I finally did it

I decided it was finally time to start my own blog. Mostly for me to look back a few years down the road and see what was going on in my life. A few years ago, right before Christmas, our house burned down. Kasey had just turned 3, and it started in his room. He came to our room and woke me up. If he hadn't woke up or gotten me, he (and probably even us) would not be here today, and I am so thankful for that. He is my little hero! I had baby books for the boys, but lost them in the fire. So those milestones - first teeth, first foods, first steps, and ect. - are lost, but from now on, I plan to keep up with everything that happens. My memory is not so great anymore, so I know this will help.

So here is a little bit of what is going on in my life right now, just in case you're interested! On April 15th, I will have been married for 7 years to my first and last love, Robert. We actually got married on Easter, and I guess he thought that was a pretty good deal, because he knew he wouldn't forget our anniversary! Well obviously he wasn't thinking very clearly and didn't realize that Easter is not on the same day every year! So now we joke about it, and celebrate twice every year, once on Easter, and again on April 15. We have been through some rough times, but who hasn't! It has only made us stronger. After surviving the fire, living with Robert's mom for a while, and renting a house, we finally bought our first house together in October of 2006. It was so much fun to be able to add our own touches the the place, even though Robert did most of the work. He painted our dining room 4 different times before he finally got it how he wanted it. It looks great now, but what a ride! He wouldn't let me help, but insisted that I stay up late nights with him and keep him company while he got it done. He keeps me laughing and makes my life very interesting for sure! Together we have the two most amazing little boys anybody could ever ask for. Kasey Branch and Koy Braylen. They have changed us completely and make us better people.
Kase is 6 1/2, and totally and completely amazes me every day. He is SO SMART and artistic! Give him a new song, a cd player so he can play it over and over again, and about 30 minutes and he can sing it back word for word without the music. Johnny Cash is his favorite. He was singing Folsom Prison Blues at age 5. I just wish he wasn't so shy and would sing in front of other people. Give him a blank piece of paper and a pen, pencil, or whatever, and he can draw whatever you ask him to. Pickups and trailers are his specialty though. He's really into legos right now, so just watch where you walk in my house, because they are everywhere! He can take a set made for adults, look at the instructions, and build it exactly how it is supposed to be. If he can do all this at 6, I can only imagine where he will be at 18!
Koy turned 4 in February and he is definately my "Ira"! If you know my brother Ira, then you know what I mean. He's the second child, stubborn, hard headed, and funny on so many different levels. He hasn't really shown me any "special talents" yet, but he's only 4, and he's the type that would hide them anyway! He wants to do everything his brother doesn't want to do. I asked Kase if he wanted to play t-ball, he said no. Koy said he did, and then got mad at me when I told him he wasn't old enough! It really is amazing how different two little boys, that came from the same place, can be. It is also really amazing how you can love each of them, equally, and more than anything in this whole world.
Together Robert and I have a huge family, and luckily they are all close. Sometimes they could be closer, but I take what I can get. Robert is the 5th of 5 children and his whole family lives within 30 miles of Albany. My parents are only an hour away, and both of my brothers are less than 2 hours. And even though I am still their "little sister" they have finally accepted the fact that I am an adult, have children of my own, and they finally have real conversations with me! My oldest brother Mike and I were never really that close because he is 10 years older than me, so by the time I got old enough, he was already gone. Now, he is married to Charity, who I always knew who she was, but never really knew. Now, thanks to him, she is one of my best, closest friends, and I don't know what I would do without her. We keep each other sane, to say the least! And it is so nice to know that my boys and I are welcome at their house anytime we decide to show up! Even though I know that when we get there, we will have to listen to the constant fighting between all those boys! Mason and Koy are only 4 months apart, and way to much alike! Kooper and Kase try to keep the peace, but usually just end up right in the middle of it! Sam is only 3 months old, but just give him a couple of years, and he'll be in on it too! Ira also has a little girl, Katey, who is 11 months old. I have only been around her twice because he decided to move his family to Colorado a month after she was born! But they are back now, so I hope to get to spend a lot more time with my niece. Well, I could go on and on, but that's plenty for now!