The Old Rocking Chair

OK, I will start you off with some recent photos of our angel.











She has recently started holding her bottle like a big girl.










Alison working on her balance riding her rocking horse.







Alison's first Fall in Alabama


Sorry we have not been posting since we returned from China. I guess you know we have been busy. Alison is doing fine and we are enjoying every minute of everyday with her. We are getting to know her habits, likes, dislikes, temper, etc... Today, when I walked into the house from work, Alison got a glimpse of me and literally through down the bottle she was working on and held out her arms for me to pick her up. She instantly lit up when she saw my face. It is those little moments that make this whole journey worth it. I look forward to many more.

Back in 1990, Lisa and went on a dinner cruise for our first anniversary present. I also bought her a wooden rocking chair. I did a little research and found out that the traditional 1st anniversary gift is wood. I gave that some thought and decided on a wooden rocking chair. I guess I was secretly hoping to be using it to rock a little one to sleep one day in the near future. I remeber buying the chair unfinished. I sanded it, stained it, and put a couple of coats of polyurathane on it. After giving it to Lisa she found a back and seat pad for it. It looked really good. I don't remember sitting in it much that first year and in 1991 we moved to Arizona. The chair made the trip and was put in the spare bedroom where I am sure it was used as a coat rack or something similar as we had very little room in that apartment. I am sure after 3 years the chair still looked brand new. In 1993 we were on the move again to Colorado Springs. Again, the chair made the move and was put in our bedroom at my parents house while I went to college. Here the chair was again not used for any rocking purposes. When I graduated in 1997 we moved to Huntsville, AL. The chair survived the move without a scratch and was place in the spare bedroom where it remained for the next 13 years with very little survice. Now the chair is 21 years old and has become a background ornament in our house. 4 years ago we placed the chair in Alisons room when we painted and remodled the room. It has waited as patiently as Lisa and I upon Alison's arrival. Recently I have started rocking Alison to sleep at night in the chair. While rocking her to sleep I think of all the years the chair remained unused. I rejoice in the fact that it's original purpose is finally being fulfilled after 21 years. We rock each night at bedtime and as Alison drifts off to sleep on my shoulder, my mind drifts off to events that have not happened yet. Her first steps, learning to ride a bicycle, going to school for the first time, boyfriends, etc. It is sort of like a time machine for my mind in that regard. The chair has much more meaning for me. It will most likely become Alisons one day. I hope that she does not have to wait so long to get some use out it. I also hope she gets as much joy out of it as I have in the last few weeks.