A Week of Summer School

Our first week of “morning summer school” was super fun and the kiddos loved it!!

I am not surprised in the least, because there is a Proverb that says “a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” Ahem. Yes.

When we start our days on a schedule, with purpose, focus, and direction, these kiddos are purposeful and focused the whole day. I love that!

I am teaching the two youngest the Old Testament Bible stories.

We learned about the Tower of Babel this week!

It prompted good conversation about trying to do things on your own strength without God, and about pride.

005

It also prompted a study of languages! I love how easily one thing just rolls into another and another and another! There is so much to learn!

I made a Go Fish game out of cards that have all different ways to say Hello.

Of course we had to google some of them first to listen to how they were pronounced!

Chad’s school is self-directed, which he LOVES. But google recorded “hellos” lured him into the school room to listen with us!

002

Besides doing our regular Math and Phonics, I had hands on things for the two littles each day.

They both thrive with hands on learning!

A Math graph –

ess1436561124254

ess1436561079025

Yep. That is Eliza in Tate’s shorts and pj top! Again. And again. And again. I do manage to wash it every couple of days. Smile.

ess1436561061241

A rhyming words activity – which Eliza really did not know the answers to, but the fine motor practice of putting the clothes pins on the cards was perfect for her!

ess1436561048397

ess1436561098562

ess1436561112395

Sitting at the school table in the mornings prompted a lot of creative play during free time in the afternoons!

That is the vision I had for this spot! We have a win!

ess1436561020610

Did you notice the “new” table?! Blake bought a $10 door blank that was in the junk pile at Menards! We are going to stain it, seal it, and then liquid nail it to the old table!

This new table is a lot bigger than the old one – just in time for a new student to arrive!

009

Lane made this drawing and told me it was our whole family in age order!

001

In the afternoons this past week, we worked on anything that needed done.

Chad and I have become the mowing team (how did that happen??!!).

While he and I did that this week, Addie set up our small tent in the yard and filled it with games for the dynamic duo.

005

006

004

011

I would say it was a hit!!

012

013

They also colored on the windows for awhile one afternoon.

016

For some reason, that is way more fun than paper!!

017

I also got back out our chore packs. The big kiddos hardly ever look at their chore list on the fridge anymore – they have what they are to do each day memorized.

There is one cute little man with mile long eye lashes that is hard to keep on task.

Maybe more like impossible to keep on task!

Having his chores on cards in a chore pack that he clips to his shirt did the trick.

008

Of course, Lane’s side kick needed one too! So I even put a card for Eliza to drink her water all gone because her morning glass of water has meds in it!

010

I have another fun plan for school this week too!

Tomorrow morning we are starting out with the story of Abraham!!!

**Did you hear we are waiting on Travel Approval??!!!!

Have a great Monday, everyone!!

Article 5!!!!!!!

Well, good morning, friends and prayer warriors!!!!!!

We just found out that our Article 5 was picked up by the in-country team yesterday!!!!!

WE ARE NOW WAITING ON TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!!!

Sweet baby boy Tate – we are getting closer!!!

DSCF7479

We are going to dance together soon, little man!!!

Praise the Lord with us today, friends!!!

Praise the Lord!!!!!

Things Hoped For

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

034

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

035

Hebrews 11:1,6

*Thanks, Addie, for these beautiful photos of the sun setting on the farm!

Garden Goodness and Article 5!!

Yesterday afternoon we had a full crew up in the gardens!

It was a beautiful, cool day.

018

Our gardens are producing wonderfully!!

024

038

027

I just haven’t been able to give our gardens the time I have in years past.

But I love, love being in them, watering, weeding, and picking produce!!

Yesterday, it did my hyper-self good to be up there working hard.

023

025

Have you all ever eaten raw kohlrabi?

029

If you haven’t, you must!!

It is my hubby’s favorite treat from the gardens!

030

031

They were gone lickety split!!

And yes, the title does mention our Article 5!

Our paperwork (Article 5) headed to China around noon yesterday, and was hand delivered to the U.S. Consulate there while we were sleeping last night!!

Pretty soon, our sweet Tate Owen, you will be in the gardens with us!!!

I can’t even put into words ALL the answers to SO MANY prayers on Tate’s behalf.

It is taking our breath away.

Thank you, Lord, for using us despite ourselves.

Please keep praying with us for our timeline and Tate!

Tate needs our prayers!