So the news is the same...

I was reading out adoptive families magazine this morning and it's the issue that has a lot of updates on the cost and the timeline of most of the international adoption countries. The cost is still a lot, no change there, and the timeline is still the same. They did say that the percentage of families that get a referral in 24 months or less is 75%. So that's good, it will take longer than that though. We're coming up on 19 months next Tuesday. We're getting there...

I just checked our adoption agency website for the update about the CCAA's progress. The dossiers that are being reviewed right now, are from February 28th or before 2007. We are June 2007. It seems they are a little ahead, almost a month. We should see our dossier get in the review room in the next 3 months...hopefully. Then we wait from there some more (12 more months at least).

We are learning patience anyways. It's gotta pick up at some point.

Adoptions for China has gone down though. In 2007 there were 5,453 children adopted. In 2008 only 3,909. So that's in our favor also a little bit.

Keepin' the faith!!



KISSES IN THE WIND

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.

What we've been doing this week for Chinese New Year... and the adoption in general...

Well, as I stated before we decorated our kitchen for the New Year. We have chinese lanterns, and garland. Year of the Ox stuff around, dragons, and signs. Buddhas, and all sorts of stuff. Our house already had Asian influences to it because we are getting it ready to have Avery in our life and incorporating her heritage in our lives and our families. I've been looking up celebrations all over to see what been going on in China, and other places. Someday I would love to be in China for the New Year celebration, with Gary and Avery. All the pictures I've looked at this week are absolutely breathtaking. The colors, the history, the dances, and dancers, and costumes-all gorgeous!!

I did send a packet to our nieces and nephews about Chinese New Year. I had a really fun time putting it together. We have picked up red envelopes in Chinatown in NYC 2 years ago. It was probably the first time we had been there since we started the adoption process. So, we used them for Noah, Owen, and Sammy. I drew their animal signs on the outside and traced them in gold. Each one got a crisp new dollar bill, and some gold chocolate coins inside. For Jessica and Jodi we used chinese red envelopes, that had fans on them, and flowers that I had gotten in my travels around, they also got a crisp new dollar bill, and the gold coins. We sent a history of Chinese New Year, and the story of the Chinese zodiac. We sent "Year of the Ox", mazes, and word searches, and puzzles, and a panda sticker sheet, and a chinese character cling for their window. All sorts of stuff to celebrate the New Year in a new way for them, to see part of Avery's heritage and already help us celebrate and be part of her heritage in the way we could right now.

I was really excited to send the packages, it was a lot of fun to put together and research, it helped take my mind off the wait. We sent the package to Noah, Owen and Sammy on Tuesday morning with Steve to work. Steve and Gary went to work in Sackets that evening, and when Gary got home that night at 10:00PM, Noah and Owen had already colored some of the pages, and made some things after dinner, a card and chinese characters for us...it made my night!! I was happy to see that they had taken part and were into it-Thank you guys!!!

We have a "Year of the Ox", bank on our kitchen table, it's really neat. We think she will be born this year, and if something happens that she's not or older than we thought, I'm still year of the Ox so it's all still good. Our Chinese Santa is still out, our little tree with all of Avery's ornaments and all of the Chinese ornaments on it is still out. The lanterns in our kitchen are white with Chinese characters on them, there are 10 of them, and they are strewn about. We're going to leave them up for a very long time, we're really enjoying them. On Sunday I swept the kitchen and the bathroom to take out all the bad from 2008, to leave room for all the good of 2009-another Chinese tradition. I'm kinda hoping to get to Chinatown at some point to go looking for some more year of the Ox things for her life book and such. I don't know if we'll get there in this economy but hopefully, probably not til November though, the usual trip for work.

I have so enjoyed this holiday. Learning about the traditions, and sharing it with family and my students at the studio. I do a newsletter every month, and for January I wished everyone Happy Chinese New Year, and told everyone we were adopting from China. Most of the parents know by now, but some didn't and wished us congratulations, and that's always nice.

About the wait time and the adoption in general...
I still get down about the wait time, and frustrated a bit. But I also feel like we're starting to be able to see a little light at the end. It's our busy time right now withe studio. Lots of choreography, and rehearsals, so that helps. We will 19 months next Tuesday. Really can't wait for 20 because then it should be less than a year left. WAHOO!!

I think of the day we will get the referral, it seems unreal to me, I can't really wrap my thoughts around it. I have so many questions about being a parent...a Mom. But I have kinda little Mom moments every day. Just this week, my little dancer Addy came in and put her arms around me, and said to me, "I hope you feel better Miss Alli", and then later in class yelled to me, " I love you Miss Alli"...made my whole night!! Just little things that happen day to day, that sometimes make the wait not so bad to know that eventually we will have a little Avery say, "I love you Mommy & Daddy", on a daily basis.

