If Home Is Where Your Heart Is. . . .

As many of you know, one of Hays's best friends, Chase, has been battling brain cancer for several years.  He has been a trooper and his mom has been absolutely amazing throughout the process.  This has been one roller coaster after another for Chase and his mother and their family.  Good news then bad news and then sort of good news and then terrible news and then some hope and then hope only in God because the news from the doctors is so gloomy. . .and on and on.  Below is Melissa's (Chase's mom) most recent blog post: A quick update - we are in Little Rock - Chase had an MRI today (that in itself is a journal update - what a crazy morning!).  We have decided that since surgery is an option, we are moving forward in that direction.  Surgery is scheduled Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m.  Professor will be doing it along with his team.  We are once again, hoping and believing for a successful surgery; complete removal of the tumor, no weakness to Chase's body, and qu

Andy and I got to get away for the weekend!  It was wonderful and much needed!  Technically, it was for a board meeting, but we made a date weekend out of it anyway! We got to Denver Friday around noon and headed straight for PF Changs.  My rule is that while we are in a big city with good food, we make the most of it!  PF Changs was so perfect for me!  I think because there were no kids, so not only was it peaceful, but I got to order like an adult not really on a eating out budget!  I got to share an appetizer with Andy, order a meal that came with soup and have a Dr. Pepper!  Big splurge! Then we went to IKEA.  I've never been there before and I have heard all of the hype, so when Denver got a new (enormous) one, I thought we should check it out!  I felt like I was at a home decorating zoo or something!  It was a destination--an attraction--all to itself.  Crazy.  I wish I could decorate a dorm room again! After my IKEA first, we headed to an afternoon movie.  From ther

Hays is going to kill me for blogging about this, but my blog has become my family journal and I just can't forget this moment.  Hays started shaving!  Oh my.  I got the weirdest pit in my stomach.  I'm not quite sure why?  Something about my baby shaving made the growing up deal all too real.  Little boys don't shave.  My first born cannot be shaving.  What in the world?  Who would have thought that shaving could be so emotional?  It nearly killed me!  Anyway. . .Hays is now shaving.  Goodbye peach fuzz. 

What a fun long weekend Braner Party of 7 just had! It was priceless! My parents came out to visit and my mom wanted adventure! So, I planned a camping trip up north of Silverton with a jeep tour of the mountains. We had a blast! Camping out with my brood is so perfect because they have the world to explore! I love how happy our family is camping! I think we'll have the memories of this weekend for a very long time!