Kindergarten!!!!!!

We have officially entered into a new phase in our lives. My munchkin has started KINDERGARTEN!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness! I can't believe it! As with all parents these days are bittersweet...but mostly sweet. We absolutely MUST praise God for this time because He has provided for us to put Josie into a classical school.

If you are anything like I was about 7 years ago you're asking, "What the heck is classical school?" Well, I found out when I was hired several years ago to teach P.E. at a classical school in Austin. The more I learned about the teaching philosophy the more I fell in love with classical education.

In a nutshell, it is old. We're talkin' ancient--literally. It's methods are extremely similar to the methods used with people like Socrates and Plato. Yes, I mean old. Of course it's developed since then but at it's foundation it is the same. It uses the developmental phases of children to their educational advantage.

For instance, little ones are considered "sponges" so the aim is to allow them to "soak up" everything they can. Middle school ages are called "Logic" students. This allows those tween and teenagers to ask the questions and the teachers embrace the questions...teaching the students how to think for themselves. Finally high school is called "Rhetoric". Here they take all the knowledge they have, combine it with their ability to think things through and then articulate their ideas WELL...even defend them...much like debate.

The extra-super-fabulous thing about this school is it is Christian, so high school students learn how to defend their faith in a world that thinks it can't be proven....in other words, they are learning to love God with all their "hearts, strength, and MINDS" just as the first commandment instructs us to. (And how often we forget the MIND part of the commandment!)

Realistically, we have no idea if our kids will go all the way through the school. We are doing our best to stay open to God's plan for our EACH of our kids. What we do know is this has been a dream of both Wesley and myself and God has allowed it to come to fruition today.

Seeing her cousins made the whole morning even better!!!

I loved picking up a happy girl at the end of the day!!!

So what do Caleb and I do on the days we're home together? Well, here are a couple of ideas for ya.

He asked my mom for one of these for Christmas.

Need I say more?

BLORA

A few weeks ago we had a chance to go see one of my friends who lives near Ft. Hood and enjoy the perks of military life. She took us "on post" and we had a chance to play at the lake, their small water park, and even a really great pool there on the base. Here are a few pictures from our super fun day!

Who said sunscreen couldn't be any fun?

Popsicles during the life guards' break at the lake.

I was honored to introduce Ashley and both of my children to the joy that is Freebirds.

Happy tummies...proof that they are my offspring.

Caleb was fascinated by all the tanks, cannons, helicopters, planes, and people in uniform. He loved seeing all the equipment. At one point he said he wanted to be a superhero. I took the opportunity to tell Caleb that the men and women all around us in the uniforms were real heroes....like Ashley's husband Josh who is currently in Iraq. So, thank you to all our heroes who protect us! Praising God for your courage and your sacrifice!

Dreaming

This summer we went to my family's home in Lake City, Colorado. This is (in my opinion) the most beautiful place in the world. My family has been going there for over 60+ years, and we laugh because during the summer the city is crawling with my grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, great-aunts and great uncles, 2nd and 3rd cousins and all their friends, boyfriends, and girlfriends....I think you get the idea.

But LC is not only special to my family in general, it is a very special place for Wesley and me as a couple. It's special because it is a specific place that we MAKE time to dream with each other--not just ordinary dreaming like: what kind of house do we want to have, what kind of job do I hope to have, when do I want to retire, what sports will our kids play, what university will they go to...I'm talking about BIG dreams--God sized dreams.

Part of that kind of dreaming does include to plan (in pencil) for our family, and pray for God's glory in our family. It's not that we don't dream at home, because we do; but there in the majesty of God's glory and the peace of his beauty we find ourselves more refreshed, more inspired, and more purposeful in our dreaming.


We first realized the importance of dreaming and planning (in pencil) as a couple a few years ago from another family at our church. We learned about finding the purpose and vision God has for our family; clearly establishing a mission statement; making a list of specific values which we will use to create the atmosphere of home and even finding specific verses from scripture that define all of this. In fact, during our original planning of all this, we chose 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 as our "Family Verses"(--which explains the verse at the top of our blog).

I'd seen mission and vision statements in businesses and churches, but I never thought of applying that to a family. But why not? They give businesses and organizations a clear picture of the direction they are headed, and if an opportunity arises that doesn't fit the vision, mission, or values then the decision to avoid it should be easy. So, again, why don't we do that with our families?

Having these things in place have been very helpful when making big decisions
(especially in regards to spending money, investing time, parenting techniques, etc.). To be perfectly honest with you, we aren't always the most consistent about using our vision and mission statements as we had originally hoped. But having opportunities to escape into the mountains together is such a sweet time to reorient ourselves on the path God has laid before us and continue to dream God-sized dreams.

'Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ' James 4:13-15

"This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16