Saturday, July 11, 2009
Durango. . .It's Official!!!
The Braners are now land ownders in Durango, Colorado! Yesterday we bought a lot in Edgemont Highlands and we are SO excited! It is just a lot. . .we can picnic there, but we are land owners. We're still praying that our home in Branson will sell soon so that we can build a house on our lot or buy the house next door to our lot. But step one has been taken. I hope that the Durango school district thinks that a lot is enough to enroll. . .for some reason, I don't think it will be. Oh well. We have a lot! :)
Friday, July 10, 2009
AnNi Designs
We are 100% up to date and our new summer line is ready to be sold! We are supporting three wonderful families: The Spores (Rwanda), the Robinsons (Ethiopia) and the Braners!!! Go check out (and buy) shirts from AnNi and help all of us bring home our children!!!
AnNi Designs (just click and go!!!)
AnNi Designs (just click and go!!!)
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Fun Night Out & New Rwanda Shirts
Last night Andy and I went to dinner with Andrew & Jan Schill. . .some of our new Durango friends! We had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, AnNi Designs (www.annidesigns.com) has new colors of Rwanda shirts available! Help us bring Jean de Dieu home but purchasing a shirt at AnNi Designs! (And please become a fan of AnNi Designs on Facebook!)
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Care Package For Our Boy
I am sending a care package to Ruk (that is what I'm calling him for now. . .his "last" name is Rukara and saying "Ruk" is so much easier than Jean de Dieu). My dear friend, Becca, is heading to Rwanda next week and she is taking a care package to my boy!!! (She agreed to taking a small photo album, but I'm afraid the package is more than just that--sorry, Becca!)
I made him a fun scrapbook. I put pictures of him in it. I put family pictures in it and a "layout" of each one of his siblings. I gave him birthdays and birth places so that he could see different things about our crazy family: he can see that he shares a birth month with Maggie and that he shares a birth country with Gabby. I wanted him to see that we were born in all different places (Georgia, Missouri, Colorado and Rwanda). I put in several words in both English and Kinyarwanda such as family, ice cream, rice, many of the colors and the days of the week.
My favorite thing I sent is four ribbons. I cut a ribbon to each one of my kids' height so that he could see how tall his siblings are. I thought this may be helpful as he wonders about these crazy people coming to get him! :)
I sent him a Build A Bear. . .I have been wanting to do this since 2005. All of my kids have matching bears that they all got as infants. When we started the China process, I dreamed of sending our little China baby her Build A Bear and now I get to do it. . .I get to send my dear boy his bear. Corny, I know, but something I've been dreaming of. Thank you, Kelly, for making Ruk's bear and kissing the heart before it got sewn in!!!!
I'm also sending 2 disposable cameras (thank you, Melissa for getting those) so that he can take pictures of his life and of his friends and whatever he wants to take pictures of. I cannot wait to develop those pictures when he finally comes home and put them in his scrapbook!!!
So, Becca, it is more than a scrapbook, but I didn't think you'd mind too much! I also sent your POA letter, too, so that you could see him on our behalf!!!
Prayerfully Becca can have a good translator as she tells him about his gifts and about his new family. I cannot wait to hear all about him. Our POA is not one for mushy details, so I am praying that Becca can send me some. I want to know the following things (just for starters):
1. What did he do when he found out he was getting adopted? What are his thoughts? I would really love ALL of the details from that conversation!!!
2. What is he like?
3. What size clothes does he wear?
4. What is his favorite thing to do?
5. Does he speak any English?
6. Is he excited about being adopted? Scared? Unwilling?
7. What is his history? I just know that he has been in the orphanage since he was an infant.
8. Does he have siblings in the orphanage? (If so, they need to be coming home with us, too!!!!!)
So, I'm just emotionally pacing. I cannot wait to go get him! I pray that he is a cuddler. . .I'm just dying to cuddle my little guy. No worries, though. . .I've been reading enough adopting older children books to know that it may or may not be a cuddly walk in the park!
I'm dying to know when his court date is. I really want to go get him NOW!!! I really don't want to wait for Andy to go at the end of August. We'll see! I'll keep you posted with actual dates and details when I get them. Crazy!
I made him a fun scrapbook. I put pictures of him in it. I put family pictures in it and a "layout" of each one of his siblings. I gave him birthdays and birth places so that he could see different things about our crazy family: he can see that he shares a birth month with Maggie and that he shares a birth country with Gabby. I wanted him to see that we were born in all different places (Georgia, Missouri, Colorado and Rwanda). I put in several words in both English and Kinyarwanda such as family, ice cream, rice, many of the colors and the days of the week.
My favorite thing I sent is four ribbons. I cut a ribbon to each one of my kids' height so that he could see how tall his siblings are. I thought this may be helpful as he wonders about these crazy people coming to get him! :)
I sent him a Build A Bear. . .I have been wanting to do this since 2005. All of my kids have matching bears that they all got as infants. When we started the China process, I dreamed of sending our little China baby her Build A Bear and now I get to do it. . .I get to send my dear boy his bear. Corny, I know, but something I've been dreaming of. Thank you, Kelly, for making Ruk's bear and kissing the heart before it got sewn in!!!!
I'm also sending 2 disposable cameras (thank you, Melissa for getting those) so that he can take pictures of his life and of his friends and whatever he wants to take pictures of. I cannot wait to develop those pictures when he finally comes home and put them in his scrapbook!!!
So, Becca, it is more than a scrapbook, but I didn't think you'd mind too much! I also sent your POA letter, too, so that you could see him on our behalf!!!
Prayerfully Becca can have a good translator as she tells him about his gifts and about his new family. I cannot wait to hear all about him. Our POA is not one for mushy details, so I am praying that Becca can send me some. I want to know the following things (just for starters):
1. What did he do when he found out he was getting adopted? What are his thoughts? I would really love ALL of the details from that conversation!!!
2. What is he like?
3. What size clothes does he wear?
4. What is his favorite thing to do?
5. Does he speak any English?
6. Is he excited about being adopted? Scared? Unwilling?
7. What is his history? I just know that he has been in the orphanage since he was an infant.
8. Does he have siblings in the orphanage? (If so, they need to be coming home with us, too!!!!!)
So, I'm just emotionally pacing. I cannot wait to go get him! I pray that he is a cuddler. . .I'm just dying to cuddle my little guy. No worries, though. . .I've been reading enough adopting older children books to know that it may or may not be a cuddly walk in the park!
I'm dying to know when his court date is. I really want to go get him NOW!!! I really don't want to wait for Andy to go at the end of August. We'll see! I'll keep you posted with actual dates and details when I get them. Crazy!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Fun Days With Great Friends
The Pierson Family has been here for a week and we have been having a blast! Yesterday we went up to Ouray to play in the hot springs! Enjoy the pics!
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