Ali is 10 months old now

Sisters

We have just returned home from another successful Rebecca Run for SMA charity event. This year the event has raised an estimated $158,000 for SMA research. Quite an achievement for an event of its kind. This event means sooo much to us. It is through this event that we have met many dear friends and parents like us and were really inspired to start living again and gave us direction and hope after losing Abby. I post this here on this blog because it is in many ways our starting point for our "Journey 2 Ali". Abby showed us how much a daughter could mean to our lives and how badly we really wanted to be parents. We learned here that anything is possible and decided to find a way to become parents again. This ultimately led us to Ali and a happiness that we thought may be gone forever. We hope to teach Ali about her sister and we are glad that our "SMA family" have finally got to meet her and we thank them for their support and encouragement along the way. To learn more about this charity event; SMA or a chapter in your area (all over the U.S./Canada/World) you can find links on this blog under Ali's sister. We are truly blessed to have 2 beautiful daughters who are linked in many ways to each other.

Canadian for a week.

Well, we have been home for a week now and are finally settling in. It's been a busy week. We arrived at the airport friday and to our surprise there were about 85 people waiting for us. Ali loved the crowd and attention. Thanks everyone. We had a doctors appointment that afternoon and Ali was just fine except a cold but we switched formulas on the doctors advice. Saturday, Grandma V. (Ali's g.g.) passed away but she followed the blog and knew she was home safe before she was called home. This week we got Ali her health card and s.i.n. card so she could get a complete medical which we did on thursday and started her file with him and she is doing just great. Grandma's funeral was wednesday and I was a pallbearer and my father and I delivered the eulogy. In between all this we have had many phone calls and visitors and last but not least a little sleep. Ali hasn't quite turned around to Canadian time yet but is very close and we are all settling in nicely now. Her skin has cleared up. She is eating and sleeping good (albeit she is a Chongqing girl and it's on her stubborn terms) and has found her favourite toys and things around the house. We are amazed at how she changes and adapts each day. She loves her exersaucer and just about jumps right out of it and laughs out loud. She can stand against things now and when she holds our fingers we can pull her up from laying down to a standing postion. She is still very active and and is the apple of everyones eye. She babbles a lot and can say mamamama and dadadadada. It is amazing at how such a little person can have such an engaging personality already. Everything is great in her world as long as her new mommy and daddy are within' eyeshot.

Zac and the girls

Before we left we got a great shot of all the kids from our group. Great bunch of people and we hope we can have many more of these in the years to come. It would be neat to watch them grow up in pictures together from time to time.

The Orphanage in Qianjiang

The orphanage that was Ali's first home was really a beautiful place. It was in a modern building at the top of a hill overlooking the city. It was immaculate inside and out. We were allowed to tour it and were very impresssed. The kids are well taken care of by a diverse and caring staff. Donations are well spent there. We are still sorting pics and stuff as it has been a busy week but here are a few shots for those who have been requesting.