Howdy, folks!

Last night, our agency sponsored a conference call for all waiting Kazakhstan adoptive families, which was really cool! It was so amazing to hear the voices of so many people from all over the country as they joined the call. I recognized many names from all the blogs I've visited. I wanted to blurt out "Hey! I know you!" each time someone joined! Hello to all my fellow bloggers and waiting CHI families! It was also great to hear Julie Woods' voice on the line - all the way from Almaty! Hi Julie! The connection was great - I could hear you a lot clearer than I could hear folks in the U.S. Thanks for your insights and your encouragement!

We had been gone all day doing some shopping, and when we got home, there was a message on our phone from our social worker. He was calling with the details for how to join the conference call, but we had completely forgotten that the call was on the 27th - it wasn't even on our minds. When we played the beginning of the message and heard his voice, we suddenly thought... it's THE CALL!!! We dropped the groceries we were putting away and looked at each other with wide eyes. My heart was pounding, but then I realized the REAL purpose of the call. Russell and I cracked up together in the kitchen, took a deep breath, and chalked it up to a "practice run" for the real phone call. :^)

Not much to update you on since my last post, adoption-wise. We're still waiting and hoping that referrals pick up after the new year's holiday. Let's see... what was I doing during my last post? Extracting DNA, reading books, and baking holiday cookies? Yup, that just about sums it up. I'm STILL trying to extract DNA (it's not going so well), still reading books, and I baked (and ate) more cookies than I care to admit (as well as a completely fabulous recipe for chocolate cinnamon bread I got at Starbuck's... we accidentally burned one batch but scraped off the tops and ate them anyways. Such desperation is warranted for this bread - it's just that good. Trust me.)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Maybe January?

We got an email update from our agency today that said that due to several holidays in Kazakhstan, and the likelihood that government agencies will be closed, they're not sending families for any first trips to Kazakhstan until after January 14th. Of course, we still need to find out which region we'll be headed to, but at least we know now that we won't be headed anywhere until mid-January at the earliest.

Not much else going on around here... Still working on my genetic diversity study (hoping that my DNA extractions are working)... Reading an awesome book called "Deep Economy" by Bill McKibben that's making me want to invest in a wind turbine and eat local organic food... Being awakened early in the morning by the sound of gunfire in the woods around our house (apparently shotgun season - for deer - started a few days ago)...Itching to get started on holiday baking... is it too early for Christmas cookies??? Maybe I'll just make a few "test batches." :^)