Hays

Hays got asked to be on the competitive snow boarding team for next season. He is thrilled! I'm so happy for him! This is what he really wanted--he loves to board and he is excited about the opportunity to improve and to compete! Maggie also has the opportunity to try out for the team next year, but she doesn't have the desire like Hays does. I would love for both of them to do it together, but I either way will be super! I can't wait to hear what all it will entail as far as practice (in and out of season) and traveling for competitions. It is fun that this offer came during the Olympics when passion is so high for Hays! He was elated when he found out that Shawn White's "secret" training spot is just up the road from us. . .somehow I think it brought the Olympics a little closer for Hays. . .so who knows what 2018 holds! :) Can you imagine? Anyway, I am just so excited for him to have a dream come true!



Maggie just finishing up on the mountain.


Tiki.


Dax.

March!!!

Okay, I realize that March is still 2 days away, but I am just so excited about it that I have to do my March entry! Today I was doing my March calendar (it can be done because tomorrow is still February, but February 28th fits on the March calendar this year). March is going to be WONDERFUL!!!


March starts out with my table coming! Finally. . .six months later, my heirloom will arrive at my house! I can't wait! I am so proud of it and I am so excited to have it in my home!!!!

On Wednesday, Andy and I head to Hawaii!! I am thrilled! We haven't been there since Christmas of 1997 with my family. It will be so nice to get away and just be party of 2 for a few days. Andy is speaking, so I'll be party of 1 most of the time, but I am so looking forward to several good books by the pool (or maybe by the ocean if I get really crazy)! I'm excited to spend time with Andy and to have some alone time! This little trip is perfect timing!

Then on the following Sunday (a week from tomorrow), we will land at the Durango airport, pick up a rental 15-passenger van, go pick up our kids and drive to Tulsa! The drive will be nuts. . .2 tired and jet-lagged parents and 5 excited children, but it will be worth it! We'll spend a couple of nights (or a night and a half) with BeBe and PaPa! It will be so good to see them and for Tiki to see where they live. The kids will get to pull all of the toys out of the toy closet and just be kids!

Tuesday (the 9th), we will head up to Branson. I cannot wait! I miss my Gran'ma so very much! It will be so good to see her. . .I have never gone this long without seeing her and I miss her like crazy! It will be good to see my parents and all of my Branson friends! I cannot believe all of the people who are so dear to me have not met our son yet. I can't wait to introduce him to Gran'ma and my friends and the place I called "home" for 34 years! I think Tiki will be slightly disappointed that my parents don't actually live in Cabo! (Pizza party at my parents' house on Thursday night for anyone who wants to hug us and meet Tiki!)

From Branson we will fly to Los Angeles! We get to spend Saturday (the 13th) with Brady and Jen. I think we'll be at Downtown Disney most of the day. It will be fun to hang out with them. My kids adore them! They more than adore them. . .I think they kind of idolize them actually! We only listen to Brady and Jen music and they talk about them all of the time. Saturday will be so much fun! (Meanwhile, Andy will be at LAX meeting all of the campers as they arrive for our big mission trip.)

Saturday night we will hop on the airplane and fly to the Philippines for the first annual KIVU El Nido Spring Break trip! YIPEE!!! El Nido is my favorite place on earth and I cannot wait to be there again! I can't wait to play in the ocean with my kids and to introduce Tiki to more new experiences! I'm excited to do this with campers and their families and some of our staff, too! I can't wait to introduce these people to paradise!!!

Then we will be back on the 21st! (Andy will head from the Philippines to Saudi Arabia for a couple of weeks before he comes home.) And still fitting on the March calendar is the first weekend of April and my parents will be here! I can't wait to have them back out to visit. My dad is so excited to go snowboarding with the kids. I am just excited that we'll get to see them again!

So, that is my month. . .my white board month plus! YIPEE!!! What a ride it will be!

My Brother

My sister-in-law, Jennafer LOVES the Ellen show and Brady made this tribute to Ellen. . . . I love my brother! He is hysterical and so dry and he makes me smile!

Extensions, Please!

Well, there isn't much I need to say because the pictures tell all. Gabby did fantastic! She didn't shed a tear and she sat still for five hours while we put extensions in her hair (five hours after I spend three hours brushing her hair out---so eight total hours). What a trooper.








After the all-day hair appointment, I had three parent teacher conferences to go to and I AM SO PROUD OF MY KIDS!!!! Academically, Hays and Maggie are way above their peers. Maggie, of course, needs to not be so social in class, but other than that, her teacher really loves having her in his class. Hays did this great presentation about his year for me during the conference and it was so much fun to hear how he thinks his year has gone. He LOVE his school and I am proud of his progress! He is headed to middle school next year. . .I cannot believe it.

Tiki's conference was wonderful! I absolutely LOVE his teacher, Mrs. Greenberg. She is WONDERFUL! She has set Tiki-specific goals and she recognizes that he has met his goals--she doesn't expect him to be at the same level as his classmates and she appreciates his good qualities. I feel like she really loves him. She is so great and I am SO thankful that she is in Tiki's life!

