Moon cakes are here...

Today our moon cakes arrived from the bakery in NYC. I am so excited to try them. We actually ordered them through Chinasprout, but they are from the Lucky King Bakery in NYC. We also got a book called, "Celebrating the Mid Autumn Festival, a story book I thought Avery would enjoy someday. It explains the festival and the traditions involved.

We got a sampling of all 4 kinds of the moon cakes. Some are sweet and some are savory. There are 4 moon cakes in each package, we'll try them and see if we like them. They might be totally horrible, but I am anxious to try them-EXCITED!! I think we got a recipe to make our own also. I will try to get a picture of the moon cakes and post later in the week.

The Mid Autumn Moon Festival starts on Saturday. I will post more about the festival in the coming days.

Enjoy your day!!
~Alli :)


我只想说，享受您的一天-Enjoy your day in Chinese!!

Avery's Lifebook...finally I have started it!

So on Saturday night I started Avery's Lifebook. I have been collecting things for the past 2 years and have been putting it off for awhile, but decided to start it...finally.

I found myself lately writing in one of my journals, writing down ideas for pages for her book. I couldn't do this before, I just wasn't ready, but I guess I am ready now since it just seemed right. I have never been a journal writing person. I have tried many times, but it never felt right, and I would quit after 2 days. The blog thing I like a lot, I like the comments and the support, and feeling like I really do get it all out, whether that's good or bad. I have though lately been picking up the journal to organize my thoughts for her book, I think I just needed to wait until I was ready.

I have a lifebook writing guide. I've read parts of it but I think I will put it together the way I think it should be put together. What I did find though is I am very thoughtful on how the pages should look. This is not me, usually when I do scrapbooks I put everything in front of me and just go to work. But I found myself on Saturday really trying different things before deciding, and not wanting to commit to something on a page until I really thought it was right. I think I know that this is for her, and will introduce her to her life here, and her family, and about the country she came from etc. So, I am being very mindful of how all of that goes together.

I only have 2 pages done. The introductory page, and the letter from Mommy & Daddy.

I also sat down trying to put together a timeline for our adoption process. Looking through documents, and the 2 folders we have full of pages from the adoption agency and such. I wanted to use the blog, because I knew it would give me actual dates, but the internet was down most of Saturday so I sifted through the papers. A lot of stuff has happened, and there is still a lot of stuff left to do. It kinda put the stuff that is left to do into perspective for me again...needed that!

So I will keep everyone updated on my progress on her book. Another thing started-YAY!! I wish to get more of her nursery done...we'll see. Fingers crossed!!

The Mid Autumn Moon Festival starts this week. I have ordered some authentic mooncakes from a bakery in NYC for us this year. We have never had them, and I am anxious to try them. We may not like them but we need to try. This hopefully will be a tradition we will do with her when she is here. In 2 weeks we are going to NYC for the weekend. Our annual trip for my business. Looking forward to go to Chinatown and the Pearl River Market. I actually have a list of things to look for this time. Also, going to visit some friends that live there also-GOODTIMES!!

I am always wanting comments or just a hey, so remember to leave a comment!!

Love to all,
~Alli

You know you're adopting from China when...

I've seen this on a couple of other blog sites. So it wasn't my idea, but it is all true...

You know you're adopting from China when...

...you know that the I-600 & I-171 aren't highways they are the forms you fill out for an adoption.
...you've been expecting a baby for 2 years 
(or more...you’ve actually googled what animal has the longest gestation period just to compare it with your own (note—it’s the elephant with just under a 2-year pregnancy-Lucky them!! We're at 28 months!!!!
...you know that waiting for China has nothing to do with Pottery Barn or dishes of any sort.
...your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #2 or #3 or #4)

-Ours has been updated and may have to be done again-fingers crossed we don't!
...you never know how many days next month will have.
...you know that babies come in batches.
...you've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime.
...you automatically assume everyone who is expecting is having a girl.
...you own new clothing in 18M, 24M, 2T, 3T, and 4T in all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big).
...you look twice when you see a ladybug

, and call her by your child's name-"There's an Avery"...
...your due date hasn't changed by days but by years.
...you know that forecast doesn't have anything to do with the weather.
...you've waited so long, they rechecked your fingerprints to see if they changed.
...you speak of "that time of month" referring to CCAA updates & referral.
...you love someone you've never met with all your heart.

Hope you enjoyed it!!
~Allison

I found this today...

The Making of a Family...through International Adoption


DTC......Positive Pregnancy Test
LID......1st Doctor's Appointment
Review Room......18 Week Ultrasound
Referral......Your Water Breaks
Flight To China......Having Contractions
Baby placed in your arms......Baby placed in your arms

Got a kick out of this...
Enjoy!
~Alli :)

3 is a beautiful number...

