8 boys in 7th grade for 16 hours!!

Jackson asked for a sleepover this year instead of a party.  It was about the cheapest birthday celebration ever!  He wanted the boys to have a place to practice bows/arrows, air soft guns, and capture the flag.  After eating hamburgers and junk food, they were in the yard until dark.  Then they watched the Hobbit, banged on the drums, and played Rock Band until midnight.  Some of the boys crashed, and others continued on...
At 4 am I heard them whispering down the hall.  The whole crew had bought sleeping bags and started out in the basement.  But this was the fearless five who continued to press on and not sleep ALL NIGHT.  They came upstairs to Jack's room to hang out.  And they talked.  ALL.NIGHT.LONG.  Maybe the m&ms and Coca-Cola were a little much!?!  Jackson was one of the fearless five, and had a blast!  Wow, so this is what teenage birthdays are like.  Cheap, terrible pictures,  and exhausting!!  Ha!

Thirteen

Our precious Jackson turned 13 yesterday.  Oh the bittersweet excitement.  I cannot believe we have a teenager in the house!  He is such a delight.  The hormones are definitely raging.  But he continues to be tender-hearted and kind.  We enjoy his gifts so much.  He is a godly, servant leader with a fun-loving personality.  He's pretty great.  I hope this year will bring him loads of wisdom and knowledge, and deepened friendships.  He will have so many new and amazing experiences this year as a seventh grader!  Happy birthday, sweet Jack!!

A new definition of noisy

Well now that we have a basement, we gave in.  After three birthdays with drums as the main request for a gift, we finally bought some for this boy.  Wow, he was so excited!  I am so thankful for a larger house with a basement for the kids.  Rock on, buddy!

July shenanigans

 Our new pig...650 pounds of pork.  Yikes!!

 Our best friends visited from Atlanta!

July 4rth at the Hoover met near our house.  Fireworks, country music, fried food.  The fourth in the south!

Summer treats

 A few evenings this summer I sold farm veggies at the farmer's market in Crestline.  Andy's produce was beautiful in June!  And the customers are so appreciative of organic, healthy food from the farm.

This was a yummy cocktail from a night out to eat.  I love the easy, breezy days of summer!

Like father, like son

In a word...GOOFBALLS!!

July Fourth

We are new to Birmingham, but just so happen to live a few minutes from a great place to watch fireworks.  It was a great show and we got to the car just before the rain came!  Happy fourth!!

Moving...long story short

We left the farmhouse and moved to the city.  We wanted the kids to live in the same community with their classmates, long story short.  Andy and I have switched driving patterns and he has become the commuter.  This means we will be looking for a new church, too.  The house we moved to has been another unbelievable miracle.  We have been blessed beyond what we could imagine!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!  Pictures to come...

S'mores

We have had an unusually cool June.  So we decided to build a fire and roast some s'mores.  The kids (and dog) were thrilled.  This is a very rare treat for a June night in Alabama!  S'mores + cool evening air + guitar playing= perfect evening!

Hello summer

Just a few days after school ended, the kids and I joined Mom and Dad for a quick trip to the beach.  Dad bought a beach condo last summer and we were so excited to spend some time there this summer!  The weather and water were just perfect!  We have a beautiful, peaceful, unexpected five day vacation.  What a way to kick off the summer!

Disney trip on the calendar

Mimi and Papa announced at our Mother's day lunch that they are...TAKING US TO DISNEY WORLD!!!  The kids were elated.  They have been asking to go for years.  The last time we went was in October of 2007! The countdown begins...

Bugs everywhere!!

Joshua did a great job with his fourth grade bug collection.  Andy was in charge of helping him with the bug collecting and I helped with poster decorations.  Perfect.  I am so thankful to have scientist for a husband!  And YAY Joshua!!

The last weeks of kindergarten for our baby!

Well, we are entering another new chapter in this fleeting life!  Our darling, youngest is finishing her last year of what I consider pre-school.  I mean, they are really still babies until kindergarten, right?  Here are a few beautiful pictures of the sweetest girl I know!

 Lydie dressed up as Cinderella for a birthday party.  Dear Lord, please do not let her dress-up days be numbered!

 Lydie's class was so darling at the ballet recital.  They were dressed up as rosebuds.

 Here we are together at the Muffins with Mom day.  Oh, I enjoyed it so much.  I cried like a baby.  This little darling truly is such a treasure to me.  I love her encouraging words, cuddles, and attention to detail.  I have never met another person who I have so much in common with.  Two peas on a pod.

Fun days!

Our school emphasizes public speaking, beginning in kindergarten. Lydie has had two major opportunities for it this year. She had nursery rhyme day when she had to memorize and recite a nursery rhyme. And then this past week she had to memorize and recite a book report. She is a fabulous public speaker. She gets excited, not a bit nervous this time. She read and wrote about Pinkalicious. I had a volunteer watch my class and saw her give her report.  Precious, I tell ya.

Our goal at school is to raise $45,000 for various needs. The student body gets a reward as each $5,000 goal is met. A few of our fun days have included Wild West day and Facial Hair day. Also, one of the teachers had to shave his beard to look like Seneca Crane from Hunger Games. Oh, good times. I will say, the teachers are a little overwhelmed, including myself, with all the extra excitement (and distraction) that all of these treats bring to our classroom. But really, we all need to lighten up and enjoy. The kids are having a blast.

