We started homeschooling... in GEORGIA!!!

Well, it was goodbye Florida and hello Georgia. My husband is no longer working as a full time store manager and "part time" minister (no such thing as part time ministry), and he is now a student pastor at a church in Georgia. Our boys have been true champs through the "good-byes" and new house, new friends, and new church. The truth is that God has been so faithful to our family; it is all been very overwhelming.

Now, our GA homeschool journey includes tracking our days and hours and making sure to touch on all the "required" subjects along with my usual daily planner. The adjustment hasn't been difficult as we have been doing everything needed except a writing curriculum, which I quickly corrected when I saw what was required for a first grader.

The first week of school gone well. Luk did well on day one and then like usual asks for a break on day two and three.

Here is a glimpse of our week and our new school "room" aka dining room:

Before we left we visited some Mummies

It concluded our study on Egypt over the summer.

 Around the World

PreK School

Paper Mache Globe

A little taste of our home.

Fun shots with dad

A Single Moment of Impact

My six year old never ceases to amaze me. Let me preface this with the reality that he is a typical six year old. He is disobedient frequently; he argues like a teenager; he is obnoxious; he lacks tact. However, he has one trait that I am particular found of...

COMPASSION! Does he always show it? No. He's six still grasping control of his emotions, and is aware of his incline to sin. Yet, when he executes this trait, I have to step back and watch it. It was really a beautiful thing. It is one of the main reasons I am so excited about him coming to Peru with my husband and I in October to meet one of our Compassion children, Smith.

If you read my blog you know that I have met Smith and his wonderful family. So, this reunion is going to quite a moment for not only me, but the rest of my family. We have a strong heart for Compassion, and their work for the nations.

Smith is our first family sponsorship:

 I chose Smith knowing that my husband has a connection with Peru. Now, I have it more than ever.

As a youth group family we chose Pataso from Thailand:

Our last addition to our Compassion family was Abdou. Now, this was Luk's decision. He said to me one day as we were talking about different countries, "I want to be a missionary in Africa!" I stood silent for a moment. Then I asked if he would like to have a Compassion child from Africa that he can have a relationship with. Needless to say, he jumped on that really fast, asking for a boy.

That night I emailed a friend of mine that works for Compassion for a child that need a correspondence sponsor, and the next day we had Abdou.

Seriously, we have some handsome boys in my family! You see God carefully placed these three boys in our lives, and after meeting Smith the clarity in our decision of cutting back on luxuries to have these three in our lives has been several moments of impact for us.

There's a single moment of impact for us all, and I think it was the day that Luk got Abdou. He finally made the decision to be apart of each of these boys lives. Before he didn't really write Smith or Pataso, it was a picture here and there, but nothing that he started. I usually asked him to, and he would do it without complaint.

However, it was when he got Abdou that he took over. It wasn't me asking anymore. It was Luk saying, "Let's write Smith, Pataso, and Abdou!" OKAY!

The importance of letter writing to your Compassion is something that is hard to explain. It's when you go and visit and the children ask you, "Do you know my sponsor? They don't write. Do they love me?" My response was a huge hug. Hearing Smith say... "I have only three letters."

Shook me. I wanted him to have a better foundation than that.

I had a single moment of impact that almost broke me, but decided instead of being broken to embrace my shame and write. Write with more intent, with more heart, and giving more of myself in process. I'm excited to see it in Luk, now.

Here is his letter writing process:

1) I ask what he wants to say.
2) He tells me. (He responds to Abdou's current question.)
3) I write it on our board.
4) He copies it on his paper.
5) He draws his picture.
6) We look and remember just how far our friend is from us.

Luk has asked to meet Abdou. He knows that we are planning a trip by the time he 10 years old. He is actively reminding me when that will be. Countdown... 3-4 years...

one thousand gifts

one thousand gifts:

November 25, 2011 to January 16, 2012
0076/1000

1) Brothers, sons, below Him and His grace!

2) The anonymous gift of mulch 

for our church playground.

3) Sick baby, chill of his juice, and tears. 

Tantrums a grace warning that it's not just a common cold.

4) At the moment when your at your wits end after spending 

two days with a sick temper tantrum child; remembering your 

personal prayer for patience and hearing, "and I, find myself 

here on my knees again, caught up in grace like an avalanche, 

nothing compares to this love..." Thank you, Father, thank you!

5) The moment a hug begins, and you know you have an amazing 

thing in your arms, a person made in the image of God!

6) Handsome Smith and his updated picture...

7) Quiet morning... The soothing of a pacifier and baby; 

my baby letting me hold to the tunes of lullabies.

8) Libraries- They have walls of creativity and knowledge!

9) Two mornings in a row being asked to please 

stay in bed to cuddle from Logan. I'm game!

10) The older teaching the younger...

11) A wall of past, present, & future LOVE!

12) A friend coming on her day off to bring me 

coffee and a husband making breakfast...

13) Children's Department Christmas Party and 

walking through our Advent lessons.

14) Our kiddos

15) It finally grew back *5 yr old humor*

16) Sewing a wiseman costume for a wee one, 

thankful for my aunts' teaching me this family trade

17) Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast

18) Calm of the night, slow of the breath, joy in my heart.

19) My boys lying on my side of the bed, snuggled, 

watching Bob & Larry... What an honor to be their mom!

20) The moments when my rambunctious temper tantrum filled baby becomes 

quiet in awe of God's creation. It was a moment of incredible grace!

21) Loving his time with papa, missing our sick CooCoo

22) Breakfast with two of my boys.

23) Logan watching and listening to "Galaxies" 

saying, "it's good song!"

24) Choosing to see Him everyday- 

joy, thanksgiving, peace, grace abound!

25) Shapes- discovering, imaging, creativity

26) Creating prayer cards for Luka. Teaching 

while learning myself to diligently pray!

27) He makes me laugh.

28) Precooking and freezing my meals cuts 

dinner cooking time to 5 minutes!

29) His hands

30) no caption needed for this gift

31) Lazy, precious, always content with her momma.

32) Learning with friends

33) gathering together

34) imagining

35) becoming what you imagine

36) Building the mind

37) sharing

38) eating with friends

39) Books

40) A letter written by a boy countries away to 
my boy, the start of a beautiful relationship!

41) Using his bath towel as a blanket. Comfort, warmth...

42) Fever warning, body forcing to the bed, now sitting on my 
lap hugging like he when he was a baby. Precious moment!

43) He's ready for bed. Thanksgiving in a bed 
and room he can call his own!


44) 88 keys to play a tune


45) the crisp of Bible pages


46) smell of bread out of the bag


47) hot water- it's process


48) welcoming front door


49) the sound of the awake


50) two year old warning signs


51) caring doctor


52) committed mom 


53) a compassionate five year old


54) my new found patience level


55) my honesty


56) my ability to love


57) Luk sharing love


58) Logan accepting love


59) Reson's "worker bee" mind


60) Logan understanding


61) Logan taking medicine calmly


62) Luk caring for Logan


63) morning with no migraine 


64) Reson's listening


65) warm house


66) the smell of work


67) enough, Lord, just enough


68) peanut butter and jelly


69) soft bed


70) letters sent with love


71) caring pastor and wife


72) organization

73) prayerful husband

74) brothers/friends

75) the mess from the day

76) the stack of homeschool folders