Some more quilt squares...

We have been very blessed lately with receiving more quilt squares. We were fortunate to be able to add to her quilt with wishes from family and friends. We have also been blessed to connect with people through blogger and other families that are going through our same situation of waiting, and have received wishes from them and were able to send wishes back to them for their families.

So some quick thank yous and we will post the pictures of the squares & wishes hopefully by the end of the week on our other blog for her quilt.

We have received squares from family. My cousin Greg who just got married sent a square a while ago, and we are hoping his wife Alyssa who we got to know in the last month will also send a square to add to Avery's quilt. We would like to say congratulations to them they got married last weekend. Thank you!

Christine and Ashley Scofield also sent a square a while ago and it is so cute. So thank you to them also.

Christa Bertram, and her son & daughter, Lucas and Kara, sent squares a little while ago. Their friendship and support is so special to us, they too have adopted their little boy, Lucas, from Ethiopia. Having friends that have gone through all the waiting, and the ups and downs of adoption and all the frustrations is so much help!! Thank you!

Blogger friends The Raudenbush Family sent a square and really neat fabric a couple of weeks ago, and it was also great that were also able to send one back for their family. They too are also in the China adoption program, and their LID is 7/23/07, really close to ours. It's been great reading their blog, and leaving comments and lending support back and forth those connections are so important during this process.

And just yesterday we got a bunch of wishes and squares from the Browns. Jill, Bruce, Pamela, and Lexie. Jill and her family have been so supportive. Jill is easy to talk to about the adoption, and she feels just as frustrated as we do. Sometimes I need that from people. So I can feel alright with all the frustration I feel. Sometimes you just want others to be as frustrated as you are, and not be afraid to say so. She is always so supportive, and we are lucky to have them all in our life. Thank you!!

So thank you to all, and anyone that has quilt squares and wishes keep them coming!! We will post the pictures of all squares and wishes as soon as we can!!

Have a great day!
~Alli

The sales are good right now...keep me out of the stores!!

It's that time of year where the sales are awesome and things for Avery are really cheap. I keep buying bigger sizes so that I know she'll wear them eventually. Dresses are $5-6.00 right now. Some of the stuff I've looked at all Summer are now on sale, and I tell ya sometimes I can't resist.

That's why truthfully I don't go to Watertown that often. Too tempting to get her a little dress or something. I call it retail therapy. Gary calls it I think insanity, to me, more like sanity sometimes. So I did get a couple of things for her today, spent hardly anything on them, but oh so cute!!!

She's a girl and must have options, that's what I keep telling Gary, he just shakes his head...he understands, what a guy!!!!

Have a great day, and enjoy the bargains!!!

Love,
Alli ;)

Dear Sweet Daughter...

Dear Sweet Daughter,

As a girl I had a common dream, to be a mom someday.
My baby would have eyes of blue and hair the hue of hay.
But now my dreams have been transformed. New visions fill my head.
Now the tresses that I long to stroke are raven black instead.

And in my dreams those eyes are not so big or blue or round.
Now in my dreams they're almond shaped and colored cocoa brown.
And in my dreams my arms can stretch across enormous seas.
They reach half-way around the world and hold you close to me.

As you grow in your mother's womb, carefully knit together,
you're also growing in my heart, where you will stay forever.
And in my dreams the moment that your mother says good-bye,
I'll be right there to comfort you and hold you as you cry.

Our features may not look alike; we're different as can be.
But still I know the Father has created you for me.
And though I've not yet seen your face, or held your tiny hands,
and though we're half a world apart in very different lands.

I'll be right there to get you just as soon as God allows.
But til He says the time is right I give to you this vow.
I'll pray for your protection every night on bended knee.
For God will hold you in His arms, until you're here with me.


This poem was by Gayle Leubecker.


Beautiful, and sums it all up right now.
A bit frustrated lately, and a bit stir crazy.

Love to all...hope you enjoy!!
~Alli

Home from vacation...

So we got back Saturday morning at about 3:00AM. Gary likes to drive through the night, less traffic. I am horrible at trying to stay awake when we drive like that, but did pretty good this time. Friday morning Gary and I did a 30.31 mile bike ride on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The weather was perfect and I was pretty proud of myself for doing that long of a ride. It's about double of what I've been doing. Burned 1950 calories in 2 hours, that made me feel good!! I've lost some more weight, I had lost 6 more pounds before we went to Cape Cod, and I think I lost a little more while in Cape Cod. I don't snack in Cape Cod, and seem to drink a ton more water while there, I don't know why. All in all the week was good. We didn't really get to the beach that much. Only 2 days. The weather was pretty good, it was dreary 1 day, and rained the next. It's $15.00 per day to go to the beach on the Cape, so you can't go everyday unless you're willing to pay that every day, or you have a house directly on the beach. I would love to rent a house directly on the beach, then we wouldn't have to pay everyday, and it would be right there, we would go a lot more. I missed my Dad's birthday this year while on vacation. We always go in August so I am always missing one of my parents birthdays. Usually it's my Mom's, but this year it was my Dad's.