I follow some other blogs and some of the families are now in China being united with their little girls. I have been keeping up with their day to day happenings and tears in my eyes every time I read their blog updates. All of the emotions that they are going through are so overwhelming. I keep thinking how I need to start really preparing myself for those emotions. But I'm not sure if you really can "prepare" for them, I think you really do have to go through them.

I keep wondering how we will handle things, and how 2 brand new parents will do in China for 2 weeks all by themselves. All of the other things to consider to like the language barrier, the totally new surroundings, the not having family right there to ask questions to, the dealing with attachment issues, there are so many that I can't list them all. But I assume that these are all things a new Mom and Dad think about when having their own baby. I'm sure they go through times of panic, and self-doubt, and then realize that everyone has to go through this, and everyone makes mistakes and it's all part of the learning process.

I keep wondering how old Avery will be. Will they give us a young baby because she's our first one. Or will they give us an older baby because she's our first one. I have had a lot of thoughts about her age lately. It doesn't matter to me or Gary really, but I do still wonder.

I have just gone back to work this week and keep watching my younger ballerinas and think a lot about Avery. I can't wait to hold her little hand in mine...have her follow us around, and give us those little tilted head looks and smile. My little ballerinas give me this look all the time and my heart just melts.

I know the Mom thing kicks in, I have it kick in all the time in my line of work. When someone is having a bad day, or needs a hug, or needs to talk, or someone gets hurt, I always know what to do, and I'm always calm about it, and happy to have the "Mom" in me kick right in no questions asked, and I don't have to think about it.

I always have Avery on my mind. But lately she is really at the forefront. I am always thinking about how I will handle this or that. Especially how I will handle things when we are in China. Gary and I will really need to depend on eachother for confidence, and making the transition for her as easy as it can be. Patience is a word that comes to mind...and lots of it!!!

But in the end these really aren't worries, they are welcome thoughts, and ones that really I have had for a long, long, time. I think knowing that we are on the down side of the waiting has really made me feel like this is finally more real than it was before.

All the doubts, and worries, and thoughts don't matter because we will have a daughter, and become a family of 3.

3...what a beautiful number!

Thanks for listening, comments are welcomed!!
~Alli :)

It hit me today...

I don't know why, but today it just hit me, and struck me that "Avery Day" is really not that far away. We should expect to travel in 2010, and it's already the 9th month in 2009, we're almost to the year 2010. I don't know why but today on the way home from Syracuse it really hit me that we're not that far away from a referral. So the reality of it all is setting in a little today-in a good way, not a depressing way.

Hopefully it will stay that way, can't guarantee it, but hopefully!!

~Alli

I'm 36 today...

Today is my B-day, the big ol' #36, and I had a great day.

My wonderful husband took me to Tin Pan Galley for breakfast, and I had strawberry white chocolate french toast-to die for!!! Brought 1/2 of it home for tomorrow's breakfast. He sent me a really funny e-card, and he took me shopping last weekend to the outlets for my Birthday, he's a great husband!!

Then my brother and sister in law and 2 nieces are up from Indiana, so all of them and my Mom & Dad and Gary's Mom & Dad came over for a big Birthday lunch. I made bruschetta bread, and we marinated and grilled chicken, a big salad, fruit salad, and salt potatoes, and potato salad, w/ sundaes, and dirt pudding for dessert. It was really nice to spend the day with family. Really nice to see my parents and Gary's parents together. We just don't have many occasions where our families get together right now. But in about 10-12 months from now hopefully we will-Avery!!!

I received about 40 some birthday wishes on my facebook account and received texts all day from my kids wishing me Happy Birthday-made me feel really special and loved!!

It has been a fun day, and a day of family, just what I wanted!! Hopefully not too long from my B-day next year Avery will be with us and birthdays will be even more special with her here to share and join in the fun!!

Hope your day was as fun as mine, and hope you felt as loved as I did today!!

~Alli :)

Today is the 3rd...

So every 3rd of the month it celebrates our LID in China and here we are again September 3rd, 2009. I'm not counting up but in essence not counting down either but we are at what I call 26/12. The 12 is a guess and it may be shorter. I'm excited for every 3rd of the month, it means another month down. I think this number will be ingrained in my mind until we have a new date for the referral, and then the "Gotcha Day". So keep us in your mind and in your prayers today as we forge through another month of waiting...

I turn 36 in 3 days, and was hoping by now in my life to be a Mom. There must be some rhyme or reason for the waiting but some days I can't wrap my head around it.

Happy 3rd of September.

Have a good day!!
~Alli