Update

Well...

we are still waiting :(

We received an email from the embassy on Monday

stating that they would like to interview someone in Beck's case.

According to officials,

this interview would help them to determine that he is a "true orphan"

under the US immigration law.

Problem is....

this person will have to travel to Addis from a remote village

about 12 hours away.

This person is not a birth parent or grandparent.

So the question I keep asking myself is...

what in the world motivation does this person have to travel

12 hours to the capital of Addis

for an interview!??!

I know God is big enough for this...

I keep telling myself.

over and over.

Praying this is not long and drawn out

because it has the potential to be.

It has been 1 week and 2 days since we were submitted to embassy.

I also keep telling myself that it is too early for me to freak out just yet.

I'm giving myself until next Tuesday to freak out. ;)

A little update on a few Cheathams while we are waiting...

I was so incredibly thankful for the EthiopiaSmile team that just got back.

They went and loved on our boy.

Oh it just does my heart so good to see him happy and smiling!

 Ellison just got back from church camp.

Had a blast as usual!

 sweet friends!

 And Brooks...

he is just amazing.

He goes to tennis drills just about every day.

When I drop him off,

it's about 95 degrees.

and when I pick him up,

it's over 100.

Bless his heart.

Working towards his goal though!

Proud of him!

That's all I got.

Hoping next post

is saying we cleared and are headed to Ethiopia!

2 things...

I have a couple things to say today...

1.  We received an email from the embassy early this morning stating that they had completed the screening for our I-600 and now they are reviewing the orphan status.

one.step.closer!

It's the next step that could possibly take some time.

pray.

2.  My friend Brittany, you know her.

Well, her family is going on a mission trip to Rwanda...

She is selling some very very awesome t-shirts to help

fundraise for their mission trip.

Here are just a few pics...

It has Isaiah 61 on the back.

so awesome.

 There are 4 different shirts!

The one I have on here (the round neck), is a ladies fit.

It runs a little small, I think.

I have on a medium here, and it might have been a little tighter than I like.

just so you know when ordering.

awesome ragland

 The v-neck which comes in green and navy is a unisex and runs pretty true to size

We really enjoyed modeling...

so I thought I would let you see all of our glamour shots! lol!

and we got a couple of shirts out of the deal!

so really, it's a win/win.

Now - PRAY.GIVE.GO

GET YOUR SHIRTS!!!

HERE

ON BRITTANY'S BLOG!

they are on her sidebar!

You know they are so awesome

and hello! they have Africa on them!

get yours now! :)

Submitted!

So excited to say...

THAT WE WERE FINALLY SUBMITTED TO EMBASSY!!!

We received the email at 5:34am CST,

from the Embassy stating that they had received our file.

So...

now it is their job to determine if our Little Man meets

the US definition of "true orphan" under the US immigration law.

even though he is legally ours.

side note:

I caught Ellison saying the other day,

"oh, but he is 'legally ours' "

cracked me up...

i guess i've been saying that a lot!

I'm sure she has no idea what that really means!

anywhoo....

in the email, the embassy stated that this process could take

weeks to months.

We are praying for a WEEK!

Just one WEEK! :)

okay, maybe a week and a half!

and at some point...

we will receive another email in the middle of the night,

saying that we have CLEARED,

and that we can come pick him up and bring him home!

So in about a week,

I will not be sleeping anymore.

because I will constantly be checking my email all through the night!

He has a daddy now!

We had a wonderful father's day!

Celebrated Beck Gudeta being an orphan no more...

Having a daddy now!

Next year, we will really get to celebrate!

I cannot wait to watch these two for years to come!

Derek is such an amazing daddy!

Seriously loving my new blog design!

Danielle did an excellent job...

so quick and fast and easy!

Summer...

Summer is here...

and we are laying low...

just waiting to head back to Ethiopia.

We thought there was a good chance that we would be submitted to embassy today.

didn't happen.

I could cry.

This is the stinkiest waiting part...

It is totally

NOT AWESOME AT ALL.

We are lucky that we have good friends that help us pass the time.

Cuz that's what it's all about right now....

passing the time until we get to go pick him up!

at the lake this weekend with friends.

these 3 were in 1st grade together...

our families have been friends every since.

They are now going into 6th grade!

Miss S and Ella are still bff's... 

Mr. C and his twin brother J...

well, they don't like to claim being friends with these girls...

but we know they all have fun together! 

and look who got his braces off!

1st pic without braces!

let's all pause a moment and admire those beautiful teeth...

cuz that is not cheap!

Ella and I might have done a mini shopping spree at baby gap

SO MUCH FUN!

lazy day basketball after the rain

 swimming with friends!

 of course spending lots of time in the gym

flyer practice

Hopefully it won't be too much longer before we are heading to Ethiopia

to bring that little one home!

Cannot wait!

LDOS!!!

Last Thursday,

May 31, 2012...

the kids finished 9th, 7th, and 5th grades.

What a year!

Everyone changed schools and had to adjust to 

high school, middle school, and intermediate.

I am so glad that year is over...

everyone will stay put for next year!

It's a good thing,

we will have enough adjusting to do around here as it is! ;)

my camera is majorly acting up...

it doesn't necessarily take the picture when I would life for it to. :/

so that's why the pics of the kids are not the best pictures they have ever

taken in their lives.

and the signs have become a tradition for the last several years...

I stole the idea from Brittany a long time ago,

whose mother did it for them all those years ago! :)

The signs are kind of a bucket list for that child for their summer.

Our summer is a little on hold,

not knowing if/when we will be heading to Ethiopia...

so it's all kind of random!

Probably not the best artwork I've ever done in my life! ha!

Somebody in our family gave their life to Jesus!

The day before we left for Ethiopia,

Halle Caroline decided she wanted to be baptized...

and claim Jesus as Lord of her life!!!

We were so very proud!

She had been thinking and talking about getting baptized for about 3 or 4 years!

And boom - decided to do it the day before we left on the biggest trip of our life!

Halle Caroline and her bff, Chandler decided that it would be a great idea to do it at the same time!
I think they had been talking about it for a long time together, actually.

So that's what they did!

They will always get to remember

April 29th, 2012

as such a special day!

Before heading to church...
beautiful girls!

their signature move/facial

 

here is our Preacher, Rick, giving the men instructions on...

"if they've been pretty good, well then just dunk 'em

if they've been kinda bad, well then leave 'em under a second or two...

and if they have been real "pills"... well leave 'em under there a minute or 2!"

haha!

 deciding who is going first! ha!

Chandler's 1st!

   

and Halle Caroline's turn!

  Just so incredibly proud of these 2 girls,

and for the lives they are leading.

sweet sweet friends!

 

sweet family came to watch!

It was just such an exciting time for Halle Caroline and for us..
Such a fun day!
I just can't say enough times how happy and how proud we are of her!
We love you Halle Caroline!