The cape is great there's always a ton to do, and we have favorite places to go, and find new places every year. We did find a great cupcake place at Mashpee Commons, all gourmet cupcakes. They were great. We love to go to the Lemon Tree Village in Dennis. They have a shop in there that carries one of my favorite artists, Kriten Jongen, her stuff is called My Soul Soup. I'll put the website at the end of the blog, if you've never checked her out you should, very profound, and unique pieces of work. I bought another piece of her artwork this year, we got 3 last year. Her visual art and words really ring true with me. This shop is the only one I've ever been close enough to that you can buy it in the store, and not from her website, I love her work!! So the Lemon Tree Village is a must on our Cape vacation.

Other than that, we just check out new places, and eat out during the day, and spend time together. I think probably Gary and I are the ones who don't play well with others sometimes. I think because we are so busy all the time and on our schedule constantly and believe it or not, for 2 people who don't have children we are constantly busy with other people's children. With the studio and everything that comes with the studio and the other constant jobs that Gary has through photography and websites, and such, we are pretty well stuck in our ways, and it's hard for us to go to someone else's flow, so we're gone a lot during the vacation doing our own thing. It's hard on us every year going on a family vacation and being the couple that doesn't have children, I think we feel like we're in the way sometimes. Nobody makes us feel that way, we just do.

Can't wait to go and have Avery with us finally...

We did get some really nice things for Avery. The piece of artwork we got is for her room. We got a really pretty windchime for her room-windchimes in China are good luck if hung in the proper places-feng shui. We finally got the book, "Motherbridge of Love", illustrated by Josée Masse by Barefoot Books. It's about adoption. I've looked at for awhile, it's hard to find it in bookstores we found 1 copy of it at a book store in Mashpee Commons, not a chain bookstore just a little bookstore in the commons. A placemat for her with name on it, we got the boys ones also. And Aunt Beth & Uncle Steve and the boys usually leave little gifts outside our door in the morning during our vacation for us and Avery. This year it was a cute pink shirt that said Annabelle dance studio on it with a dog in a tutu on Tuesday, a ladybug bath mitt on Wednesday, cute cupcake pj's on Thursday, and a really cute polka dot sundress on Friday. I thank them for those treasures. It does make our day when we get up and there's something on our door or in front of it for Avery. They are so thoughtful!!

This may be our last year of Cape Cod for awhile depending on where the adoption is next year. We may be in our last few months of waiting, or if she is here, we're not sure if she'll be up to being in new surroundings for a week-attachment issues etc. Or, we may be saving like mad for traveling, we don't really know what the next year holds for us.

But we are hoping that we may be holding our Avery...
Hope your Summer is going well, and it's been all you hoped for.
Love to all,
~Alli

Here's the website for the artwork of Kristen Jongen...you should definitely check it out!
www.mysoulsoup.com

Toes in the sand on the Cape

Busy on the Cape...

So we've been here for almost a week and Gary and I have been busy as usual. Here's our week so far:

Saturday:
Arrived on the Cape about 10:00AM. Went down by Falmouth and Mashpee and then met Steve and Beth and the boys Ron & Judy at the restaurant "Not Your Average Joes" for lunch before heading to the house. Got settled at the house and took a nap, we left at 3:00AM so we needed a rest. We all had dinner together and that was it for Day 1.

Sunday:
Gary and I headed out and about we walked 4 miles to the National Seashore, sat on the beach for awhile and ended up in Provincetown in the afternoon. We had lunch and walked around P-town for awhile. Got a cool windchime for Avery's room and headed back to the house around 7:00PM. We spent most of the day out and had a great day just the two of us. We've needed some couple time lately.

Monday:
Gary and I headed out again just around locally. We went and looked at some bike stuff for Gary and some dance stuff for me. I got a new pair of ballet shoes and a new leotard, Gary got some new things for his helmet, a bell for the Rail Trail and a rack for the bike. We went to Sam Diegos Mexican Restaurant for lunch. Great Mexican food and cheap! Just ended up meandering around most of the day. Gary went for a 22 mile bike ride and I went for a 4 mile walk.

Tuesday:
This was beach day. Spent all day at the beach and came home and had dinner together. Ice cream for dessert.

Wednesday:
Went out and about. Rode 13.5 miles on the canal bike path and had lunch at Mashpee Commons. Found an awesome cupcake place for dessert and came home and ate dinner together. Ice cream for dessert at the Smuggler.

Today is Thursday and it's raining. That's why I'm updating the blog. Gary is reading his magazine. I'm blogging and the boys are building a fort in the livingroom. Sammy is sleeping. Steve is playing Wii, Beth is in the kitchen reading and Ron is on the phone and Judy is doing dishes. We are all waiting for the rain to stop.

