As we near the end of the millenium, we hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and are able to spend it with the people you love the most. While it seems like not much has happened this year, it has been a good year for us.

We are starting to feel old! This year we both celebrated our 10-year academy reunions: Gina up in Northern California (Pacific Union College Preparatory School) and Ed right here in Southern California (Loma Linda Academy). Gina's reunion in April had a great turnout and she was able to visit with friends from back in the Stone Age. Ed's reunion in August also had a good turnout and included a beautiful catered dinner in Redlands.

On the work front, we both graduated in July: Ed to his third year of Internal Medicine residency and Gina to her second year of Preventive Medicine residency. Gina also recently passed the final medical boards exam and will soon receive her California medical license! We've both been busy with research, projects, and presentations in addition to our hospital and clinic work. Gina started classes during the summer toward completion of her Masters in Public Health degree, a required part of her residency. Ed polished up his interviewing skills and started looking for potential fellowship positions in endocrinology.

During one of Ed's interviews, we had a chance to visit Washington, D.C. In addition to the wonderful sightseeing, we were both delighted to visit with some of our friends. We also had the opportunity to visit with Gina's great-uncle, Roberto Lopez-Porras, and his wife, who live in Virginia.

We are blessed to have families that live nearby. Ed's mom and dad, George and Shirley, live about a stone's throw from our townhouse. Ed's brother Ron moved from his home in Florida to Phoenix, and now works at Intel. We've been able to visit him a couple of times. Gina's father, Leonard, moved to the San Bernardino area this year and it is nice to have him close by. During one of our jaunts to Angwin, we stayed with Gina's grandparents, Ken and Doris Cummings, in the Yountville Retirement Estates where they live. For Christmas we will be flying up to Pasco, Washington to spend the Christmas holidays with Gina's mother, Betty, and sister and brother, Jeanine and Ron. Since Ron is on vacation from his school training in Peru, it is a very special time for Gina's family.

In June we celebrated our first wedding anniversary together and are enjoying married life immensely. We are grateful that God has been an ever-present blessing in our lives and that He gives us strength and purpose in life. May He also extend His wondrous love and peace to all of you during the season in which we celebrate His birth. We love you all.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ed and Gina Javor