Hale Family Tales

Ryan was able to accomplish getting the necessary paperwork in Julia’s hometown today. However, it took all day and it was dark by the time they were finished. The road is not safe at night so they are leaving very early in morning to head back to Addis Ababa. There is a [...]

I really have no concrete news tonight, other than Ryan making the trip to Julia’s hometown today. The last thing I was able to find out late this evening was that they were able to locate the birthmother and she had begun the process for relinquishment at the local tribal counsel when I last [...]

Cross posted from ryanjhale.com

It started with what seemed like being called to the principal’s office. We were at the Shalom orphanage in Addis Ababa with the rest of our group watching the other families meet their children for the first time, having picked up Julia the day before. We were enjoying the sunshine [...]

We hadn’t expected that Julia would be going to sleep on Gina’s shoulder tonight.  We thought that we were going to be hanging out in the guest house and anxiously awaiting to go get Julia from the transition home in the morning.  I think our guide saw it on Gina’s face though because as soon [...]

Cross-posted from Ryan’s Blog:

We’re on our way to Addis! We have been pretty lucky so far. Our flights have all been pretty on time and uneventful… Well, except the part where I lost my wallet. Still am not sure what happened there but the last time I saw [...]

on the ‘Journey to Julia’ has begun.  Grandma and Grandpa are staying in Tampa tonight in order to catch a flight to Denver very early in the morning.  We’ll get to spend a couple of – whirlwind – days visiting with them before we head out on Tuesday morning.  The girls were beside themselves at [...]

It was 60 degrees for the last several days.  Now the ground is covered with at least 4 inches of snow – and it isn’t supposed to stop until late tonight.  The great thing about the recent nice weather is that it doesn’t seem to be sticking on the roads, according to 9News that is. [...]

…because I was screaming so loudly that my kids covered their ears…

We are leaving for Ethiopia next Tuesday!

I have been praying for the March 30 Embassy Date, but was prepared to accept the realities that it could still be a few more weeks before travel.

We will get custody of Julia Joy next Friday and will [...]

One year ago today, we drove across a couple of states, our green machine loaded to the hilt with a mom and a dad, two kids, two little dogs, cleaning and sleeping apparatus for a couple of nights, and a variety of houseplants stuffed into the final crevices.  Not exactly like frontiersmen moving west in [...]

…it is hard to wait.

Just sayin’…