Long weekend...

We had a great Memorial Day weekend. We both had Friday through Monday off, and got a lot of things done around the outside of the house. When we moved in here 10 years ago there was a pond out back, and a waterfall area out front on the side of the house. It was fun the first couple of years, we had fish in the ponds, and they were pretty, but as our lives have gotten busier we just don't have the time for the upkeep of them anymore. So, we have begun filling in the pond out back, and Gary made me a tiered flower bed out of the area on the side of the house-love it!! We also thought that with Avery coming we didn't want a pond right out back or anywhere in direct contact with the house for safety reasons. We did some mulching, and a lot of weeding in the gardens, and some planting in the gardens.

We also went kayaking, and for a 15 mile bike ride together, and cooked at home all weekend. We didn't really get to the city at all, I went for an hour to get some groceries, and that was it. So, a good 4 day weekend just around the house.

Now it's crunch time for the Recital, it's in 2 weeks. We have a wedding in Lake Placid this weekend, and then the next weekend will be dress rehearsals and then the Recital. I am looking forward to some time off-finally. I need some time away from the studio, and some time away from dancing for a few weeks. This job of mine feels somedays like it's all I do, we do, I love it and I love my kids, but I would love to have a whole Summer off at some point. I guess when we have Avery I'll have a better excuse to take more time off. I always feel guilty when I'm not being productive in some way.

We are doing good with our weight loss, Gary has lost over 45 pounds, and I over 32 pounds. I need to lose 50 to feel the way I want and then I'll work on another 15-20 from there.

The NCAA is seeming to be behind a month now on review room and placements. I knew this would happen, but really want to hear next month that we have made it into the review room, or through the review room. Need some good news on the adoption front. Any little bit will do.

Had an interesting run in with a person over the weekend. Gary & I know that this process is taking a long time, but people that don't understand International adoption shouldn't assume and shouldn't act like they do know. It just frustrates the rest of us. Unless you're living it, you don't know. I know that sounds harsh, but believe me the ups and downs of this process are so steep that we don't need pity, and we don't need people to tell us how long this is taking. Almost 23 months so far...we know, believe me we know. I had to end the conversation (in a nice way). Just at some points I get frustrated, and it's just easier to end the conversation with, "Take care and it was good to see ya", and then walk away. It's not worth it, to try to explain, and it's just not worth it to explain to some people why we aren't doing domestic adoption right now. There is a BIG difference between the two. Oh well...comes with the territory.

Hope you had a great holiday weekend!:)

~Love to all~
~Alli

Zhou Nian Kuai Le to us...

Today is our 13th (shi san) Wedding Anniversary. But we have been together for 20 years. Wow... it doesn't seem that long, it's about the same as the adoption process, it doesn't seem like it's almost been 23 months, but yet again it does. I can say I love my husband (zhang fu) more each day and I can't wait to become a family in 2010!!




周年快乐-Happy Anniversary in Chinese...
如何说我爱我的丈夫-I love my husband in Chinese...


We went to the movies yesterday, and out to Moe's for dinner...we're a cheap date, our dinner was cheaper than the movies and cheaper than the popcorn and drink. But we love Moe's and it's the best Mexican food in Syracuse for us. We grabbed some ice cream in Belleville. All in all a really nice day together.

Of course I'm working tonight, and will spend my Anniversary with my kids at the studio more than w/ my hubby...what's new!!!

Wo Ai Ni Gary!!!

Love to all~
~Alli

Trust your journey...

Trust your Journey...

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life and the procedure, the process is its own reward.”

~Amelia Earhardt

Just a quote I like a lot.

Just wanted to wish everyone this month, a happy month...birthdays, anniversaries, and just happiness to everyone.

Birthdays-
Ron and Grandma Vi

Anniversaries-
John & Margaret (Alli's parents)-45 years!!
Gary & Alli- 13 years!!

If I missed anyone from the immediate family, I apologize, and happiness is sent your way too!!
Our 13th Wedding Anniversary is tomorrow!!

Love to all~
~Alli

Random...

I love it when it's Spring and the weather starts to get warm, and you can work outside and get in the garden, and stuff like that. I love watching the birds at our bird feeders lately while I am on the elliptical. I put on the tunes from our computer each morning and do my workout, and watch the birds out the windows in the sun room. My favorite birds are back again and a ton of them at that.. I love the rose breasted grose beaks. We had 7 males at the feeder the other day, they are my favorite backyard bird. We've had a lot of gold finches too, about 20 at a time at the feeder I call the jellyfish. It has a dome top, and 4 finch bags hang off it, so to me it looks like a jellyfish.

Just enjoying my weekends lately, I'm off every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from now until September. So, really looking forward to being done with the studio for awhile, only 4 weeks left. Need some down time. I've lost 31 pounds, and Gary has lost 41 pounds...yay for us!! I would like to lose another 20, but will work on it over the Summer. Just biding my time until we hear from the CCAA about when we get into review...that makes me smile!!!

Hope your days are fun, and relaxing!!

~Alli

A change...