So, maybe I've gotten past the resentment of the wait, not all of it, and I don't want to be like some of the waiting parents I've met and seen. You can see the pain and frustration on their faces and feel it. I'm sure I'm like that at some times, who wouldn't be? And sometimes comments from tv shows, and movies, and story lines about barren people, adoption, etc., bother me, and I think too much about it, but who wouldn't? But Avery will be here and our lives will change...we know that...everyone says that, and we're fine with that, bring it on!!! I am 35 and ready for a BIG change, a change for the better, and a change that will enrich our lives, and love and teach us new things about ourselves everyday. So we say-BRING IT ON!!!

So there's my daily thought. Hope you're having a good day, and are surrounded and see the joy in your life, and appreciate it!!

Love to all~
~Alli

Which animal are you?

Here are some of the years for figuring out which animal of the Chinese Zodiac you are:

Rat-1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008-clever, charming, energetic, talkative.
Ox- 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009-honest, hardworking, strong, dependable, patient.
Tiger- 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010-powerful, brave, daring, emotional.
Rabbit- 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011-lucky, reserved, kind, peaceful.
Dragon- 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012-strong, trustworthy, brave.
Snake- 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013-determined, passionate, wise.
Horse- 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014-fun, independent, cheerful.
Goat- 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015-loving, artistic, gentle.
Monkey- 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016-clever, inventive, confident.
Rooster- 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017-capable, adventurous, kind.
Dog- 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018-loyal, helpful, generous, honest.
Pig- 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019-forgiving, noble, sincere, forgiving.

I also put some of the traits related to each after. See if they match you.

They also say that some people should stay away and are not compatible but that's not always true. They say that the ox and the dog don't get along...but that's what Gary and I are, and we compliment eachother really well so I don't know how accurate the compatibility is, but the traits seem to be spot on with a lot of people we know.

I'll put up more fun facts tomorrow!!!
Enjoy!
~Alli

The story of the Chinese Zodiac...

The Story of the Chinese Zodiac:

Many people have wondered over the years how it was that the rat, the smallest of all the creatures, was given the honour of having the first year of the Chinese Zodiac named after him. This is the story I have heard. A very long time ago, the Jade Emperor, who ruled the heavens of China, sent a message to all the animals asking them to come together so that
he could give each of them a year, which would make it easier for the people of China to keep track of time. The cat and the rat were good friends and decided to travel to meet the Jade Emperor together. When it came time to leave, however, the cat was taking a nap. The rat, realizing that he would have to use all his cunning to be noticed by the Jade Emperor, left his friend sleeping, and set off on his own. This is why there is no year named after the cat, and also why cats have hated rats
ever since.

When the rat arrived, the Jade Emperor welcomed him and the other animals and told them that they should all take part in a swimming race. Once again, the rat realized that he would have to be very clever if he wanted to win the race. He found the largest, strongest animal, which was the ox, and pleaded with him to let him ride on its head. The ox was kind and strong, and agreed that they would swim across together. The rat travelled safely across the river on the ox’s back, but, just before they reached the other side, climbed over the ox's head, jumped onto land, and reached the finish line first. The rat had proved its cunning, and the Jade Emperor named the first year after the rat and the second year after the ox.

It's a neat story that I didn't really know. Learn something new everyday!

Tomorrow I will post the dates for each animal. Then you can figure out which animal you are.

Enjoy!!
~Alli

Happy Niu (Ox) Year!!

Today starts the beginning of the Chinese New Year! The Year of the Ox. Ox in Chinese is "Niu". Meaning good luck and prosperity. I am an "ox" being that I was born in 1973. Gary is the year of the "Dog". Another person that is an ox is our new President, Barack Obama.


People who are "Year of the Ox":
Personality Traits:
 People born under the sign of the Ox are generally calm, dependable, patient and unflagging. The Ox is symbolic of prosperity that is achieved through hard work.  Although obstinate they do have logical minds and will not be easily frightened. They appreciate that in order to achieve success things must be done in a certain methodical and correct way.  Ox people are seldom deprived and tend to be both reliable and conventional. They are patient, but once angry and incensed it will be difficult to reason with them, they also have a propensity to hold grudges. Ruled more by their heads than hearts they are full of pride and uncompromising and in order to be happier they should nurture their sense of humor.


About the "Year of the Ox":
The Year of the Ox is one in which success will escape without a sustained, mindful effort.  The sort of problems that are encountered in the year of the Ox tend to be home front problems that seem to be never ending.  The Ox year needs discipline and it is not the time for unruly behaviour or taking short cuts.  In this year success is achieved solely through hard work.

I'm going to try to put up information about the Chinese New Year throughout the 2 weeks. Hope you will log on and leave comments and truly enjoy all the information we can give you!!!


Xin NIan Kuai Le!!!
Love , Alli