Two days left and then back to reality...
Hope everyone is well. We've gotten some cute things for Avery and I'll talk more about that later.
Love to everyone,
Alli:)

Cape Cod

Taken at Seagull Beach.

On the Cape with the Newton family...

So we are here in Cape Cod on our annual Newton famy vacation. This is our 4th year of going to the Cape in the Summertime. Ron and Judy and Steve and Beth and the boys and Gary and I all rent a house here for a week. We started doing this in lu of buying so many Christmas gifts. We all decided that we would spend time together instead. We always have a great time
while we are here.

Gary and I went on a 4 mile walk today and went to Coast guard Beach on the National Seashore and put our toes in the sand. It was great!! Then we ended up in Provincetown for lunch and a little shopping. I love all the little shops there and if you know anything about P town you know that the atmosphere is shall we say entertaining. A lot of fun to say the least. We left the house this morning at 10:15 and got back at 7:00PM. We had a great day together just the 2 of us.

I think we are heading to the beach tomorrow it's supossed to be hot and humid. We may get a bike ride in in the morning.

We're having a good time. We got a really cute windchime for Avery's room in P-town today. The colors match her room perfectly.

Will try to update as we go this week!!

Can't wait to have Avery with us one of these Summers. We are still asking for many prayers and good thoughts sent our way so she hopefully gets here as soon as possible.

Thank you to those who have left comments and continue to follow along with us on this journey.

Love to everyone,
Allison & Gary

I'm going with 10 months...

It's past the 3rd of the month. I didn't forget, just been really busy with classes. So I'm going with 10 months closer to Avery. I know I may be wrong and it may be longer but that way of thinking is not productive for us.

So remember, we're not counting up anymore, just down...join in our countdown.

Leaving for vacation this weekend, a week away, and a week to relax and chill out, and be hopefully stress free!

The packing goes into full swing tonight! Cape Cod here we come!!!

Love to all,
~Alli:)

So everything happens for a reason right?

Throughout this journey we have been on we have had many ups and downs. Typically in the Summer we get an email that upsets us a little and it is typically around this time...I don't know why. We got the latest update from New Life, our adoption agency and for getting people into the matching room, they are through up to the end of August 2007. As far as people receiving referrals we are a bit behind schedule again. I'm not going to say how much behind because I don't want to answer all the questions of why, and what makes this happen, and why can't they get dossiers through in a faster time...I can't answer those questions because I don't know the answers...nobody really does. But every Summer they seem to get behind in referrals.

We actually found out about this last Monday. Gary got the news before I did. I came home at 6:45 after camps and he had just gotten home from a really hard ride and blurted out the information. He was really upset and frustrated this time. There's usually one email or notice a year that really gets to Gary and this one was it. He said he was so frustrated that he went for a really hard ride, to get some of the frustration out. Me, it took about 2 days for the information to really sink in and then I was in a bad mood for about 3 days.

I am thankful to be going on our Cape Cod vacation next weekend. I think Gary and I need some us time and some real time to relax and absorb all of this, and somehow find the positive in it all. We are planning a lot of beach time and a lot of us time in the evening getting drinks somewhere, and just chilling out for the two of us. It is much needed at this point.

I do believe in my heart of hearts that the time is going to catch back up and get shorter. I don't know why but I truly believe this. I think at this point people are starting to wonder if this will really ever happen...believe me it will happen. We chose China for many reasons and the journey has been long...longer than first anticipated, but there must be a reason ...right?

I am going to start getting done all the things that we've been putting off. Things like, putting her quilt together, starting her lifebook, making the 2 ladybug blankets I have all the material for and have just set aside. Getting her nursery done, and setting up her room, finishing my China adoption books. We need to get our shots for the travel. Start learning Chinese, and reading up on attachment disorders so I can be more prepared for her arrival, and know a little more of what to expect in that arena.

I think if I start, we start, and finish some of these tasks in some way time will speed up and her arrival will be sooner. I don't know, I am big on karma, and putting out positive to get positive back in return. We will pay off the other tiers of the adoption in the Fall, and start saving for our trip to China, and the orphanage gift we need to take with us.

So we are asking for many prayers, and often, and much positive energy sent our way. I know we've asked before and we thank all who always respond, but we're asking for everyone to respond, and help us out.

Thank you for listening...love to all,
~Alli


May you be safe while you're waiting...

May you be safe and sleep soundly through the night
May you be safe as you wake to the morning's light
May you feel our love from so far away,
May it comfort and protect you throughout each day.

We will pray for you my little one,
Until our time of waiting is done.
We will pray that the Lord keep you safe from harm,
Until the child of our hearts becomes the child in our arms.
~Anonymous