Happy Halloween from Uganda!

They don't really celebrate Halloween here, but we were able to get together with some great friends tonight who do.  It was so fun to walk into a house with several white Mommies and Daddies and mostly African babies.  Such a pretty sight!  We went to the mall earlier today, so Owen was a bit on the tired side.  He had a bite of chili but didn't like it.  He refused to spit it out...and he refused to swallow it.  I had to bribe him with a sucker and juice to get him to try to get rid of the food.  He ended up spitting the outside part of the beans into the cup...he reminds me of his sister when he does things like that!  :)  Josh and I have next halloween all figured out - Gracie and Owen's costumes are all picked out.  And I am so excited that next year, we will all be together.  We are missing little Miss Gracie tonight...Owen made friends with a little girl that resembled her and my heart melted...again.
Tomorrow is a REALLY big day!  Please pray that our visa appt goes flawlessly!!!  Hopefully, tomorrow we can post our expected arrival back home date.  We can't wait to get Owen's visa in hand and start the count down!  But, God is in control.  I trust him!  We have been so blessed with our process - such an amazing testimony of God's amazing grace.  We often say that we can't believe how fast it has been and why God allowed us to be the parents of Owen and get through this the way we have.  Grace is all we can come up with - HIS UNDESERVING LOVE.
By the way, if you are ever in Uganda and need a place to stay - I highly recommend Banda Inns.  They have been absolutely amazing here.  It is clean, has a beautiful lawn, the food is great, and the owners and staff have gone above and beyond in making us feel like we are at home (or as close as possible).  I really can't say enough great things about them.  Their hearts for the adoptive families here have been such a blessing.

 Remember when I said that Owen likes to play with cars and stack things too?  This is a good example.  Too funny!!!  Ritz crackers on a jeep....kept him busy for quite a while!

 This was such a beautiful sight, I had to take a pic.  Simply beautiful, right???

The Kampala roads have been making my tummy a little sick, so Owen and I have been riding in the front seat a lot.  There are no car seats in Uganda, so he sits in my lap.  Every time he gets in he makes faces at me in the side mirror.  He is so funny!  Had to take a pic.

To Our Sweet Owen,
You are really so funny.  You make these faces and noises that just crack me up.  And we really have been enjoying playing and laughing with you.  You are such an awesome, special, little man.  And handsome too!!! We are so excited to be yours.  And we thank God daily.
Love you more,
Mommy