Well, hello again, my blogging friends. I'm so sorry that I have been gone for so long, but I went "off the grid" as my husband would say. I headed to Branson on August 4th (with my dear friend, Kelly, who flew to Durango to drive all the way back with me) and haven't been on the internet since. I am home now and what a whirlwind it has been!!!
August 5
Jean de Dieu Rukarara born on some unknown date in some unknown corner of Rwanda is now officially Tiki Rukarara Braner born on February 3, 2004 (02/03/04--I made it an easy one to remember)!!!! The adoption is COMPLETE and now he has an official birthday and an official name and the birth certificate is on its way! We went to court and had a really good time! I love the "small town-ness" of Taney County! (No pictures because they are on a camera that I loaned to my cousin.)
If I would have had a blog just for this day with my parents, I was going to title it "Snorfboards and Dinglehoppers." What is a snorfboard? Great question! That is what Tiki called the diving boards because he just didn't know what they were called. It reminded me of that scene in "The Little Mermaid" when Ariel is eating dinner as a human for the first time and she doesn't know what to do with the fork, so she brushes her hair with it (at the table) because that is what Sebastian had told her that Dinglehoppers were for. It was a great "ah-ha" moment for me because that is exactly what Tiki's world is like sometimes. He just doesn't know any better. I loved that word picture. . .it helped make things make sense for me!
August 6-10
Tiki headed to K1! Thanks to Kris and Joel and Matt, Tiki had the amazing opportunity to be a day camper this summer and HE LOVED IT! He immediately left for "trip" when I dropped him off and my little day camper spent the night in a tent away from Mommy the very first night! TIKI WAS BORN FOR CAMP!!!
I stayed with my WONDERFUL Gran'ma for the entire time I was in Branson. It was so wonderful! She means the world to me and I am so thankful for our time together! We talked and laughed and enjoyed one another's "silent" company as we ready. We played Yatzee like we did when I was younger. It was food for my soul. I loved being with my Gran'ma and I loved watching her love my kids! We are so blessed to have her in our lives!
My "daughter," Caroline came down to visit for the weekend (for her birthday). She is from Germany and she lived with us back in 1999-2000 and she has been a family member ever since! She is in Kansas City for the summer doing a law internship and she drove down to see me. It was so great to see her again!
I got to go back to my church, James River, both Sundays that I was in town. The first Sunday was bitter sweet because my pastor was in COLORADO, but it was still so good to be at James River with my church family! The worship and fellowship was wonderful!
Meanwhile, Hays and Maggie were at K1 loving life. Tiki, too, was loving life! Every night that I picked him up he begged to stay. That made my heart so happy!
My cousin, Lori, came to town to pick up her kids from camp. I always love spending those two days with her every summer. I love her so much!
My wonderful "manny," Dalton, also came back for a visit. He just can't get enough of us!
August 11-12
I got to pick up my kids from camp. I was so happy to see them and so happy to have our family together again! IT WAS SO HOT, THOUGH!!! YUCK! But it was worth it! I loved hearing all of the wonderful things that Hays and Maggie's counselors had to say about them. Hays got the I'm Third cabin ribbon. They said that he was so mature and so unselfish and it was neat to hear someone else recognize those great qualities in him that I know are there! Maggie got the Leadership cabin ribbon and her counselors said that she was compassionate and sweet and fun to be around.
My sister was in town with her kids and it was fun to see them. She was sweet enough to go to my kids' awards ceremonies and sweat it out. That meant a lot to me.
August 13-17
We pretty much played every day at K-Kaua'i pool. It was heavenly!!! It was so nice to be hot. . . so hot that I just had to jump in the pool and play with the kids. . .and jump off the high dive and ride the water slide! I had a blast and got TAN!!! K-Kaua'i was also so perfect because I was surrounded by so many people who loved me and my kids were surrounded by their best friends. My parents played with us every day. The Blackwells and the Piersons and the Nimrods were there almost daily. The Sparks and the Houstons and the Dolloffs and the Watsons and the Duncans and so many other people were there. It was SO REFRESHING!!!
I got to go to James River again and Pastor John was there and HE BROUGHT IT!!! Best sermon ever!!! Ahhhhhh. . .again, refreshing!!!
August 18
We got up at four in the morning and headed to Durango. My dad drove with us and it was great!
August 19-today
We were so excited to see Andy again. They kids could not have missed him more. I loved seeing them see their dad again finally!
We played hard while Pops was in town! Rec center, Alpine slides and BMX riding were just a few of the highlights! We also headed to the Willis home last night for dinner and s'mores around the fire! It is good to be back HOME!
Lesley is also in town hanging out and helping me get back in the swing of things. She is the best!!
Well, that was a quick highlight from the past couple of weeks. School starts tomorrow. WOW! It is going to be emotional for me!!! Hays starts middle school (WOW), Maggie is in fourth grade, Tiki and Dax are in Kindergarten (dropping Dax off tomorrow is going to do me in) and Gabby will be in pre school two days a week. What am I going to do with myself? Work!