Gabby Cross Country Skiing

Okay, so this isn't a great picture, but I think just the thought of it make it cute! On Sundays (while the kids do their snow boarding lessons), Gabby goes to a her friends' house: Kate and Abby. Their parents are so fun and so adventurous and when I went to pick Gabby up yesterday, they told me that she had been cross country skiing! NO WAY! That is so awesome! So, here is the one picture that Darren took. I wish I could have seen it myself! Gabby was very proud of herself and in her own babbly-lack-of-understandable-English way, she kept telling her brothers and sister all about something that had the word "ski" in it!

Ice Skating Party

So, last night we FINALLY celebrated Kenna and Kayla's birthdays! They have November birthdays, but they wanted to wait for Tiki to come home. Then it got snowed out. Then the ice rink wasn't available. So, last night, under Winter Storm Warnings and with the promise of up to 27 inches of snow this weekend, we headed to the rink! It was SO much fun! Happy Birthday Willis girls!

My favorite was seeing Dax and Tiki and Gabby on skates. Dax isn't the most adventurous little dude and he had had enough by about the third time around the rink. Tiki is an athlete! On "regular" flooring, he was running around in his skates like he had on tennis shoes. I think with a couple of more days of practice, Tiki will master ice skating! And I think Gabby fell more in the Tiki category rather than in the Dax category. It was so cute to see her on ice skates. . .she was so tall and grown up looking.

Okay, I take that back. . .my very favorite part was Hays. Every time he would fall down there would be a huge rush of girls surrounding him. It was pathetic! The party was all girls plus Hays and his friend, Jonathan. And seriously, every time he fell the girls rushed to his side. . .it was like a magnet or something!

And not to leave Maggie out, she is a hoot! She is so cute and getting so pretty and still so clumsy. I think she spent more time on the ice (sprawled out) than she did actually skating, but she never stopped smiling. Sweet girl.

Then I went to see "Valentine's Day" with some girls who I had never met (I have met one of them before). The movie was okay. . .I was pretty disappointed because I had built it up so much in my mind, I think. The ending was good! The company. . .well it is weird to "meet" new people by going to a movie. They seemed really sweet, though.

Today it is still snowing and Andy and Hays and Maggie are headed to the slopes. Tiki and Dax and Gabby and I are headed to the laundry mat (our washer broke). We'll play some video games and wait for our loads and loads and loads to finish. Life is so fun!


The Willis Family
Brett & Gretchen
Kenna, Kayla & Carver


Andy & Tiki


Maggie & Kayla


Hays & Jonathan


Dax & Carver


Gretchen & Tiki

Happy day!

Enjoy this picture. . .Hays getting ready for snowboarding. . .I think his last words were, "Mom, DO NOT post that on your blog!" Oops!

Girls! Girls! Girls!

Well, yesterday was a day about the girls in my boys' lives. HYSTERICAL!

I picked Dax up from school and his teacher pulled me aside to tell me that Dax has a crush on a little girl named Holly. She also told me that Dax's best friend in his class, Jude, has a crush on Holly, too. And evidently, Jude hit Dax and he hit Holly at one point yesterday because of the attention Holly was giving Dax. (HYSTERICAL!) So, I asked Dax about his new crush and he said, "Miss Ivey?" (his teacher). And I said, "No, Dax. . . .Holly!" Dax says that he just likes Holly as a friend.

And then last night A GIRL CALLED HAYS!!!!! That was a first! Riverview Elementary puts out a directory for the students with everyone's numbers in it. This girl named Reesa called Hays to ask him for Kenna's phone number. Hays was sleeping so I went ahead and gave Reesa the phone number. I wanted to say, "Kenna's number is ten names below where you found Hays's number." But I didn't. I was good. It made me laugh so much to see girls already trying to figure out silly reasons to call Hays. Oh boy!

Getting Help

Today I was so on top of "it" (what is "it" anyway?)! I got up at 5:15 and went to the Rec Center to work out and then ran to the Grocery Store for bread and muffin mix. I got home and put muffins in the oven, made the kids' school lunches and then woke everyone up to get the day going. I know. . .I'm on top of "it". . .not really.

I got the kids out the door and felt totally behind in my day. The house was a wreck and I have all kinds of people scheduled to come over today. . .the guys installing a new part to my washer and dryer, a guy coming to unhook the natural gas so that the guys can install the new part, and a guy to fix our heater (broken heater in Colorado in February isn't great). So I rushed around getting the house clean enough for that to happen (that entailed dumping five loads of clean laundry from the top of my dryer to my bed and putting the remaining five loads of dirty laundry into our "costume" closet).

As I was doing all of this stuff, I was thinking. I was thinking about Bronwyn Rapp and how her house is ALWAYS perfect. I was thinking about Gretchen Willis and how her kids have major responsibilities around her house. I was thinking about my sister-in-law, Missy and how her kids have a cute little chore chart (age appropriate). I was also thinking about how Hays is always wanting money for doing things around the house and how yesterday he said something about saving money for a car for when he turns sixteen (that is forever away--not at all--Hays will be sixteen in less than five years--YIKES).

