Happy Birthday to my baby!

Doing a little fencing with sister!

One knight down after a tough jousting tournament.

Campfire maker and wonderful Daddy!

Anne and Jay!

Here is John's puppy with some of his gifts. The poor dog has had several names. We did some research today and since they are a breed from the Shetland Islands near Ireland, we decided on Irish names. We called some friends of ours with a penchant for unusual but lovely names and their top two names were Fiona and Brianna. Thanks Buchanans! John's dog is Fiona. (Fee for short) and Claire's is Brianna (Bree for short).

These names are ,unfortunately , subject to change :)

It is hard to believe that my youngest is now 5! John's birthday started out bright and early with Scott taking him out to breakfast. Then we had a whirlwind day of school with the Parks and some of the Chunns over for writing class with Rachelle and Algebra with me!

After recovering from that, we read some and played with the puppies. When Scott got home, John opened presents and we built a fire. We ate out and then came home to roast marshmallows on the campfire. I am thankful to God for John's life and it is my prayer that God will rescue him and draw him to Himself at an early age and that John will have a life dedicated to bringing our wonderful Lord glory and honor! I love you John! Ma's Jay!!

Puppy love and cowboys

Rootin' tootin' cowboys Jack and John :)

Granny and Pa came by to see their grand dogs!

Claire loves Brianna (Bree)!

Kaelan and Fiona (Fi Fi) and Claire with Bree

It is so hard to believe these boys are 5 years old!!!

On Saturday, after much searching, we headed to Ecru to look at some pups. They are Shetland Shephards or Shelties and as you can see they are cutie pies!

Claire has been asking for a dog for months and John wanted one too, so we purchased two of them for their birthdays.

They are presents from Granny Rene and Pa EJ! Thanks Granny and Pa!

We have really enjoyed them.

On Saturday after we picked up the puppies, we had a birthday cookout for Jackson and John.

Lots of fun with friends!

Anna's first race

Here are some of the Dads before the race. Jaime, the guy in the middle actually ran the race with his youngest daughter. Good job!

Here are some of the Spartan girls before the race.

And... they're off!

John and Claire are cheering for the Spartans!

Here is Anna coming in to the finish line.

Anna really enjoys being on the Spartan team. She is motivated to be more physically fit and is developing some discipline that will carry over into other areas. I pray that as she learns endurance and perseverence in her running that she will develop the same in her spiritual race-

that she will be disciplined to keep going even when she doesn't feel like moving on, that she will endure when the way is tough and that she will never give up in running to Christ who is the prize for which we should all be striving!

Our new coop

Our coop this semester meets on Fridays from 9-12. We have 2 classes for each age group - a history and a science class. Then we eat lunch together and go to the gym and play!



Of course, one of the highlights of the day is after lunch when we go to the gym to play! Even some of the Moms get in on the action. The last two Fridays we have played kick ball.

Claire is all smiles about our new coop!

The boys play against the girls. Last Friday the girls were getting beat 16 to 2.

So..... some of the slightly older girls , Yonea and Susan, joined in the game to even up the score :)

This is Ben and Claire's history class. They are using Mystery of History.

Anna is doing Gileskirk history and Biology I. Here they are looking at cells under the microscope. Anna, Margaret, Sarah and Anna Avery

John and his class are learning some Latin names for the colors!

We have had 2 coops so far and the kids are having a good time and seem to be learning a lot!

Here is John having fun on a skateboard. Some of the younger kids ride scooters and skateboards.

Our Great God

I am so thankful for God's continuing patience and mercy to such a blind, cold-hearted fool.

As I have been flitting through my days lately, praise to God, He still stoops down and pricks my deaf ears and cold heart with His Word and His Love. I was reading a poem this morning about God's fervour and passion towards us and it contrasted that with our cold indifference toward Him.

His earnest love, His infinite desires

His living, endless, and devouring fires,

Do rage in thirst, and fervently require

A love 'tis strange it should desire.



We cold and careless are, and scarcely think

Upon the glorious spring whereat we drink,

Did He not love us we could be content:

We wretches are indifferent.



'Tis death, my soul, to be indifferent;

Set forth thyself unto thy whole extent,

And all the glory of His passion prize,

Who for thee lives, Who for thee dies.

Traherne (17th Century)

Then in our Bible study yesterday, we were studying about Paul's journeys and we saw the city of Laodicea and I looked up the verses in Revelation about the church there and it reinforced my conviction of my lukewarmness toward God and my lack of passion and fervor for Him and His glory. Revelation 3:15-22 says

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor blind,and naked-I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich: and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."


We are so satisfied in our wealth and comfort that we do not realize how naked, blind and wretched we are daily without God, without a vital intimate walk with Him, daily.


I too have felt very convicted lately about my passion and fervour for so many lesser things, but my coldness and indifference, really, to the main thing, which is living for God's glory. God, our Father, is so passionate about us, just look at the cross, and we go about our day as if we do not even need Him or need to spend time with Him. Ps. 10 speaks of the wicked in their pride do not seek Him.. How foolish we are. I praise Him for continuing to teach us!

First of all, Scott had a blast this morning playing "Farmer" for some friends of ours who have an organic farm in Pontotoc. Due to an emergency, they needed someone to go to the Oxford farmers market and Scott was ready and willing to help. He enjoyed especially talking to a local dairy farmer who had 5 or 6 Jerseys that he milked everyday and sold the milk.
He brought home some for us to try.
I would not be surprised if we heard some mooing sounds soon coming from our backyard :)
We are also in the market for a puppy for Kiki for her birthday. Anyone got a cute puppy to give away in the next couple of weeks?
As for coop yesterday, it went very well. All the kids enjoyed their classes and I am looking forward to a great year of learning with the other families there.
We are having a special speaker at our church this weekend and last night he challenged us from Nehemiah 9. The Israelites did not have near as many blessings and revelations as we do in having the entirity of God's Word to read, but yet in this passage they covered themselves with ashes, fasted and prayed and stood for a whole day while the Law was read to them.. How many of us have been so desperate for God's intervention that we did as much as that? I know I have never.
We have been given so much and much much is expected . We , on the other side of Christ's incarnation, have so much information and so many spiritual blessings IN Christ that our response should be so much greater than that of the Israelites of old.
And then our speaker gave the warning that even as God's chosen people, the Israelites were cut off for their unbelief and we Gentiles were grafted in and how much more we could be cut off as well for our continued unbelief. How, if we are indeed members of the Great Kingdom of God, our response to Him should be so urgent, fervent and consistent and how our thoughts, actions and lives should be spent in promoting and glorifying our Loving King and His Kingdom instead of pursuing our own interests. And, how flabby, complacent and caught up in the silly passing world we are and how we should fear - if God cut off the Israelites for unbelief, could He not do the same to us who are not the natural branches?
It was a sobering message and I look forward to hearing more from him tonight.

So far- so good

I am quite thankful that this week has gone rather smoothly. We have had XC practice twice this week and we have our first coop tomorrow, but other than those outings we have been able to be at home most of the week. We were able to finish all that I had planned for school this week and I am looking forward to adding in several other subjects next week. I have ordered Anna a computer technology course and she will begin that on Monday as well as her biology class and her Gileskirk history. I am still up in the air about the writing/lit course for her and I am trying to talk a friend of mine, KRP, into teaching writing for me and letting me teach Algebra to her child :) We will see how that goes....
Well, I'm off to lay out clothes for coop and straighten up a little before nighty night.