Just a Quick Update...

We still do not have our Illinois state approval for our updated home study. This is frustrating because basically we were on track to travel end of January or early February before the Chinese New Year. We will now travel sometime after the CNY which takes place from Feb. 10th through the 25th. They shut down completely for 15 days. I am hoping we will travel the day after the new year or even before that if they'll at least take flights in! It's all in God's hands which is the best place for this all to be. I did call Mike Unes' office to help get our home study approval done.  Our caseworker sent it in October 31st and we still don't have it.  I know things take time, but we have always gotten our approval in 1-2 weeks. This is the time we needed it quickly. I have gotten use to the fact that we won't travel until late February though. I'm looking at the bright side and here are the advantages:

• It will be warmer out by then so we will be able to take Lulu out to play and sight see.
• I will be able to have more time to prepare my students for the "big" ISAT testing. Not that we spend all of our time doing that, but I do begin to teach them how to take such a test.
• My maternity leave will start closer to spring break time which means I'll have 7 consecutive weeks with Lulu rather than 6.
• By the time my maternity leave ends we will only have about 6-7 weeks left of school before summer break, so Lulu will only have to go to daycare for that amount of time.
• We will have longer to come up with the last $5,000 that we need while in China and some spending money since I want to get her something from China for each birthday for years to come. 
• I have more time to do some things around the house to prepare for her...room, toys, ...
• The weather will be nice over maternity leave so she and I can spend a lot of time outside playing and bonding!
• Lulu will hopefully miss out on the flu season here....I heard it is already pretty bad this year. Since she needs surgery soon after we get back I am sure her health cannot be compromised in any way for her surgery.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray that our paper work continues to move along so that we can travel as soon as the Chinese New Year is over.
• Please pray that Lulu's health will continue to be ok because she was placed in an orphanage and removed from Maria's Big House of Hope already. We believe they did this in order to begin preparing her for us and breaking her away from her nannies at Maria's. We pray she is being treated well there. Please pray for her emotional well being.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Marci