Fellowship Group

Fellowship Group last night was wonderful! This picture only captures half of the shoes that were in our entryway and it doesn't capture all of the tiny cute ones, as a matter of fact, this picture doesn't do the scene justice at all, but it's what I got.

We had seven families at our house which gave us 25 kids! It was so much fun to have a house full again!

The McKinnis family has two biological girls and they are just starting the process to bring home a toddler from Rwanda. The Dennerlein family has five children adopted from Arizona. The Hinkley family have three biological little boys and they have the most adorable referral picture of a little girl from Korea. . .it truly is the cutest referral picture I have EVER seen! The Coop family have one little girl and they are trying to bring home (via adoption) their nephew from Mongolia. The Fairbanks family has five biological children and two little boys from Ethiopia (and she is expecting number eight this summer). The Dobesh family has a daughter from China, a son from Korea and they are just beginning the process of adopting a baby from Rwanda. There there was Braner Party of 7! What an amazingly international house we had last night! I loved it!

Adoption Fellowship

Tonight is our first Durango Adoption Fellowship Group! I'm so excited! Adoption Fellowship was one of my favorite things in Branson and I am so thrilled that I finally have it up and rolling here in Southwest Colorado! There is a fairly big adoption community in Durango. . .it is so neat to see! And it is so fun to see how much it is growing. . .two adoptions from Rwanda in the early stages right now!! I'll keep you posted! I'm excited to become a part of the adoption community in Durango!

Great Time With Rachelle!

It was so fun having Rachelle and her son, Tommy, with us this weekend! We didn't do much of anything (they were probably bored out of their minds), but is was so refreshing! Rachelle has been such a huge part of my life since I was five and I am so thankful that now she has met my kids and seen where I live. . .I feel like she'll be in my life for another 30 years!

Tommy is a dear! He and Dax got along so well! He loves his Nintendo DS as much as Dax loves his PSP! They're a great little pair!!!










Thanks for coming, Rachelle and Tommy!!!

Today

Today has been a tad weird. . .I guess everyday in life is a tad weird, which would make today very very normal.

It snowed last night and since I only have the bachelor-mobile, I couldn't get out today. I had to call my dear friend, Gretchen, to take Hays, Maggie & Tiki to school and then I had to call my poor stressed-out friend, Jan, to take Dax to school. And I sent Dax to school with an overnight bag and his snowboard, boots and helmet because he is spending the night with his friend, Jude, and they are hitting the slopes tomorrow.

So, that left me and Gabby home to clean. Andy is coming home tomorrow and I have one of my oldest friends from forever coming to visit me, Rachelle! So, I am uber-cleaning! While making Hays's bed here are just a few of the things I found IN it: stapler (why not), dictionary, computer charger, flashlight (that I kind of get), three pairs of clothes, comb and all of his "special" Lego Star Wars guys hiding in his pillow case so that Dax cannot get them (that is my guess). Then I went to the girls' room and found something strange, too, but for the life of me right now I cannot think of it!

Gabby, while I was cleaning, went around the house and LOCKED EVERY door in the house. . .so we were locked out of every single room. That needs to be in a sit-com!

I am about to go pick up the kids from school (I'm braving the roads in the sissy car) and then we are headed to the Rec Center--minus Dax and Gabby who will both be at friend's houses. The funny thing about Gabby's friend is that I just met her and her mom. . .really just met them and then proceeded to invite Gabby over to spend the night. A girls got to do what a girls got to do.

I'll train for the triathlon for a little bit with Gretchen and then she will take my other three kids to her house to spend the night. I will have ZERO children at home tonight. I don't know if that has ever happened. . .maybe when Hays was the only child and he spent the night with my Gran'ma or something!

So, I will have the evening to myself. That is really what makes this day odd. Home. Alone. I can watch whatever I want to watch on TV. I can order Sushi take out because it will be cheaper for only me. I can vacuum my house past eight if I want to. I'm really excited about this evening.

Then I am praying that it doesn't snow another foot tonight because the bachelor-mobile has to get me to Albuquerque tomorrow morning to pick up Rachelle and her son, Tommy, at the airport!

Washer AND dryer just beeped at the same time (when does that ever happen)! I'm off to switch out loads and make up the girls' beds!

Snowing Again This Afternoon!

Dax & Drum Lessons

So, Dax started drum lessons yesterday! And it wasn't just any drum lessons. . .he started West African and Caribbean drums (the conga and the steel drums). It was SO MUCH fun to watch!



I called the school and they said that they usually don't start kids until they are seven. I said that I totally understand, but that Dax's teacher had recommended that I call. Then the teacher said that he would give Dax a trial lesson. . . .

