Everyday is an adventure.

As I should have anticipated, having just gone and told you all how wonderfully she was sleeping, the past 24 hours were nothing like the previous 48.

She didn't sleep all that solidly throughout the day yesterday as I mentioned, and then last night didn't settle down until 10pm. She awoke a little after midnight, had her bottle and then proceeded to do everything but sleep until sometime after two. She would alternate between playing and climbing on us, putting her head on our shoulder and closing her eyes and screeching and crying, usually all within a 10 minute span.

We finally thought she had worn her little self out and was in for a good sleep, but only slept until 7. So now rather than the blissful 11+ hours we had had the previous two nights we were looking at something a hair under 7. Well we thought, she'll certainly be one tired little girl today and take an extended nap to make it up.

Its almost funny how wrong a new parents logic can be. I say almost because it is only truly funny to those hearing about it, not those living it. Our precious little Aitugan played, crawled, explored and bounced until 9pm tonight with only one 45 and two 30 minute naps.

It bordered upon incomprehensible how an 8 month old child could expend what surely was a personal record in terms of calories in a 24 hour period on what must also have been very near to her personal record for sleepless hours in the same period.

By her schedule she should have had 16 hours of sleep and 8 awake while her actuals were closer to 9 asleep and 15 awake. I must say that for such numbers, she was in a mostly wonderful and alert mood. I think our biggest concern is that she is not feeling well, which may quite probably mean Chicken Pox.

No I'm not being a hypochondriac, several of the child groups at the Baby House had come down with it, including several of the children who had been in the adoptive child playroom. She certainly feels warm to us, but she has also been extremely active. I went out to try and find a thermometer tonight but to no avail. We will try again tomorrow with our translator.

So where are we in our process? By all accounts, about to embrace a great number of holidays.

The good news today was that as of this evening we have obtained both Aitugan's Passport (Kaz) and her exit visa. Both of these needed to get done here in Astana before traveling to Almaty and the hope was that in fact they would be completed today, but we had always held off our optimism, for if they had not, because of the Kaz Independence Day celebrations, the next Kaz Gov't business day is next Wednesday.

So that is the good news. We are cleared to go to Almaty. The less than stellar part is that once in Almaty, we first need to get Aitugan's HIV test(standard for all Kaz adoptions) and Physical done before submitting paperwork for our US embassy interview.

Now typically this can all happen in two business days. 8am HIV folowed by a physical exam, take the results to the embassy by noon, get your interview the next day, and you're ready to fly.

So what's our anticipated schedule? The medical office we are told will be closed Mon and Tues in observance of the Kaz Independence, so Medical will happen Wednesday. The US Embassy will be closed Tues, Wed, and Thurs in observance of - I have no idea, but it means that out paperwork will be turned in on Friday, and with luck, we will get our interview on Monday the 24th, a full 10 days from now. Yippee!!

Our original tickets home are for the 28th, and because of the holidays, we do not expect to be able to push them up any in the event that we are cleared to leave On Christmas, but we have seen that British Air has a one way fare of 1057 going through London to Boston that takes 21 hours.

We most certainly will look to do it if at all possible. Given how much the adoption has already cost, the US2000 more it would cost to arrive home Christmas Day and forever have that as our day seems a no brainer. We'll see.

Aitugan seems to be sleeping somewhat better this evening. With any luck, so will we. Take Care.

Oh I almost forgot to say - To the many of you who regularly read our blog, and especially to the great number of you who take extra time out of your day to write us comments - We greatly appreciate it and have been touched and often overwhelmed by your love and support. It means far more than you may realize to this family miles away from home and family, and going through such a dramatic and life altering experience.

Many of you we know simply by location, for nearly everyday I click on the counter and then choose By Location, and I run through the list and see that Marn Spain is on as are other regualars such as Zonhoven Belgium, Mercer Island WA, Austin TX, Cedar Falls IA, Clearwater FL, Mentor OH, Silver Spring MD, and Tunkahanock PA (I know I mispelled that, but you know who you are). Thank You.