So, I figured that it is time. I could use some help around the house and my kids could use some responsibility (and Hays needs a car). I ran to Office Depot and had BIG intentions of doing the most amazing chore chart the world has EVER seen, but I found this instead. Thank goodness! It made it easy and simple and I didn't have to spend all day on it for this month and then be a chore chart failure next month.

I am so excited about my new chart! I cannot wait to see what the kids have to say when they get home. Also, I realize that I left Gabby off. . .not only do they not make chore charts for Parties of Seven, but I think she can be "exempt" for at least another year!


This is Gabby just being Gabby as I type this blog entry.


This is one wall of my kitchen. . .right across from the laundry room and right by the door to the garage. This is my attempt at being more on top of "it" for 2010.

Frontier Airlines

So, not only can Frontier get me from Durango to Los Cabos (via Denver), but as of April 20th, Frontier Airlines can get me from Durango to Branson (via Denver) round trip for under $200. . .AND it can get my friends and family from Branson to Durango (hint! hint!)! I am SO excited! I feel so much closer all of a sudden! Yipee for Frontier!

My Husband

My husband is so good to me!


Lately I've been getting really bad cabin fever. I just feel like I don't go anywhere here in Colorado. Back in Missouri I had so many people I could just "run" to go see if I needed to get out. I could pop over to the Kanakuk offices and see my Gran'ma and my mom and my friend, Beth, at any moment during the day. My girlfriend, Melissa, was at my house every single Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. Any afternoon, I could see my friends in the pick up line at school or just after school. I miss Tuesday nights at McDonald's with Kelly and her kids and I miss Becca and her kids moving in with us when both of our hubbies were out of town. I miss my dad taking my kids (one by one) in the afternoon for mystery trips and I miss my Gran'ma having my kids during the weekends. There was so much happening in Branson and so many people "happening" with. There was so much fellowship and love in my life!

I AM SO HAPPY HERE!!! I am SO HAPPY and I have some great friends! That is my disclaimer to this post! (Just a little FYI.)

However, here there isn't as much "popping" in or daily fellowship. I hang out at the house and work and clean and play with Gabby and Dax (on the days he is home), but I am missing my peer and family time! (I think the kids are missing it, too!)

So, Andy has been so good this week about trying to "get me out." He almost pushed me out the door to Bible Study yesterday morning so that I could have fellowship with neat women. He came home a little early from work yesterday so that I could go to the gym with Gretchen. It has been so special for me to see how aware he has been of my "missing" feelings this week.

THANK YOU, ANDY! I love you! And I am so excited for our trip to Hawai'i in two weeks for today (more blogging on that to come)!!!

Deep Thoughts From The Tread Mill

Well, I was on the tread mill yesterday and I forgot to bring my iPod, so I got to think for a couple of miles. . . .

About 14 months ago, Pastor John did a sermon on TAKING HEART. . .TAKE HEART. . .TAKE, it is an ACTION verb! I have to choose to take heart. . .all of that is a different story for a different post. . . .

And the last couple of years I have been struck so many times by LOVE and how love is a CHOICE. . .I have to CHOOSE TO LOVE other people (often it isn't just a natural lovey dovey feeling). . .CHOOSE TO LOVE. . .LOVE. . .that is an ACTION verb! Again, another post for another time. . . .

Yesterday I was struck by a third ACTION verb: LIVE. This year I have found myself just surviving. When people ask me how I am doing, my response is often that I am surviving. And that is a nice and happy response. . .however, on the tread mill it hit me that I need to be LIVING my life and not just surviving it! I need to be actively living my life and not passively surviving. This may not make sense to anyone, but it was my tread mill deep thought and something that I really want to (and need to) put into practice!

I need to actively live and love. I need to be proactive in my living and in my loving! This is my new challenge! LIVE MY LIFE!

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day. Here is a picture of what I look at every day. . .propped up against my computer is a bundle of all of the letters Andy has written me. They are all tied up in a little blue ribbon that my Gran'ma gave me just for this purpose fifteen years ago! When I went to school in London (leaving Andy in Waco for my absence to make his heart grow fonder), Gran'ma gave me the little blue ribbon to tie all of his love letters together. Andy. . .my Valentine.

Getting Ready. . .

Today I brought the . . . WAIT! First things first! I got a new car! Thank you to all of you who were praying about our car situation! I got a Nissan Armada and I am so excited about it!

Okay, back to today . . . I picked up my kids and the Willis kids and we came home to have an afternoon of getting ready for their Valentine's Day parties at school tomorrow! We made Rice Krispy treats, sugar cookies and cards! It was so much fun! The dining room and the kitchen are a MESS, but we had many laughs! We even made a Valentine's Day playlist for Hays and Kenna's class party!

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!