Well, the trial lesson was a hit!!! The teacher was VERY impressed with Dax's natural rhythm (who knew) and he said that he would LOVE to teach Dax!

Dax was so excited! I am so excited! I cannot wait to see where this takes us over the years. Hays is very green with envy (but he is playing the cello this year) and I'm sure Tiki would be, too, if he had any idea!

I'll keep everyone posted on how my little Jamaican is doing. . .we may head to the Caribbean in a few years with our drums and set out our hat and see what kind of cash we can make! It is kind of ironic that when Andy was telling me for the first time that he loved me it was to the distant rhythm of a steel drum band in Honduras.

These Pictures Just Came

I just received these pictures from Brian Luwis at America World Adoption. We were their "pilot family" for Rwandan adoptions. This is the group of America World families and their children who left Rwanda today. This gives me warm fuzzies!

A New Adventure For Me

Well, apparently not enough has changed in my life because I am embarking on a new and exciting adventure! My passion is adoption. I love to help people with adoptions. Getting orphans into loving and Christians is what I love doing! It is my heart beat!

My brother, Brady, once told me to figure out what my passion is--what I love--and then pursue that. He gave me that advice when I started AnNi Designs because it combined my passion for adoption with my love for designing clothing.

Well, with Andy's suggestion and total blessing, I am going to take that one step further. I am starting an adoption agency. Right now I am just researching how to do that. Colorado has many very state-specific laws for their agencies and I think it may be a long and potentially confusing process, but so worth it in the end!

I am working with a friend from our church and our life group, too. He is a child and family therapist and he and his wife are starting the adoption process from Rwanda!!! (Tiki inspired them to take that next step!) He is going to be my social worker for my agency. He has already looked into the requirements and for him it is just a 2 day course in Denver in March. So, I already have my social worker in place! (Thank you, Darren! I am so excited to journey along side of you!)

I just want to help! I want to help families and I cannot help families in Colorado without being an agency. Also, I have found (thanks to Darren's wife, Valerie) that there are no local domestic adoption agencies in Durango. If a teen girl gets pregnant and doesn't want the baby, her only alternative to abortion is to drive to Denver to get the adoption process rolling. How many pregnant teen girls want to drive thirteen hours (round trip) to get that ball rolling?

If one in seven Christian families would adopt, then there would be NO ORPHANS left in the world. ZERO! I want to be a part of that. . .a bigger part than just the two children from Rwanda I have in my home!

So, please pray! Please pray that I can figure out (quickly) what Colorado will require of me to become an "adoption professional." Please pray that I can get a business plan all drawn up with a thorough mission statement and everything that a business plan entails. Please pray that all of the pieces fall into place and that I can be organized as I gather may information. This is SO EXCITING for me, for Andy, for our family, for Darren and for a few of my friends wanting to get their adoptions started in Colorado!

I am thrilled! I feel revitalized! I feel like I have some purpose beyond my wonderful family! I feel like I can really help connect families with their children like I couldn't before! I will keep everyone up to date with the details! If you have any direction, I'd love some! This is a dream come true and it has all fallen into place (this far) over the weekend (two years of praying and then this shower of pieces in place this weekend). . .God is SO FAITHFUL!!!

Movie Cry Night

So last night was pretty pathetic! Maggie and I curled up and watched Marley & Me. Why would I willingly do that again? She and I sat on the couch and bawled our eyes out the entire time. I think having our sweet old man, Jake right outside our door doesn't help matters much. Poor Maggie, it took her a while to get a hold of herself.


Why I cry at Marley & Me:
Jake & Dax Summer 2006...Me & Chaco Summer 2009


Then after the kids went to bed I watched Father of the Bride 2. Another cry movie. . .when Annie leaves her family to move across the country. It is more than I can handle. Her dad, George (Steve Martin), is so much like my dad. . .so sentimental and dearly pathetic when it comes to his kids. So, I pretty much had a cry fest last night thanks to Hollywood.

Lost Tooth & Today's Recap

Tiki lost a tooth last night! It really isn't any big deal since it was lost tooth number 8, but it was lost tooth number 1 as a Braner. I also don't really know why it was a big deal because I'm not a big fan of lost teeth and the Tooth Fairy and all of that. I just don't care and it isn't a big deal to me (I know, I'm such a sentimental schmuck). But when Tiki's tooth fell out last night it was so sweet to me. He didn't even know he was supposed to be excited. It was just so precious that I got to be a part of something of his childhood--that was the feeling I had--"Oh! I didn't miss this!" I have missed so much in his life and I didn't miss tooth number 8 falling out!