Today Lesley and I white gloved the pantry and the fridge! I am so thankful that project is finished! Whoo Hooo!!!
Tonight I had to cut Dax's MeMo apart (his blanket). I am putting little pieces of it in his pockets and his backpack. . .just in case he needs a little "drag" while he is at school. I almost cried cutting up my baby's treasure!
August 5
Jean de Dieu Rukarara born on some unknown date in some unknown corner of Rwanda is now officially Tiki Rukarara Braner born on February 3, 2004 (02/03/04--I made it an easy one to remember)!!!! The adoption is COMPLETE and now he has an official birthday and an official name and the birth certificate is on its way! We went to court and had a really good time! I love the "small town-ness" of Taney County! (No pictures because they are on a camera that I loaned to my cousin.)
We then headed out to see my parents at K2 where the three little kids spent the day on the slip 'n' slide and the water slides even though it was cloudy and rainy all day! My dad's deer (he has one every summer) enjoyed the slides with the kids, too. It was so crazy! After the slides, we hopped into a boat and headed to Pizza Huton the lake. It was so good to be with my parents again. I love them so!
August 6-10Tiki headed to K1! Thanks to Kris and Joel and Matt, Tiki had the amazing opportunity to be a day camper this summer and HE LOVED IT! He immediately left for "trip" when I dropped him off and my little day camper spent the night in a tent away from Mommy the very first night! TIKI WAS BORN FOR CAMP!!!
I stayed with my WONDERFUL Gran'ma for the entire time I was in Branson. It was so wonderful! She means the world to me and I am so thankful for our time together! We talked and laughed and enjoyed one another's "silent" company as we ready. We played Yatzee like we did when I was younger. It was food for my soul. I loved being with my Gran'ma and I loved watching her love my kids! We are so blessed to have her in our lives!
My "daughter," Caroline came down to visit for the weekend (for her birthday). She is from Germany and she lived with us back in 1999-2000 and she has been a family member ever since! She is in Kansas City for the summer doing a law internship and she drove down to see me. It was so great to see her again!
I got to go back to my church, James River, both Sundays that I was in town. The first Sunday was bitter sweet because my pastor was in COLORADO, but it was still so good to be at James River with my church family! The worship and fellowship was wonderful!
Meanwhile, Hays and Maggie were at K1 loving life. Tiki, too, was loving life! Every night that I picked him up he begged to stay. That made my heart so happy!
My cousin, Lori, came to town to pick up her kids from camp. I always love spending those two days with her every summer. I love her so much!
My wonderful "manny," Dalton, also came back for a visit. He just can't get enough of us!
August 11-12I got to pick up my kids from camp. I was so happy to see them and so happy to have our family together again! IT WAS SO HOT, THOUGH!!! YUCK! But it was worth it! I loved hearing all of the wonderful things that Hays and Maggie's counselors had to say about them. Hays got the I'm Third cabin ribbon. They said that he was so mature and so unselfish and it was neat to hear someone else recognize those great qualities in him that I know are there! Maggie got the Leadership cabin ribbon and her counselors said that she was compassionate and sweet and fun to be around.
My sister was in town with her kids and it was fun to see them. She was sweet enough to go to my kids' awards ceremonies and sweat it out. That meant a lot to me.
August 13-17We pretty much played every day at K-Kaua'i pool. It was heavenly!!! It was so nice to be hot. . . so hot that I just had to jump in the pool and play with the kids. . .and jump off the high dive and ride the water slide! I had a blast and got TAN!!! K-Kaua'i was also so perfect because I was surrounded by so many people who loved me and my kids were surrounded by their best friends. My parents played with us every day. The Blackwells and the Piersons and the Nimrods were there almost daily. The Sparks and the Houstons and the Dolloffs and the Watsons and the Duncans and so many other people were there. It was SO REFRESHING!!!
I got to go to James River again and Pastor John was there and HE BROUGHT IT!!! Best sermon ever!!! Ahhhhhh. . .again, refreshing!!!
August 18
We got up at four in the morning and headed to Durango. My dad drove with us and it was great!
August 19-today
We were so excited to see Andy again. They kids could not have missed him more. I loved seeing them see their dad again finally!
We played hard while Pops was in town! Rec center, Alpine slides and BMX riding were just a few of the highlights! We also headed to the Willis home last night for dinner and s'mores around the fire! It is good to be back HOME!
Lesley is also in town hanging out and helping me get back in the swing of things. She is the best!!
Well, that was a quick highlight from the past couple of weeks. School starts tomorrow. WOW! It is going to be emotional for me!!! Hays starts middle school (WOW), Maggie is in fourth grade, Tiki and Dax are in Kindergarten (dropping Dax off tomorrow is going to do me in) and Gabby will be in pre school two days a week. What am I going to do with myself? Work!
Today Lesley and I white gloved the pantry and the fridge! I am so thankful that project is finished! Whoo Hooo!!!
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