If Home Is Where Your Heart Is. . . .

I just got to Skype with Becca!!! So fun! I miss her so much and I am so proud of her. . .she moved her family to Rwanda for three months because the opportunity became available! She jumped! I'm so proud of her. . .I know that it has been difficult and lonely at times, but she has done something for her family that will be a huge part of their lives for a long time! No news about the adoption. Our court date was yesterday and I haven't heard anything. Prayerfully we passed and prayerfully we can head to Rwanda (we being Hays and me) this weekend! If we can get there Sunday, then I can get the passport paperwork started and picked up by Friday so that I can head to Ethiopia to get our visa work processed and be home in only two weeks this time (instead of the month that it took for Gabby). We'll see. Hopefully I'll hear something from someone today! The Braners are doing super in Durango! School is still a TEN for Hays, Maggie and Dax. Soccer practice tonigh...

These are just a few random pics from the last few weeks that I just uploaded from my iPhone. Enjoy! Dax & Gabby waiting for Hays & Maggie to get out of school yesterday. Gabby "playing" soccer at the "big" kids' soccer clinic. Soccer with a view!!! This sure beats the cow field on Hillbilly Lane!!! Hays & Maggie at school. . .first day. . .the new kids!!! All of the kids on the first day of school! Dax trying to master chop sticks at our favorite: East by Southwest!!! Yummy! The moving truck packing up our house in Missouri! Rae, Gabby & Tred at the K-Kaua'i pool. Gabby at K-Kaua'i!

So, Hays woke up yesterday morning and told me he had a nightmare! He said that he woke up crying. When I asked him what he dreamed about, he said that in his dream I told him that we were moving back to Branson. Wow! Needless to say, we LOVE it here! We love the school and we love the people! I feel so at home. THANK YOU, GOD! What an answer to many prayers! Andy is home! Another answered prayer!

Well, school started today! Wow! I have a 5th grader, a 3rd grader (a 1st greader on the way), a pre schooler (call it PreK or he won't go) and a 2 year old. I can't believe it. As I was trying to go to sleep last night, I just kept thinking, "ready or not. . . ." I wasn't this morning. I dropped the kids off and had myself a good cry. Crazy the way life goes. (I tried uploading first day pictures, but I cannot find my cord. . .somewhere in the mess of boxes in our new house!) Adoption news: Andy said that we got our Act of Adoption today and that our court date is a week from today! I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I'll take it! Once we pass court on Monday, the travel letter should come that week and I should leave (with Hays). So, maybe we'll take off around Labor Day! I would love for that to be the case!

WOW!!! My life is never dull. . .I always find myself wondering (often out loud), when will life settle down? Maybe it never does. . .maybe this is normal. Normal is often exhausting and overwhelming! So, I've moved across the country (to a place I love). I've changed jobs. My kids have changed schools. We've had the Swine Flu this summer, we've had the chicken pox and now not only do we have Impetigo, but we have the Whooping Cough!!! What in the world?!?!?!? The Whooping Cough???? I thought it became "extinct" in 1920 or something. We do. We have it. I've been on the phone with the Health Department and the National CDC (they called me) for the past three days. They have put all of us on antibiotics as a preventative measure (only one of us has actually been diagnosed with it). They have also had me call everyone we have been in contact with and have them start a Z-pack. Sometimes my life is surreal. (This is the plush toy version of the Whooping Cough g...

Yesterday was our last day with Pops and we had a great time! I showed him Baker's Bridge. . .my favorite place in Durango! WE LOVE YOU, POPS!!! Adoption news. . .Andy did not get to meet Ruk, but I am praying with my whole heart that he can before he comes home. We did not get to go to court and we don't have set court date that we know of. It is hard not to be very discouraged, but I'm going to remain upbeat and believe that God's timing is the best and that He has something in mind. . .some wonderfully divine reason why next month is better than now. From Jude 1 (the Message version): Relax, everything is going to be all right; rest, everything is coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!

My dad drove back to Colorado with us after kamp was over and we have had the best time ever! He took us to Durango Mountain Resort to ride the alpine slides and the kids had a blast!!! Having him out here has been better than I could have imagined!!! I have loved having him see our new world. We have taken him everywhere! I love it that he has seen the new house and I love it that he has seen the kids' school and our favorite places to eat and everything! Having him here with us has probably been the highlight of my summer! P.S. On the adoption front. . .I think Andy may be meeting Ruk today! He is in Rwanda and prayerfully he is going to court and getting everything moving again! Please pray for that process! Pray that Andy can get MANY steps finished! The more he gets done, the less time I'll have to spend there. Also pray that it keeps moving because all of our paperwork is about to expire! Yikes! Pray that we can bring Ruk home SO SOON!!!!!! (Also, I have a n...