Journey to Ali

I am now a stay at home Mom

All has been going well. Ali is thriving. She talks all the time or should I put it like it is and say she never shuts up. We laugh at her all the time. Everytime I dress her or put something in her hair she says "I cute". I guess she has heard that before. Ha! I have now closed the shop and have nothing to do but take care of Ali. This is going to be quite a change for me. I have always worked at something. Never made much money but, I left the house in the morning and called it work. We went to Ali's first Chinese New Year Celebration the other night. Area people that have adopted Chinese Children get together once a year and Celebrate. There were 13 little girls all in there chinese attire. They were so cute. Ali will be 2 the 16th of this month. I always wonder if her mother in China thinks about her and the day she left her in the park. I hope she knows Ali is very well taken care of and loved so much. Robin can't wait to get home from work to see her. He left the other day for the year end meeting with WalMart for a few days and really had a hard time saying goodby to her. I guess I have had My toes stepped on, but that is O.K. We are renting a pool for Ali's birthday and having the kids get together and swim. I will be posting some pictures of her birthday and then that will be my last post.

Our American Girl

Going to her first Chinese New Year Celebration !

A bunch of beautiful little girls !

Still enjoying her oatmeal

Helping with Laundry

Daddy spoiling Ali with a $35.00 Elmo!!!!!

We Made It Through Christmas

I didn't think I was going to be able to pull it all together this Christmas but, the presents were wrapped and under the tree in time and the baking got done. Wow, I feel like I have been in a whirl wind. Maybe 2006 will slow down and I will get my feet back on the ground. The kids and grandkids came up Christmas Eve for supper and to open presents. The kids were so excited, and Ali was just excited to see the kids. She didn't care if she opened a present or not.She has had a cold and was running a pretty high fever for a few days. I have had her on some medicine and she seems to be getting better. She is getting real bad at wanting me to hold her. I think she would like to be attached to my hip. Oh well, I don't mind but, it is hard to get anything done. She is asleep on Daddies lap so I need to go put her in bed. Happy New Year to everyone !

Anxious to go downstairs and open presents !!!!!!!

Christmas Eve with the Family

Playing Christmas Morning

Happy Holidays !

Just in case anyone is still looking at this I thought that I would post some of Ali's Christmas outfits. She has four of them and don't ask me why she has that many. I just know that they were cute and she needed them. She is still doing great and is talking a lot. The days just keep getting better and better. I don't have a present wrapped and don't have any idea how I am going to wrap any. She is still pretty busy and hangs onto my leg when I walk. People might get their Christmas present in a bag this year. As this year comes to an end, Robin and I have so much to be thankful for. It has been quite a year. This time last year we were getting the last of our paperwork ready to send to China, and now I am putting pictures of my China Doll on the computer. Happy Holidays to everyone !!!!!!!!!!!

My Christmas China Doll !

Happy Holidays from Abby and Ali !

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS OUTFIT !

Busy Little Girl

Ali has unrolled toilet paper, been into every cupboard and drawer we own and emptied the dog's water. She has so many toys but, these don't seem to be as much fun as these other things. I guess Santa don't even need to stop here. She has been doing great. I think I am going to have a holster grafted on my side so it will be easier on my back. Ha!. She loves Trick-or-Treat. The grandkids all came up to go with her. She thinks she is really special when she goes to Robin's Walmart. She keeps getting presents everytime she goes. Everyone has been so supportive of her. She still is liking to sleep with us but, we need to figure out some way that she can leave her feet in her room. I use to leave with my house intack in the morning, now I am just happy to get out the door close to the time that I should be leaving. How I did it when I had four little one's I am not sure. Oh yea, I was 25 years younger. That's O.K. we wouldn't change a thing that we did. Ali is a gem and she is doing something new everyday. Well, I have 2 hours before I need to go to work, better start getting us ready. (Ali goes with me).

Saying Cheese!!!!!!!!

Ali getting her princess jeep from the Walmart bunch.

The Girls in their Chinese Dresses

First Trick or Treat

All is Well

Good Morning from Sugarcreek! I do love saying that. Ali has adjusted very well. You would think that she has always lived with us. She has such a sweet way about her. We have been very busy since we came home. It is an adjustment for us also. Ali had a rough time sleeping at first and we were all three up in the middle of the night watching T.V. but we have found a solutation for it. She sleeps with us and is doing very well with that.(of course) I said a long time ago that I would not have her sleep with us but, I guess I will eat my words. I am sure those are not the only words I will eat. Our big kids had a coming home party for Ali and she didn't mind being the guest of honor. It was an exhausting trip to China but an unbelieveable adventure. It is something that we will never forget. Ali is a lucky littl girl to have the opportunities that she will have here in the U.S., and we are the lucky parents able to give her them.

Chinese or American they still like boxes and clothes baskets !

Big Mei Mei Holding Little Mei Mei

Leaving on A Jet plane !

Well the time has come, the bags are packed and all the paperwork is behind us. Ali Raine Anderson if officially ours. We held up our right hand up today at the U.S. consulate and said that everything that we have signed was true. We did this with about 100 other couples.There was little China dolls everywhere. This was so amazing to see that many American couples in China at the same time changing a orphans life forever. Of course ours was the only one trying to see how loud her squeky shoes could be !!!! Our journey is over but, the memories will last our lifetime. Me and Robin feel that we have really been blessed with Ali. I have always read that people that adopt think that there was a higher being matching them with the right child and I have to agree. It will be sad when the plane takes off from China tomorrow. We will be leaving our little girls homeland behind, but what lies in her future will be so much better.Thanks again for everyone supporting us. We couldn't have done this without all of you. This will be my last post from China, the computer will be going back in it's bag and won't come back out until Sugarcreek, Ohio
Good-Night for the last time from China (leaving At 5 in the morning)

Love, Robin,Vickie,& Ali