An update on some close friends of ours: Many of our NY friends and family know David and Becky Pence. Pence Camp. "Parents" of Napoleon the Hedgehog...Ellie's first cousin ;-) Becky was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a few years ago. She has annual cancer screenings involving an iodine-free diet and radiation. This past winter, Becky was treated with her radioactive iodine...and then found out that she was pregnant. Before treatment, a pregnancy test was run...and the tech didn't read the report. I've pasted her email to this update so you can know and pray. Also, last Christmas (before the radiation and pregnancy), David and Becky completed foster parent training and were called with a placement for an infant. So in the midst of all of this, they have been parenting Aimee...and planning to adopt HER. I'll leave the rest of the information to Becky to explain. I'll keep you posted.

1. Madeleine Elise Pence was born on Monday, October 20th at 3:59 pm. She weighed in at 7lbs 4oz and was 20 inches long. We still do not know what, if any, effect her prenatal exposure to radioactive iodine had. So far she's been a bit of a human pin cushion as they draw (or attempt to draw) blood to run tests. She will see a pediatric endocrinologist on Monday for further evaluation. We're hopeful that, by then, they will be able to run the appropriate blood tests so that the doctor can give us some information.
2. Aimee turned 1 on September 17th and started walking not long thereafter! Her new daycare center also finally opened...just in time for her to start daycare before Madeleine arrived! It seems hard to believe but she will soon be with us for over a year now. She's getting so big and has quite a little personality of her own.
3. Aimee's parents had a crucial court date in early October. At that time the judge heard testimony and ruled them negligent parents...the first step towards terminating their parental rights. The next court date is scheduled for December 1st. On the 1st the judge will rule as to whether or not her parents have abandoned her (since they will not have seen or attempted to see her in over 6 months by that time). If the judge rules that they have abandoned her then their parental rights will automatically be terminated and she will be freed for adoption on the 1st! Once that happens, it's just a matter of filing the proper paperwork and waiting for a court date to finalize the adoption. We're hoping that it will be finalized in early 2009!