Another Graduate

The summer has been fun but flying by. This has been the longest time I have gone without making a post, so I hope to do a few spring/summer highlights.  

In May Sierra graduated from High School.  I remember when we started homeschooling, 22 years ago, that we said we would take it one year at a time.  I didn’t know if I could homeschool our kids from kindergarten through high school.  After the birth of our fourth child I put our two oldest in a private Christian school.  I was concerned that I would not be able to give them all attention necessary and take care a baby and preschooler.  Latisha did not like school at all and after two weeks returned to homeschooling.  Alex stayed the year and enjoyed himself.  The problem was we were now on the schools schedule, no longer were we able to go as we pleased, or be the biggest influence in our child’s life. Evenings were now filled with homework and extracurricular activities and I felt constantly on the run. I missed the time with my child, teaching him, and the sibling interaction.  Don’t get me wrong, there were plusses too but our family was different.  I loved our homeschool lifestyle.  

The next year we moved and I started again homeschooling all of our children.  I decided to try a school program that would help pay for curriculum and extracurricular (piano, zoo memberships, ski lesson, etc…) activities.  Once again there were problems.  Now the government wanted to know everything I was teaching my children and I had to turn in detailed lesson plans to my coordinating teacher.  The program would not pay for faith based curriculm, so this was no help there as we use Abeka.  The program took time away from teaching and time with my kids. When I was in my first trimester with our fifth child morning sickness hit hard and I had a new teacher who wanted to micromanage us.  I was overwhelmed and decided this is not want I wanted for my family. We dropped out the program and became a fully devoted homeschool family.  I love our lifestyle, the time with my kids, knowing what my kids are learning and how they are doing in their learning, encouraging in them a love for God, and watching my kids close relationships with each other.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything and am thankful for the laws of homeschooling in the state we live in and the homeschool defense that helps to protect these freedoms.  I am also blessed with a supportive husband, family, and friends. I feel that the fruit we have speaks loudly and I am very happy with the choices we have made.  

So, on to Sierra, she is my third child to graduate from our homeschooling.  What a happy day it was to watch her proudly walk down the isle and get her diploma.  We were a part of our states “big” homeschool graduation ceremony. This past year the graduates got together to plan the banquet and the kids had activities they could participate in, so when it came time for the actual ceremony they had developed connections.  Sierra had gone to the graduation ceremony practice before us.  We ended up getting stuck in road construction traffic and barely made it to the graduation on time.  I ran in and there she was.  Sierra was stunning and it was all I could do to not cry.  I tried to keep it all together and take her picture but I was a mess when I saw her in her cap and gown.  So grown up and yet my baby.  The reality of the moment hit and I was happy/sad.  

We quickly took our seats watched her graduate and went out to celebrate.  A couple days previous we had a graduation party and now it was all done.  She was graduated and time moves on.  Sierra is planning on attending a local Christian College and getting her teaching degree.  She got a music scholarship so she will also be taking classes for that and she is excited to learn more about music.  Thankfully she is able to stay at home and we will see where this new stage of life takes us.  

Here are pictures from all the activities.  I hope you are all enjoying your summer.  God bless and have a great day.

Alicia

The Dessert table

We had pictures of Sierra growing up, and a pasta bar. Spaghetti and meatballs
Lemon pesto chicken Fettuccine, Fettuccine Alfredo, and lasagna.  Vegetables, fresh
fruit, and homemade breadsticks.  (my friend made them and they were amazing)

I put together a video of all of video clips of Sierra's life.
We played that through the party

Our wonderful friends brought their amazing canopy and it was perfect

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Miscellaneous pictures of Sierra

Sierra made her own cake.  It was a graduation cap made with two
round cakes and white chocolate with blue coloring, melted into a square for the
top of the cap

After the party 

What I first saw when I got there. Something special
about seeing your child in a cap and gown

When the graduates went up to get their diploma, they displayed a
picture of them as a baby and Senior photo

Sierra and her Daddy

Our three oldest girls

The girls

Sierra with Dad and Mom (me :)

Sierra with her Grandparents

Sierra with Brent, Latisha, August and Brinley

Our pretty graduate

The family

Me and my girl

After graduation dessert