GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Thanks to everyone who entered! (So, maybe I only had 7 entries... and maybe I just gave everyone a print) It's so great to hear more about you and I definitely have some more stories to follow. I hope everyone enjoys their prize!

I ended up sending 7 prints to 7 different states! How cool is that?!

Missouri, Kansas, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Montana and California

Oh, and I guess the point of a giveaway is usually to promote a product and I totally forgot to do that. oops... so if you didn't enter and you still want a print you can find them in my shop. Only $15! :)

THANK YOU!! AND A GIVEAWAY

We are nearing the end of this process and about to begin a new chapter with our boy forever in our arms. I've spent a lot of time the past few weeks thinking about all the people who have reached out to us... with prayers, encouragement, gifts, time. The list goes on. I want you all to know how much we needed all of that and how much we appreciate you! It's been a long road. Beautiful and also very tough at times and I'm so thankful we didn't have to walk it alone.

Now for the giveaway...

If you are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia and you think this 8x10 signed screen print is awesome (and you don't already have it) you should enter to win! Here's how... It's really simple.

Email me at mrs.heatherhale@gmail.com and tell me:

- who you are

- where you are from

- what led you to adoption

- where you are in the process

- how I can pray for you

First 5 people to email me answering all 5 questions will win! My little way of saying thank you!

TIMELINE

The most popular question I get now is "So, when do you get to go back?" I don't mind people asking this question... it's just sort of frustrating and painful to have to say "I don't know" I hate it! Now that we've met him it's harder to deal with the uncertainty. If you're a visual person like me, this calendar will help you comprehend the wait that is before us.

Here is what I'm hoping for...

July 15th we will get word that our MOWA letter is in and the adoption is final! That day we will be able to announce to the world that he is officially ours and you will see many pictures of his beautiful face.

August 19th, approximately 5 weeks later, we will be on a plane headed back to Ethiopia to get that baby boy and bring him home! I really hope this is what happens!!!

FRIENDS IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING FROM ETHIOPIA... WATCH FOR

A GIVEAWAY HAPPENING ON THE BLOG TOMORROW. YOU WILL

HAVE TO BE QUICK TO WIN THIS ONE!

AND WE'RE BACK TO THIS...

We used this paper chain to track the wait for our referral. We actually didn't get through the whole thing, so I thought I would use the rest to track the wait for our MOWA letter. I'm realizing that when they said 15-20 days, they meant business days, and that translates into 3 weeks, which sounds so much worse than 15 days! Am I right?? The good news is it's been 6 days (business days!) since we went to court. Two more weeks and he'll be all ours! There were a few families from our agency who went to court 3 weeks ago. I'm hoping we will hear soon that they got their letters!

Really cannot wait to show you this sweet bundle! He's just the best!

STILL PROCESSING

We captured a lot of video while we were in Ethiopia and it's hard to really grasp (even just days later) what we just experienced. I'll watch the videos over and over and think "whoa... we really did that!" People ask how we're doing and if this part is hard or if we feel different now having met him. It's honestly hard to even answer just yet. I think we're still processing.

The first couple days we were back, Aaron and I were butting heads like crazy and after some thought, I kind of wondered if we were maybe just missing our son and trying to figure out how to deal with this whole thing. I remembered how different Aaron and I are when it comes to handling things that are tough. I tend to put up a wall, push through, act strong and stay busy. Which really is not the healthiest thing and is sort of the easy way out. Aaron on the other hand is completely ok with feeling everything, expressing his hurt and working his way through it. This is one of the things that made me fall in love with him. Fearless vulnerability! It is such a beautiful thing.

I'm thinking communication is going to be very important while we wait to bring Arthur home. We've got to respect each others process (right or wrong) and stay strong as a team! It wont be long!!

JUST MOMENTS BEFORE MEETING OUR SON

We can't wait to show you video and pictures of our beautiful boy, but little teasers like this one will have to do for the next couple of weeks.

HERE WE ARE!

Here we are at Ethiopia Guest House, right before our court appointment.

We had an amazing week!! The guest house was so beautiful and a couple of the other families from CHI were staying there. It was really great to spend the week with other families who were going through the same thing. There were four families total that had the same court date and we all have boys just a few months apart. I think we will all try to keep in touch and hope to travel together again for our second trip.

Court was a piece of cake. We all went in together. We handed over our passports, then the judge (a beautiful young woman) asked four or five questions. We all answered in unison, "yes". And that was it! She told us that the MOWA is 15-20 days behind on their letters, so we did not pass that day. We are glad to have a rough timeline. We are just hoping to get our letters before the courts close for the rainy season... around August 8th? Kind of cutting it close, but I really think we'll make it.

Meeting our son was an incredible experience. I thought it would be awkward and unnatural since we've never been parents before, but as soon as they handed him over it just felt right. He is so beautiful and his personality is just so perfect for us. He's going to be a great addition to the Hale household.

Thank you again for your support. We miss our boy so much, but we are excited to get back home to all our friends and family.

Oh... and we got incredible video of us meeting him for the first time. Can't wait to share!!!!!