Mini Update and Prayer Requests

A little update on things....
In January we had our Home Study Update, had to update it because our adoption is taking longer than expected and some important documents and approvals were expiring.  It went well. Basically, we clean the house top to bottom and meet with our Social Worker, to discuss any changes in our family in our family, which included 3 additional nieces :) and everyone is a year and a half older!  (A Home Study is a document prepared by a social worker which is essentially a study of your home and family, describing the family members, our home, our community, our values, etc.)
Just this week, we received our "Notice of Favorable Determination Concering Application For Advance Processing of Orphan Petition" - an important document from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receiving documents from such departments reminds us of the many steps and government organizations from 2 countries that must come together for a child to be internationally adopted.  Adoptions are a lot of paperwork, but not just for us, for our agency, for our government, and for the Korean agency and government too.
On the adoption process news front...Word is that some of the test group families, who are the first to go through the new adoption process in S. Korea, will be coming out of the new Family Court portion of the process in the next week or two.  We truly hope this rumor is true!  And that with the movement of these families, South Korea will be able to continue down the list in submitting more children for Emigration approval (the next step we are waiting for).  As for our specific adoption process, we have no news at this point. Just waiting and loving our boy across the world.

Prayer Requests:
For Benjamin Tae-Ju: We received a Well-Baby Check-up this week. He went to the doctor on February 5th and since his last check-up has been to the doctor a couple times to check on a Hordeolum on his right eye (an infection/bump on his eyelid-top and bottom).  He is on antibiotics and they are watching it, but please pray for healing for our son's eye, that the antibiotics will do their part, and that there be no longterm damage to his eye. Times like this are hard - how we wish we could be the ones to care for Him, but times like these are also a reminder that God cares for him, and loves him even more than we do, and will provide. We are reminded of the blessing of his foster family and the doctors who are caring for him.  Please pray for his little heart, that the Lord will prepare him for our family.
For the process: Please pray for South Korea as they continue to work through their new adoption laws and process.  Through the new laws, birth mothers must now register their names as parent of their children, which has led to an increase in the abandonment of babies in South Korea, for many women want to hide their pregnancies.  Please for for South Korea, for the wisdom in the leadership as they think further on the implications of the laws on women there, and how better to care for orphans and birth mothers.  Also, please pray for the Family Court system, and the judges who are now learning the adoption law for the addition of family court in the adoption process, for cooperation, understanding, and efficient work.
For Adam and I: We know God is at work.  We feel His nearness and His leading over the past two years.  He has comforted us and poured out His love on us while we wait, sometimes patiently, sometimes impatiently for our son.  Please pray for us, that God would prepare us specifically for parenting Tae-Ju, for insight and wisdom into his needs, and for the love, gentleness, and patience needed as we will bond and "attach" and become a family.