We all snowboarded today. It was a beautiful day. . .a no coat day on the mountain! Perfectly beautiful! Hays is rockin' on the half pipe! Maggie is boarding down the mountain making super turns! Dax is getting braver and doing toe side and heel side. Tiki is gaining some grace and control and he is really good! And Andy spent the day being patient with me! We had a "snowboard date." It wasn't my idea of ultimate romance, but it was very sweet! He was very encouraging and he was a great coach! It was fun being on the mountain with my family! (Gabby spends Sunday mornings with a friend while we board.)

(And for all of you church-types. . .our church has two services: one on top of lift one at 2:00 on Sunday and one at 6:00 on Sunday night. Culturally relavent church for a skiing/boarding community!)

Andy is off to Dallas for the week! I have him booked with all kinds of fun people: his roommate from Baylor, his KOT big brother, his real little brother, some great Kivu kids and parents, a couple of great Dallas based ministries and he is spear-heading spiritual imphasis week at Trinity Christian Academy. We will miss him, but he loves what he does and we love living like bachelors while he is gone!

All is well in the Braner home. Our Valentine's Day card is in the works and I cannot wait to get it out! I have a dear friend coming for a visit this coming weekend! Andy maybe (?!?!?) a new-used car tomorrow!?!??!

I love you all!

Today Has Not Been The Day It Started Out To Be

Frustrating. That is my word for today. It started out fine. It was another beautiful day in Colorado. We woke up to another three or four inches of snow and the trees were dressed beautifully with an inch or two of snow on every tiny little branch. I do love living here. Each day takes my breath away! I got the kids to school (Hays and Maggie only. . .Tiki was asked not to come to school today. . .that is a whole other story. . .a fine one--no worries, but another story) and I headed home with Tiki, Dax and Gabby.

Well, for those of you who haven't seen my driveway (most of you), it is CRAZY! It should have its own road sign about steep grade and trucks use low gear and icy conditions may exist and so on and so forth. We had run out of salt and so, I knew the driveway was slippery. . .therefor I parked at the top (but not on the road, lest I get in trouble by the Edgemont Nazi).

I was parked behind Andy (not actually Andy's car, because he owns a car that shouldn't be owned in Colorado--a little "bachelor-mobile" and he is driving a camp truck today). So, when Andy was ready to leave for work, I ran up to move my car. I couldn't. Try as I might, it just slid all over the place. So, I hopped out and asked Andy to move it because I would have much rather him slide into the truck than me. . .which he did. . .a few times.

In the process of sliding and spinning out and getting nowhere--except further DOWN the driveway, something BROKE. Literally. . .broken metal on our driveway. . . ! What was it? Who knows?!?! It came from the differential/transmission/axle area of my Suburban. Nice. Metal of some important sort scattered all over my icy driveway.

So, we waited until noon for the tow truck to arrive. . .he was late because a semi was jackknifed in our neighborhood (hopefully he got some sort of violation from the above mentioned Edgemont Nazi)! While we waited I had a complete emotional breakdown. Complete to the point of laying on my tummy on my bathroom floor (heated floor) and crying. Real mature. I know. I was just so overwhelmed. . . .

My car has been in the shop for a total of three months out of the six months we have lived here. I have rented cars. I have borrowed cars. And my favorite (and your favorite, too). . .I have test driven every car in the greater Durango area. . .and unfortunately, I think the dealers are on to my tricks. We have one broken car (mine) and one car that is completely worthless from November to April. We have a house we own in Branson (and are making payments on) and we are living in a wonderful rental in Durango. Money is tight and I broke down!

Thank you, Gretchen, I am borrowing your car. . .I'm about to go pick you up from work. So, we are set for a few more minutes. Thank you, Jan, for letting me sob to you on the phone and for being willing to take me to pick up a rental if I needed to.

Bottom line is that we need at least one new (new to us, used is fine) car so that we can get this Party of 7 moving.

My pity party/emotional break down is over. . .thankfully. I am acting more my age and more like the I-got-it-all-pulled-together mother that I am supposed to be. I wish I had pictures of the car pieces and of the Suburban pressed up against the truck, but this morning wasn't the picture taking time! (Jan, where were you?!?!)

I'm feeling better. The kids are home. Their friends Kenna, Kayla and Carver are over. I get to spend 20 minutes with Gretchen when I pick her up from work (and I am needing some peer time). And we have Life Group tonight. Things are looking up and today is getting back on the tracks of the day it started out to be.

I need to stumble across a Nissan Armada that isn't yellow or red or white (although I could handle white) and that has low mileage and is four wheel drive. That same Armada needs to be almost free and the dealer needs to be so excited about taking our bachelor-mobile off of our hands. Then I need to get my Suburban fixed and either deal with it or find some soul who wants to buy it and sell it for parts. . .it has some really amazing cup holders just caked with old Dr. Pepper and smashed french fries that the right person would just love! There is my wish list for today. I'm a simple girl! :)

Blessings to you all. It is good to know that I have friends. Friends don't slide or break or smash or get too many miles on them. I love friends (and family)!!!

