I'm a Homeschool Graduate!

As of Thursday evening, my cousin, Katy, and I have officially graduated from Heaven's Treasure Academy!  Wow...I am a homeschool graduate!  It is really hard to believe.

We had this special ceremony planned for months.  Thursday evening came very, very quickly...everything was ready and we were excited!  We (myself, Leah, Momma, Katy, Kandace, Clara, Andrew, and Aunt Pam) all went out on a special lunch.  Then, Katy and I got our hair curled!  :)  (That was so fun!)  We had professional family pictures taken beforehand and then at 6:30pm, it started!  It was a very special time...very bittersweet.  We had a wonderful night celebrating our many years of homeschooling!

Here is our program...

Here is my graduation slideshow...   

Now on to some pictures...

After I got my hair done...

Katy, Ms. Cindy, and Me

My display table...representing ME!!!

I am sharing about my homeschooling and future plans...

My lovely Momma...

My wonderful Daddy...

Our Daddies prayed over us...

I'm a graduate!

My diploma!

Our sweet sisters were a big help!

Curls...  :)

Here we are with our siblings...minus Clara...

Needless to say, it was a night to remember!  I would like to thank my Daddy and Momma for everything they have done...their prayers, dedication to follow the Bible's teachings, their time, effort, energy, and I could go on and on!  They are the best!

I have had several people ask me about my "future" plans...so here it goes!  :)  I have 57 college credits through CLEPing and DSSTing (test taking for college credit).  I am going to try to get my Bachelor's from Thomas Edison State College through CLEPing...I can get my whole degree at home!  I believe it is Biblical for young women to stay under their father's protection, until the Lord brings their husbands.  The only reason I am pursuing my degree is so I can be prepared if our nation, one day, requires a college education to homeschool our children.  I am preparing to be a stay-at-home wife and mother.  (Titus 2:4-5)  I look forward to what the Lord has in store!

Sorry for such a long blog post!  :)  I had a lot to share!

Many blessings!

A Blessed Day

I would like to thank everyone for all the birthday wishes!  (All the phone calls, emails, visits, and messages...I appreciate it!)  It has been a blessed day!

My Daddy took me out on a "date" for lunch...we had a wonderful time.  So special!

When we got home, I had a pretty little package waiting for me.  It took me on a treasure hunt to find this...

Hot chips and ginger ale...Leah gave me my favorite junk food!  :)  What a sweet sis!  (Hot chips...I love those things...the hotter the better!)  

I started in the kitchen, went outside, and finally ended up in the boys' closet, upstairs.

Here are my rhyming clues and let me not forget, the gift certificate to Stick Boys in Boone...my favorite bakery!  (Blueberry scones and cinnamon rolls, here I come!)  My family knows what I like... :)

Snapshots by Leah...

For supper, my dear Momma fixed me a fabulous meal.  It included roasted chicken, dressing, gravy, green beans, and cantaloupe (compliments of Maw-Maw Brown).  :)  We had pineapple ice cream with fresh strawberries for dessert...yum!  :)  It was SO GOOD!

I am one blessed 17 year old!!!  I thank the Lord for another year to serve Him and for His many blessings!

P.S. If you would like to see some pictures of past birthdays...click here for last year's post.

Oh Happy Day!

It has "officially" happened to me...I am OLD!  (Well, not until 11:19am, but we're getting close.)  I am 17, today.  It is really hard to believe...

Then...

Now...

My family is so sweet! They make me feel so special! I love you, all!

 

It's April! (Plus Pinwheel Hairclips)

Well, it is finally my birthday month!  I always look forward to April...it's such a beautiful time of the year!

I have been "missing in action," from the blog, for a couple of weeks. I have been working on graduation things in my spare time.  :)  It's really hard to believe I'm graduating from homeschool!  (Bitter-sweet...)

A week or so ago, I made these springy hairclips...they make you just want to go on a picnic!  :)

(The back)

I hope you had a blessed Easter...we have so much to be thankful for!  He is risen...the tomb is empty!

Easter Morning (Me and Leah)

April is a busy birthday month for our family!  Here, Katy and I are celebrating our birthdays, early.  (Mine is Friday and Katy's is the 19th...such old women...17 & 18!)  :)

What a wonderful time we had on Easter evening!  Here we are with our cousins!

I am so thankful that we serve a risen Savior! 

To Him...all the glory, forever!

 

The Blessing of Obedience

Let me start by saying...the Lord is always on time...He is always faithful...we just have to trust Him!

Today, we were blessed by someone's obedience to the Lord.  For awhile, we have been looking for a tiller for the garden.  We usually have to borrow one, but we really needed one of our own. 

This afternoon, someone pulled into our driveway and took this off the back of his truck...

(Please excuse my lovely attire...I wasn't planning on having a picture made.)  :)

 

Can you say, "What a blessing!"  The man said he found out that we needed one and the Lord told him to get it for us.  His obedience was an answered prayer...through him, the Lord provided us with a tiller!  He could have easily made excuses on why he shouldn't/couldn't, but he obeyed the Lord's prompting.  What a lesson on obeying, when the Lord tells us to do something...

Again, the Lord is ALWAYS on time...He is ALWAYS faithful...we just have to TRUST Him!

Thanking Him for His faithfulness,

Gardening!!!

I hope you have had a blessed week!  I know a lot of sickness and allergies are going around...it's that time of year.  Our family has had bouts with colds and allergies...but are finally getting over them. 

We now have the onions and lettuce planted!  I'm a little later than last year...but we have been busy and haven't had the opportunity to plant.  I'm glad to have them in the ground! 

I absolutely love my raised beds!  They make it easier to keep the weeds under control.

Oh, how I love my gardening boots...  :)

Onions!!!

Here comes the rain...

My compost pile...worms!

My lemon balm came back from last year!

Here is our Yoshino cherry tree.

^"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is..." Psalm 63:1  

Enjoy the weekend...even with the rain!  :)

Children's Blanket

Today, I made a special blanket for a VERY special little boy.  :) 

Some know him as Andrew, but I get to call him Cousin!

Andrew had surgery, Thursday...you can read about his story on my Uncle's blog: http://dkevinbrown.wordpress.com/ (scroll down for all the related posts).

Andrew will have to be in a wheelchair for several weeks...so, I decided to make him a blanket that would fit his wheelchair.

This little blanket is "all-boy" and has a soft minky back!

If the Lord brings little Andrew to mind, please pray for him in the coming weeks. 

I love you, my sweet cousin!