Our own, Seneca Crane

So far, we have reached $40,000. Next week we will have Crazy Hat day, Cupcake day, and we get to vote on some type of task that the headmaster will have to do. So far I have heard rumors of shaving a mohawk, pies to the face, and dressing up like a lady. I am just relieved not to have to teach another day wearing a mustache.





To our family and friends who keep up with us here, THANK YOU for your donations to our school! It is the main place of ministry for me and for the kids. Also, many of our closest friends also reap the benefits of the atmosphere and love we all find here. We appreciate your support, and pray and trust that each dollar will be used for the glory of God! Our family alone has raised just under $1,000 for the school. What a blessing!



One of my students, testing one of our homemade anenometers in science class.

We are trying to keep our sights set on the finish line of this school year, and finish WELL! We have three academic weeks left. Then four additional days of school for awards day, parties, and special events. The children have reaped the benefits of being a part of such a vibrant, intentional, godly atmosphere. And there is not a week that goes by that one of the children's teachers does not stop me in the hall to report a kind word or effort on the part of our children. It is so encouraging to see them stand on their own two feet and excel and bless their friends and teachers. Praise the Lord for His grace in their lives. Although it has been a bit of culture shock for me (after 12 years out of the classroom...MUCH has changed) and a huge adjustment for us all, I know God is at work. And I am excited.

I thought this bartender costume for Wild West day was great.  Some teachers were not amused and thought it was inappropriate. 

I cannot believe I am already wrapping up our first year at this school and making plans for the summer and next year! The fast pace of life frightens me sometimes! Note to self: Be all there...in every moment!



Pinkalicious, ready to go! 

Growing up

My babies are really growing up.  There are a few moments with them during the last week that I want to remember and treasure.

With Lydie...We bought our first Junie B. Jones books this week.  Lydie reads like a champ, following in her brothers' footsteps.  She reads about three or four pages each night and thinks Junie B. is hilarious.  (She falls asleep almost instantaneously when she goes to bed.)  I have waited for years to buy her this book series!

Curled up with Junie B

With Joshua...My most ferverent prayers were answered this week with my boy!  I have prayed for two years and one month that this darling boy would find a best friend in Alabama.  He and I were both beginning to think his best friend, James, from Georgia would be his one and only best friend.  He is quiet and SLOW to get to know.  But he and his friend Logan have been running up to me at school for weeks asking to spend the night or go somewhere fun together.  Yesterday, Joshua told me he has finally found his "second best friend in life" and it is Logan.  What thrills me so is that Logan is exactly what Joshua needs.  He is funny, outgoing, but also a godly boy.  Joshua needs someone to push him along, as he does not take initiative.  And this little boy is a precious, godly leader.  They have a big gaggle of buddies.  And I am glad.  But still, it thrills me to no end to know that Josh has a best buddy.

With Jack...We had a night alone.  We went out to eat, shopping, and to the book store.  Jackson does not like to shop, but he is THE MOST PATIENT MALE SHOPPER EVER.  We saved the trip to the bookstore (his favorite place on earth) for last.  And he didn't rush me.  Not once.  So when we got to the bookstore, I didn't rush him.  Therefore,
we were there until closing at 11 pm (and we had an hour drive back to the farm!).  Such a sweet night together.  Jackson is an open book, if only we take the time one-on-one with him to listen.  So thankful for that time!

California Pizza Kitchen.  I had salad.  He ate THE WHOLE PIZZA.

These moments with our children are precious and the days are flying by.  Praying every single day for God to captivate their hearts, give them good health and a long life, and prepare them and their future spouses and children for godly service for His glory.  Love being their Mom!!

Summer fever

This week was extremely challenging for me emotionally.  Oh, the weariness!  Fifteen little personalities to encourage and disciple.  We dealt with cheating in the classroom this week.  The tears and conviction from this precious little girl made me cry, too.  And then there is the ever present communication with parents, some more than others.  We are all sensitive about our little ones, and a teacher walks a fine line between being too passive and being too verbal.  It can be tricky, especially when your entire heart is invested in your students!  Then there is work relationships with other teachers, which for the most part is pure joy and encouragement.  But there can be a bump or too, naturally.  And all of these things do not even include family relationships, or other relationships outside of work.  It's just been a bumpy ride this week.  Hard things to say and do.  And I am tired.  Lots of prayer needed, little time alone (when I can stay awake).  This teaching ministry is hard, the good kind of hard, like parenting and marriage.  And it wipes me out!

Picture of Jasmine Hill gardens...filled with ancient Greek and Roman replicas and gorgeous flowers.  We had a marvelous field trip there last week.

There are temptations to run, far away.  I have this temptation in all things that God calls me to that are difficult and exhausting.  The year that I had an infant and a toddler, along with a husband who was gone 60+ hours a week, I might have priced plane tickets to California.  And the first year that we were here on our farm, I might have priced plane tickets to Paris.  Seriously.  Not one-way tickets, but a long, quiet month away was always a temptation.  Funny.  Silly.  So far, by God's grace, I have stayed the course, by the way.  No skipping town...yet! Ha!

I think both students and teachers all get weary this time of year.  And summer is ALMOST here.  We all need a break!  The idea of a trip to the beach, weekends at the lake, swimming at the local pool and getting a scoop of ice cream afterwards, and sleeping in...oh, we are so ready.  Summer fever is in full effect!  MUST PRESS ON!!