Picture Preview

Okay, Jan just gave me a teaser of the pics to come. I am SO EXCITED! Thank you, Jan! (Go to Jan Schill Photography by clicking here.)

I LOVE THEM and I cannot wait for more!!!

Video

MAKE SURE AND GO TO THE BOTTOM OF MY BLOG AND PAUSE THE MUSIC SO THAT YOU CAN HEAR THE VIDEO!!!

Film Festival: Rwanda Documentary Trailer from Inflatable Film on Vimeo.

Get Ready. . . .

We just took our family pictures for our annual Valentine's Day card!!! Get excited! My girlfriend, Jan Schill, spent the afternoon with us and took so many fun pics! I cannot wait to see how they turn out! We had some tears because it was VERY cold and we were dressed more for pictures than for the weather! :) I can't wait!

Have You Shoveled Your Roof Lately?

Well, this post is for everyone, but mostly for BeBe (Andy's mom) so that you can see both what wonderful works your son has been up to around the home-front and what amazing danger he has been UP to! Enjoy the pics of roof shoveling...a whole new aspect of living in amazingly wonderfully beautiful Colorado!



And a big thank you, too, to Luke for helping Andy shovel our roof! I am so thankful that Andy got to climb on our roof with you today and be a manly servant and have fun with his friend at the same time!









In this picture I am trying to give some perspective as to just how high our roof is! My leg made the shot because I was stuck in the snow up past my waist (feet still not touching the ground) and I was trying to get a picture of the house without falling completely into the snow. . .it ultimately didn't work out!


The view from my upstairs loft office (inside) out onto our roof. The pictures below are also looking from inside my office out onto the roof!





They are still up there (going on about three hours now) and I just heard this TERRIBLY loud crashing sound that literally shook the house. . .nerve wracking, but I don't hear panic in any voice, so I guess it was snow and not a body that went crashing down! I think I'll just stick to shoveling the driveway!!!

Inside Looking Out

More Pics From Our Snow Day

The Weather!!!

Picking Dax up from school yesterday!


A deer that was "high centered" by the kids school yesterday!


Our back porch. . .note that we shoveled off our railing last night AND our railing is UNDER a porch. . .we are getting TONS of snow and MORE ON THE WAY!!!


Driving the kids to school yesterday! We're not in Branson anymore!

The Weekend

The kids and I had a great weekend! Andy has been in Florida (and now he is in Missouri) and the kids and I have had a really great time! Tiki started the weekend with a very successful afternoon at a friend's house! I was so happy! We then went to our small group at Valerie and Darren's house with the Willis family. It was really refreshing.

On Saturday we went out for Chinese and just chilled at home.

Sunday was snowboarding day! All of the kids (not Gabby) had lessons and it was so fun to watch! Hays has gotten really good! He got to work on the half pipe and he was so stoked! Maggie has improved so much since last year! It was so fun to watch both of them cruise down the mountain like little teenagers! Crazy! Dax and Tiki are a hoot! Their personalities come out so much on their boards. Dax is much more cautious and he gets down the mountain in the safest way possible (kind of like his mom). Tiki, on the other hand, has NO fear! The instructor just points Tiki's board downhill and he ends up in the bottom either in a snow drift or in a body roll (sometimes he stops before the bottom-of-the-hill disaster). Then he gets right back up again and goes. It is hysterical!




Monday was a day off from school for MLK day. I had so much to say about MLK day, but no words. It is amazing to me all Dr. King did for America and the people of America, but also for my family. I stand amazed. Anyway, Hays went boarding with Luke. Maggie went to a friend's house. I started my official triathlon training. And then we had the Schill family over for dinner.

I think Gabby must be growing because she took a five hour nap every day this weekend. Wow!

The weekend was refreshing and relaxing and fun. I love my kids. I miss my husband. This week we are supposed to get 23 inches of snow, so there will be many hours of shoveling the driveway ahead of me!

Please continue to pray for our house to sell!!!

Please, also, pray for Hays's dear friend, Chase. In 2006 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and they just went back to the doctor on Friday and it is growing again. Chase is a wonderful and fun-loving eleven year old who loves life and his mother, Melissa, is an amazing woman! Pray for Chase and his family (mom, dad and sister). Thanks!

TIKI. . .

Tiki got invited to play at a friend's house after school today! I almost cried I was so happy! A little boy who knows him from recess asked his mom if he could invite Tiki over and she said yes!!! I am on cloud nine!!!!