First Day of School at Skipper School

 Alas, our 2011-2012 school year has begun!

I was so excited to start school with the kiddos, I could hardly stand it.

I know this is a bit strange to most people....but me and the kids do REALLY well with routine and although this summer was great, I was sooo ready to get routine back into our family.

And, the fact of the matter is, I LOVE doing school with my kids.  

We have SO much fun together.

They were so excited to examine their schedule this morning.

It has a lot more detail on it this year since I am doing more with Caleb and Mei than I did last year.  I had to be a bit more scheduled this year to make sure I fit all four kiddos in.  :) yikes.

 

The whole day was great, but watching Caleb and Mei spontaneously do math together was definitely my favorite.

 I couldn't live life like I do without the help of this girl.  

Happy first day of 4th grade big girl!

  

  

 I am sooo happy to report that Skipper School is once again in session.

While the days are never without challenges, this adventure of homeschooling is SUCH a gift from the Lord.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

They are not just idle words for you- they are your life.

Deuteronomy  6:6-7, 32:47

Good bye Wendy!

Last week our exchange student, Wendy, left us to go back home to China. 

Once again, it was a bitter sweet good-bye.

Bitter because when a person lives in my home for a month, they become part of my family.  Bitter because I always want MORE time with them, it is never enough.  There is always that small piece of my brain that wishes I could have done more with her, said more, cooked more, shopped more, hiked more, etc.

But it also was a sweet good-bye as I think back over our month with her. As it has been with each exchange student, I got yet another piece of the puzzle in understanding the Chinese culture. When a teenager comes into our country for the first time, seeing America through their eyes always renews my appreciation and thankfulness  for where I live.  Developing a strong bond with a young girl from another country is priceless to me.  Wendy loves her country, she loves China.  Listening to her heart helps me to not have an elitist opinion of America, and to view China not as a country as a whole but instead a country that is FULL of many many wonderful people, people that were created equal to me...in the image of God.

Unlike my other two exchange students, Wendy's English was very very weak and didn't seem to improve that much.  At times this was frustrating to me, as I LOVE to dig deep into life.  However, in God's great goodness, He kept speaking 1John 3:18 into my heart: 

Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

It was very convicting to me how my gut reaction was to always "speak" and not to "act".  I realized that subconsciously I felt like my actions were not enough and I put more importance on what I wanted to "say" to her instead of simply allowing God to work through my actions.   The cheesy phrase, "I can talk the talk but do I walk the walk?" came to mind often.  How much do Christians (like me) stand on what they (I) know and what they (I) can say...instead of on what God does.

mmmmmm, God is so good.  

and I am so thankful for the gift of hanging out with Wendy this summer.

God is always at work.

To Him be the glory!

We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, "I know Him", but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him.  This is how we know we are in Him:  Whoever cliams to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.

1John 2:3-6

the hike.

 Sunday was Marc's day to sneak off and do his thing. 

 Marc, his dad, Luke, and Wendy, all went and hiked a trail close to Mt. Hood.

 Oregon is a very good place in the summertime!

beach day.

 On Saturday, Wendy and I took a road trip.

 We had planned for our whole family to go but because of 2 of my kids being sick, Marcus stayed home with all of them and let me sneak away with Wendy to make sure she did not leave us without seeing the glorious Oregon Coast. 

 I hated leaving my family behind, but as it turned out, it was so special for Wendy and I to have that day alone.

 I cannot tell you how many times Wendy said, "beautiful, beautiful, beautiful....".

For I am the LORD your God,
   who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
   the LORD Almighty is his name.
 I have put my words in your mouth
   and covered you with the shadow of my hand—
I who set the heavens in place,
   who laid the foundations of the earth,
   and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’

 Isaiah 51

It was indeed a glorious day.

 A day she will never forget.

 Only 2 days till she leaves us for her home.

She will be taking a piece of my heart with her.