senior year #1

It's true...I have a senior this year! This is so exciting! He has made it this far and he can read, write, calculate mathematical equations and I didn't 'mess' him up too much. :) I am loving this age since he is so self sufficient. He is a man now and nearly all grown up. I am thankful for all the help God has given me and his father.
This is a year of finishing classic reading lists, furthering math levels, starting community college coarses, while acquiring some more college credits. He has been blessed to apprentice in computers with a wonderful man that God sent in our path. This led to his now first official part time job. It is essential that a part time job during high school be the right kind of job; one that fits that teen's needs, goals and social environment positively.
This will be my first home school graduate in May 2010. Meanwhile, we are trying to help him to prepare for college and his future prospects that God has for him, while saving money and avoiding huge debts as he starts out his adult life. If you would like to start thinking of these money saving ideas for college, please see the link on my sidebar.
Here is a great book to get you started called ACCELERATED DISTANCE LEARNING.

Have a great homeschooling year and enjoy that high school student!

it's official now....

Well, it's that time again isn't it? We have started our 'official' homeschooling adventures some weeks back. I wasn't nearly as excited this year. I had post medical crisis nerve sensitivity, which was making the prospects of homeschooling less desirable. It was as if all my nerves suddenly started popping out unsheathed upon my skin as an after-effect of this crazy cancer battle being waged. Usually I am so excited for new paper, new ideas and new schedules, but found the thought daunting as Sept. approached. We took it quite easy this summer, maybe too easy. Thankfully, I started a very slow version to start out and worked on the transition with the littles, slowly adding in a longer day. They have made much progress. There have been some ups and downs, but alas, that is the way it is when you have youngins' no matter where they are all day.
So, the books are out, the schedule printed and passed around and hung up, the pencils sharpened and prayers being prayed! We appreciate any of those you want to send up for us! We pray that you and your week is blessed as well.

countdown to a cure

Do you see that slice? That's my brave little boy whacking that cancer out of his body everyday (with God's help of coarse)!! He is fighting hard even when you don't see it. Sometimes you see him so energetic you wouldn't even know how tired he gets sometimes. He amazes me continually with his trust in the Lord, his steadfastness, his upbeat attitude. What a kid.


Here he is having a more tired moment. These are the moments when your heart just longs to climb right inside his body with a magic cancer magnet and just yank out all those bad cells forever.

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Thanks for all your continual prayers. I am limiting my carepage updates to clinic visits or special events, but here I may update more daily stuff now.
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Today we had to go get blood drawn here in town. For those of you who don't know it, we are continually checking his blood and still trying to adjust his chemo drug levels. He his tiring of weekly draws. The lab folks know us all too well. Last week his levels finally went up nicely and so his chemo was increased. He is already feeling the increased tiredness from that but he is doing well. Today the levels were mostly unchanged so they agreed to let him wait 2 weeks for clinic day before needing labs. Yeah! At clinic, they will draw from his chest port so he will get 3 or 4 weeks worth of arm breaks!
Also, check out the new countdown gadget on my side bar at the top and help us countdown to a cure until next May!!

sunday baseball

Recently we went to a picnic and the kids played ball with some young agile folks and what a blessing that was. They had a blast. These photos are taken by a friend and showed some cool shots. Look at that girl's face up there!!

blooming damsel

I have been loving learning to use my camera better this summer and playing around with editing. What girl doesn't love to acquiesce to this request of a summer pose? Hope you enjoy a glimpse of my fun.

jane eyre

You may not believe this 'reader', but I have not yet read this classic book all my life until now! In this case I listened to the book on audio CD. Often the narrator can make or break a book, but this one juliet mills was very pleasing to the ear. It makes me start speaking with an English accent and I love the rich, deep words they used in this time period. I must say that I absolutely loved this book. It is so mulitlayered, deep, full of courage, values and yet so fully human with all our errors. It exults the idea to do right even if it's not how you feel... Mother's and daughters should read this together and discuss it.

Here is a quote from the book:

I can live alone if self respect and circumstances require me to do so. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss!

a wedding with flower girl

Here is the lovely bride. Many of the photos I took in the chapel area just did not turn out well, so I will keep honing that skill I hope. This is why you see no handsome bridegroom here.
This wedding was so sweet and God honoring as their promises were made. Praise God for them and the couple's life together.