another week comes to an end

nothing too exciting to report here. No adoption news, really. We are still waiting for the medical report. There is probably some bloodwork that takes a while to be run at the lab. Hopefully this week we will get some news about that! We can't wait to find out any little piece of information about her. We are sending a little package to the orphanage this week. We put a couple of soft blankets, some little onesies, a rattle, and some little cotton hats. The nannies like to keep the babies completely covered and bundled from head to toe, even in the summer! We also included a small "glowworm". Remember those things? You squeeze them and their face lights up. This one sings 6 lullibyes also. Hopefully we can send out her package this week.

Still no word on when we will be traveling. I am still thinking September is a reasonable estimate. There is a LOT of work to be done on Vietnam's end, from police investigations of her background to government approval of her (and our) paperwork. We are hoping for some updates and photos as we wait.

In other news, my second year of residency is quickly drawing to an end. Halfway done! Second year is supposed to be the hardest, so hopefully the next 2 will go quickly. I have a 6 week rotation in Kentucky in Feb, and a 6 week rotation in Michigan in May, so hopefully we will be able to do some travelling around with Juneau to visit our family and friends.

Cris is happy to be finishing the didactic portion of his PhD this fall, and will then continue to teach at UH while working on his dissertation. Lots of exciting changes coming up!

Special thanks to everyone who has been thinking about us and praying for us as we try to bring our baby home! International Adoption is filled with unknowns, and the waiting and worrying that something will go wrong can be very scary. We worry about the healthy and safety of our tiny baby (pneumonia and communicable diseases are common in orphanages). We worry about a glitch in our paperwork that will hold up our adoption. We worry about her adjustment to our family. We believe that everything will work out according to God's plans.....but still can't help worrying a little bit.

We have gotten some AWESOME packages in the mail! It is so fun to get little things for Juneau, and it makes everything seem so real and exciting! Thanks to Aunt Donova, who not only sent the CUTEST little buckeye clothes, but is also praying for our baby!