We had a nice weekend, besides the fact that I have a sinus infection, and really feel crappy. Whenever my schedule seems to die down a little I seem to get sick. I can't wait for the Recital to be over, and actually have about 4 weeks off, and really relax a little...

A change I see happening is everyone's attitude toward the adoption. The atmosphere seems to be happy and joyful now about the time left and our situation. I think that probably stems from us, we seem to have a better attitude toward the time left and knowing we should be in the review room within the next 2 months seems to make everyone relax a little more around us and not tip toe so much. We still have months to get through, but it seems doable right now, and not so unbelievable, and depressing. So, hopefully Summer will move along quick and we'll get through the Fall, and Winter in a hurry, and next Mother's Day, maybe we'll have a referral, and waiting on our TA's. Just maybe...

Safe travels to the Bertram family who leave tomorrow for 10 days to get their son Lucas from Ethiopia!!! We'll be thinking of you!!

Love to all,
~Alli

Ron's Retirement party...

Last night was my father in law's retirement party. Ron is retiring from his job of 42 years at the NY Air Brake in June. As he retires, Gary is the person at the Air Brake that has taken over his job...pretty cool!! But what I am writing about is the comment that Ron made last night as he made his speech at the party. The comment of," I (or we, him & Judy) have 4 grandchildren, one of which I haven't met yet..."

I just wanted to thank Ron for that addition to his speech, for including Gary and I and our pending family in his counting of grandchildren. Made our night, and made us feel included. We are very proud of Ron (Dad), and we can't wait for Avery to meet you either.

Love ya!!

~Alli & Gary

Sometimes the littlest things mean the most...

A poem for Mother's Day...

As we head into this weekend, and I will admit this is a tough weekend for me. As much as I love my Mom and my Mom in Law it hits home that our daughter is not here yet. It hits home everyday, but this holiday is harder, for me at least. So, here's a poem that I'm sure Avery and I will think about on Mother's Day, when she gets older. I will be her Mom and Gary her Dad, but the woman, the parents, that gave her up for whatever reason, are the ones that will help make us a family. Our darling daughter, the gift we have yet to receive, we love her now without knowing her, and can't wait to get to her, and hold her in arms and call us a family...

AN ADOPTION POEM
Once there were two women
Who hardly knew each other
One you do not remember
The other you call mother
Two different lives shaped to make yours one
One becoming your guiding star
The other became your sun
The first gave you life
And the second taught you to live in it
The first gave you a need for love
And the second was there to give it
One gave you nationality
The other gave you a name
One gave you the seed of talent
The other gave you an aim
One gave you emotions
The other calmed your fears
One saw your first sweet smile
The other dried your tears
The age old questions through the years;
Heredity or environment -
which are you the product of ?
Neither my darling - neither
Just two different kinds of love!
~Anonymous

Much love, and Happy Mother's Day!!
~Alli

Congratulations to the Bertrams!!

Our friends that have been waiting for their Ethiopian adoption to go through finally have had word. They found out on Monday they passed court, and they leave next week to go get Lucas. We are so happy for them, and glad their wait is over. What a great Mother's Day gift for their family!! Christa and I had a great phone conversation last Friday, and I am so happy that her and her family are in our lives, it's nice to have people who understand it all, the ups and downs, the waiting, and frustrations of it all.

We wish them much love, and a safe and happy journey!!! We can't wait to meet Lucas!!!

Love to all~
~Alli

22 months today!

So today it is officially 22 months. 22 months since our LID, so by 24 we will be in the review room...finally!! Then the countdown begins from 12 months. The latest families that have gotten their children waited 34 months from their LID, so we are right on track. A long track, but on track none the less...

When I get done with the Recital I will be starting the quilt. I have cleaned the one room upstairs, so we can start to take stuff out of Avery's room, and put it somewhere else. Also in June we will start painting her room, and the renovation. We have a lot of things to be done around the house this Summer. Things like a new deck, fix the ceiling in the "sun room", new windows, fix the exterior of the house, finish little projects that are staring us in the face still. Start and finish Avery's room, the new bathroom upstairs, paint the other livingroom, the hallway upstairs, and re-do our bedroom.

Not a long list at all...yeah, right?! All in good time...

I am loving having my Fridays and weekends off, no more long rehearsals every Friday night, or Saturday mornings, love my kids, but it's time for some time off. I will have 3 day weekends from here on out until the Fall lessons start. I don't teach on my Fridays during the Summer either. Gary got a promotion at work-YAY!!! He will actually be taking over Ron's job, when he retires in June. We are all very proud of Gary for his new job!!

I can't believe it's been 22 months, but yet I can. It seems to move quickly, and yet it doesn't. But once at 24 months I think I might be able to breathe easier, and I actually seem excited lately at the prospect of getting into the review room. Another 12 months is long, but we've done 22 so far so what's another 10-12.

My Mom & Dad just celebrated their 45th Wedding Anniversary yesterday, we took them out to dinner. Gary and I will celebrate our 13th Wedding Anniversary this month on the 18th, but we've been together for 20 years...long time but very, very, good times!!! So by our 14th Wedding Anniversary we should have a little girl...a little girl named Avery Lin Newton.

Hope you have a great day!!
Love,
~Alli