Graduation Day

Wow, here we go again!  We just graduated our second child.  Such a rewarding feeling as a homeschool mom, to watch your baby go from learning her 1,2,3's and A, B, C's, to walking down the aisle to receive her diploma.  Yes, the cliche "it goes so fast" rings loud and clear.  One of the highlights of the day was at this graduation we gave Latisha her diploma.  It was a little emotional but such a blessing.  Homeschool graduation is so great.  We get to pray to God and encourage our children in the Lord.

Then the next day we had a party for Latisha where many friends and family came to bless her.  Latisha had made lots of desserts, we had pulled pork sandwiches (I may have got a little carried away on how much pulled pork to make :)), and salads.  Thank you to my husband for your love and support, to Latisha for your hard work and determination, and to family and friends we have had to help encourage and help out these years, especially our mom's for their help this last year.  And to my dear friend, Amy, who just went the extra mile to help at the ceremony,  dinner, and party, you are amazing.

Latisha, you have definitely been a pleasure to teach.  We have had ups and downs in school, far more ups then downs.  I remember reading you history and you would play with my hair.  I didn't think you were paying attention but then I would ask you questions and you knew the answers.  I was always impressed by your self motivation to get up before breakfast and start your school.  Your goal to always be done by lunch, it didn't always happen, but more than not, it did.  Then your drive to take extra courses and finish early is just a part of your drive to get things done.  God has blessed you with so many gifts, we look forward to seeing you use them for His Glory.  Love you, Mom

Giving Latisha her diploma

our family

dinner

Aidric's first graduation party

Alex helping with his brother, Grandma and Link

Latisha enjoying her party with Brent

Planting and Harvesting

Here we go again.  Another garden tilled, planted and watered.  Now we could just sit around and let it grow and do nothing else, but that wouldn't be gardening and would not produce a good harvest.  Most of the plants would die, a few would grow a bit and maybe one or two would produce fruit.  That would be a waist of a garden.  I do my best to get out there and pull the weeds and make sure it is getting the food and water it needs.  I know I make a lot of analogies of gardening and parenting but isn't it the truth.  We don't just have children to let someone else raise them or let them just grow with the weeds.  We must continue to make sure they have the food spiritually and physically they need.  We must take time to pull out the weeds that threaten to choke or stunt our children's lives.  We must see that they are planted where they are getting the rays of the Son of God in their life.  But we cannot smother them to the point that they aren't getting the oxygen they need.  And now it is a family that helps out.  I love it when the kids get out and help me remove the weeds from our garden and I also like it when they encourage each other to remove weeds from their lives and to make good choices.  It is important to be careful when removing weeds that we don't remove a plant.  There is a fine line between encouraging and criticizing, that is where we can pray for wisdom.  We will work on being the gardners/parents that God wants us to be and look forward to a harvest that will last all eternity.  Have a wonderful day and God Bless.

Here is the garden planted and ready to grow

Alicia

Finally a picture of our family

Look at him grow, the hat is still too big but cute

I just love kissing my babies, you can see how Aidric loves it too :)

I just love it when he smiles

Happy boy

Alexander spending some valuable time with Cassandra

Home Again!

Yeah, Yesterday at just before 3:00 Alexander made it home.  It was so sweet all the girls ran out to greet him and help unload his car.  Aidric was very good and interested in his big brother.  We had a relaxing dinner and then a couple of Alex's friends came by and played a song they had wrote for him.  It was very nice.  Then they got to play games and catch up.  Things feel so comfortable and we'll just enjoy our summer together before it is back to school.  Although we still have a bit a school left but it is just so good to have us all together.  Have a great day.
Alicia

Showing off his big brother skills

All of our children together.

Time for games.  

Optimism

I believe he is growing every day.  My little baby is doing wonderful and I don't take one thing for granted.   I love to see him stare at me with intrigue and try to mimic the movement of my mouth as I speak, or how he follows people as the walk by, or tries so hard to flex his little legs and stand as we hold him, and this amazing smile that lights up his whole face.  Not one milestone passes me by.   My little Isabella grew at her own pace and I just tried not to make a big deal about it.  This past year has been filled with doctors and testing and therapists, trying to help (?) and I must say it is quite tiring.  I have gone through pictures and watch family videos to see where things slowed down and I missed it.  I question what I might have done or what I could have done differently, what ifs fill my mind.  Maybe I shouldn't have done this or maybe I should have done this more.  My emotions go up and down as they check her for hearing loss, then MRI, EEG, genetic testing, autism...  All negative, praise the Lord.  Why doesn't she talk and what is going on in her little brain is, as one therapist put it, a puzzle.  I love her so much and my daily prayer is for her healing of whatever it is that is causing the delays.  I have been reading in my Bible about Jesus healing so many and the prayer of faith.  The other day I read Mark 11.  Verse 24 just jumped out at me:  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  So, I will continue in prayer, believe with faith as a mustard seed, and I look forward to posting one day of how Isabella talks our ears off, has asked Jesus to be her Savior, and sings to the Lord a new song.  It is my faith and choosing optimism that keeps me believing.

Here are a couple new pictures of Aidric.  My next post should include long awaited pictures of Alexander and Aidric together.  Their first face to face meeting is soon as Alex has finished his semester and is on his way home.  We have missed him so much and can't wait to show him his brother.  May God bless you all.

Alicia  

Danika and Aidric now 71/2 weeks.  :)

The girls sharing a joint family birthday party