If Home Is Where Your Heart Is. . . .

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!!...

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.

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. Ti...

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...

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!!!

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 .

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!