Summertime!

We have been out of homeschool routine since the end of April for a much needed break.  The first couple of weeks were rainy, cool (we needed jackets), etc and I had thought my brilliant plan to take off May and June for our break to avoid the heat of July was probably not wise.  However, the summer is shaping up and has so far been mild in comparison to past years and I'll take it.  Days where the kids play out all day long, track in dirt on my kitchen floor, at the end of the day our yard looks like a toy disaster and their feet are covered in dirt.  Yep, those are the best days!  We have another month of those days!  I haven't quit pinned a start date yet, but will begin my studying and planning after our beach vacation next week.

Since my last post, Abbi was baptized, and Chloe asked Jesus to be her savior on Mother's day!  3 of my children are secured in heaven and that makes my heart almost burst.  Hannah isn't quite there yet, but she is thoughtful and meticulous, and I have confidence that one day she will make that decision too.  All in God's timing and I will not barge ahead of that!

We have been involved with our new church (old church?  new again church?...not sure what to call it) since April full time (Sunday mornings in March).  My girls are in AWANA there on Wednesday nights and I was shocked beyond measure when they all won awards last week at the conclusion of the AWANA year.  I mean, they only had a few weeks to accomplish what some kids had been doing since August.  I confess that some of the verses were already some they knew (we memorize scripture here), but still! Hannah got a trophy, Chloe a 2nd place ribbon, and Abbi a silver pin.  I was very pleasantly shocked!  AWANA is a great program for kids!

Micah is starting to really get plugged in with the youth.  There hasn't been a ton to get involved with just yet, but he is making friends, giggling about conversations he has had with the teens, etc.  That is a start and I'm so thankful!  It is tough being a teen.  It is tougher being a teen with no friend connections in your favorite place!  He never complains, but as a mother, I sit and worry how I'm screwing my kids up all the time.  I think we all do!   I think we are stepping in the right direction.  I know we are as God wouldn't lead us astray! 

We will be on Tybee Island soaking some rays next weekend, which is hard for me to imagine right now as I feel like my "to do" list is too long.  I never really look forward to vacations though (well, the vacation part I do).  Call me a stick in the mud or party pooper, but I loathe the car drive and dread it so badly, that it seems like Mount Everest stands in the way of me and the vacation spot.  It isn't that I don't enjoy vacations or going places. I do!  It is just very hard for me to get "excited" when Mount Everest stands in the way of me and my fun.  I'm always perfectly content once I get there. It is the "getting there" part that is just so...ugh!!!  So, Tybee Island here we come again to meet you, and I will be so happy to see you once we get there.  Until then, I will check things off my "to do" list and get my gear ready for Mount Everest!