Benign

Thank you all for your support and prayers. Sorry to post those graphic pictures, I'll probably take them down in a day or two.We are happy to announce that the findings of the pathologists are in our favor and Ben's tumors were benign.

However, through all of this I learned from a friend that such has not been the fate of her family. My dear friend, Kristen, who I met in college, is the mother of 3 beautiful boys and 1 angelic girl. Her baby girl was born 1 month ago and it was 2 months ago her loving husband was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.

They are full of faith and goodness. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this sweet family and the great burden they are shouldering.

I wanted to post their blog which has links of ways you can help if you are able.
http://www.dadnamedjosh.blogspot.com/

Kristen and Josh our hearts go out to you and we are praying for you day and night!

Tumor Free...Again

Ben is very good at many, many things. He is an excellent teacher, a food enthusiast, design junkie, husband, father, scholar, gardener, driver, linguist, an avid reader, and tumor grower.
When Ben was 15 he had a tumor removed from his neck.
When Ben was 21 he had 5 tumors removed from his neck.
Now Ben is 28 and he just had 4 tumors removed from his neck.
His poor neck!

Here he is in his before shot sporting the surprisingly cozy and sterile paper gown with built in warming system (the gown can be plugged into a hair-dryer type contraption for instant warmification).

Here he is perky and happy afterwards. They used dermabond on the incision so he only had 2 stitches on the ends. The surgery went well. One of the tumors was between the jugular vein and carotid artery. The Dr. said it took about an hour to carefully remove that tumor. The Dr. had a bit of a triumphant glow about him and I believe I would too if I had just done something of that magnitude!
The other tumors ran down along his neck.

And a few hours later, viola! Home again, home again, jiggity jig! Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been that easy, Ben has been taking it easy all week and trying to let his body heal. He is quite sore and stiff (although he doesn't admit to it, but shows it by going and having a rest for a few hours). We have been extremely blessed and things have gone better than expected. Thank you all for your support and prayers!

We haven't gotten the pathology reports back yet, but all of the previous tumors have been benign and the Dr. seemed confident that these would be too. We'll keep you posted!

Thank you Nellie and Michelle for watching our kids and thank you to all of you who offered!

For Rent

For any of you in Rexburg or who may be moving to Rexburg, we are trying to help our landlords find renters. We will be moving in late July, so the house is available in early August.
Here are pictures and info:

www.rexburgparadise.blogspot.com

Man Cub

When we were expecting William, people would always say "Oh Ben must be SO excited to be having a boy!" He was excited, but more he just wished for a happy and healthy child, girl or boy.

He has given his love equally to our daughters and our son. I know the girls have never had a reason to feel threatened by a brother entering into their father's heart deeper than they have reached.You get my point...

However, this little man cub KNOWS who his daddy is and he KNOWS he shares manhood with him. He LOVES his daddy and it is enough to make any heart melt.
So William is a man cub in the man club and I think Ben's glad to have a little buddy.
His face shows it.

We are so happy to have this little team in our family! They sure are some good lookin' fellas!

Guss, Russ, and Janelle

The girls and I got a little silly a few Sundays ago and Ben agreed to draw faces on our chins. We had a good time.

Janelle is the name of one of Hannah's personalities. The other ones are Eric and Vanessa. I'm not sure that she named her chin Janelle, but it's a safe guess.

A Friend You Must Meet

"it's mid-afternoon and i am ready for a change of scenery. a ferocious rush of wind pummels my left side and knocks me off balance, finds its way inside my jacket, and triggers my goose bumps. i imagine what it would feel like to be blown away - swept up into the chilly air with a whoosh!! watching the babies in the red buggy below grow smaller and smaller and smaller as i'm whisked up and up and up. feeling panic and frightfully out of control to be carried by the whims of the wind, and yet liberated to let go and be swept away to wherever away may be. or maybe my matter would slowly dissipate and i would become wind myself - rushing through barren trees and wisps of hair, picking up others who's feet aren't firmly on the ground.


october's gale packs a mean punch. it's now time to go home and i notice everyone is bundled today - wrapped up in hats and coats. we have the same red cheeks and watery eyes, the same squinted expression as the relentless bluster threatens to knock us all down. just as a faint ringing begins to fill my ears i reach the warmth and stillness of our truck's interior... "


Stephanie Braniff... She is the dream machine wonder artist who penned these words! Aren't they magical? They take me away. When ever Stephanie posts a blog it's like candy, but better because it's good for you...like ripe pears picked from a tree on a sweet summer's day, or whatever your favorite fruit may be.

To all my dear friends and family who don't already know Stephanie, I am introducing you, you must meet her. She is a gift and talent-filled wonder to behold and I feel like shouting it from the rooftops, but instead I'm posting it on my blog!

www.branfam.blogspot.com

PS~ This is really posted by Jessica, even though it says by Ben.
PSS~ To any of you who may feel a small sigh inside saying "Augh, doesn't she think I'm amazing too?" Oh, don't worry, I do! I am so grateful for all of my dear friends who could easily fill a museum with their awesome talents, deeds, photos, kindness, craftiness, motherly incredible-ness, you-name-it...Watch your back, maybe you'll be next...

Keepin' in Touch

I have a friend who sometimes talks to her daughters as if she was reading them a letter (you can read about it here). I think it's darling.
Today Evelyn was pretending to talk to me on the phone. I said I was going to write her back with a letter. It went something like this: Dear Evelyn, I am so glad I get to be your mom. I love you. Love, Mom.
Evelyn responded, "Mom, is it okay if I just send you an email on my phone?"

I suppose it's just fine as long as she keeps in touch...