstan or the like waiting to take her citizenship test or something. She didn't speak hardly a word of English and they kept asking the man with her if she knew the test was going to be in English. She just kept nodding her head with a big smile saying, "Yes!". Don't know how that all turned out...it was interesting listening to the conversation though.

Not really anything interesting today. Not very many people there this morning. We went and had breakfast at Cracker Barrel afterward and then Gary went back to work.

Looking forward to next week, and having some time off. It's been TOTALLY HECTIC, around here lately. We have the show and all that there is for that which is more than anyone would ever imagine. It's also time at the studio to start Recital pieces and that's another 30+ dances on top of the 12 I've already choreographed. The adoption stuff, Christmas, Thanksgiving. My Insurance Agency is being ridiculously idiotic. Paperwork, Recital costumes, and payments, ordering Christmas tees for the 2 Companies, and also new NDC sweatshirts, scarfs, pj pants, long sleeve tees, short sleeve tees, pants-AGH!!!

Can't wait to have AVery and the distraction. Looking so forward to our lives taking a whole different turn. Playing Barbies, dancing at home only for fun, playing dress up, singing lullabies, watching cartoons, and hearing little footsteps and a little voice.

Almost 17 months...get us to 20.(and counting)

Love to all~
~Alli

Well that was easy...

She was here about 10 minutes. DRove all the way from Camden for 10 minutes. We just reviewed our old homestudy, and made any changes that needed to be made. There wasn't very many changes. Just the improvements that we've done on the house and Gary's salary increase. Took no time at all.

Well at least the house is picked up now. That's a plus!!!

Finger printing here we come!!-AGAIN!!

Take care,
~Alli

Happy National Adoption Day

Today is National Adoption Day. Actually the month of November is National Adoption Month, but today is the actual day. Pretty neat because our social worker is coming today to update our homestudy. I'll take that as a good omen. Need as many of those as we can get.

Had to race around to get the house picked up, this has been an extremely busy week with, choroegraphy, Recital music, Recital costumes, rehearsals for the Christmas show, and teaching 26 classes, ordering the Christmas tees, leotards, and shoes, and the new NDC merchandise, plus our ceiling in the sun room has decide to leak.

When it rains it pours...literally!!

We go get fingerprinted on Tuesday. I'll blog later about our meeting about the homestudy.

Have a good afternoon!!


~Alli

So this is where we are now...

We have received our dates to be fingerprinted again. Next Tuesday at 8:00AM in Syracuse. These are our federal finger prints again. We didn't have to pay for these though...so good news there. OUr background/criminal clearances came through again...big surprise...no not really. Plus we are meeting with our social worker this Saturday about the update on our homestudy. We are dealing with the same person again so that's really good, we liked her a lot.

That's the update. New fingerprints, background has cleared, and update scheduled.

16 months in, and 15 more to go...hopefully less but at least that. Time seems to be goign quicker for us because we are so busy with the Christmas show right now. I just want to get through the holidays.

I got some really cute Asian ornaments at Pier 1 Imports this week. They are cute...little asian girls. Just 2 of them, they are glass, and they look like the old type of ornaments.

It's snowing today...guess we need to start expecting that, it is November.

Love to all!!!
~Alli

Kung Fu Panda...

Did ya know Kung Fu Panda is coming out on Sunday. I'm excited!!! Avery already has a stuffed animal of Po, and 2 of the books. I can't wait to see it!!! We planned on going to the movies with some of our kids but couldn't get there. We'll have to have a movie night with them now on the big screen...sometime!!


Skadoosh!!!

Love to all!!!
~Alli

Happy 16 months to us!!!

We are 16 months today...getting there!!! People who are in for 27 months are depressed and feel like there is no end in sight. I'm trying to not think about it so much!!! Focus on the Christmas show and choreography. Get through Thanksgiving and Christmas, then we'll be 18 months. Then just look forward to next July that will be 24 months, and then we'll be in countdown mode.

Have a good day and don't forget to vote tomorrow!!!

Love to al,
~Alli