More Birthday Celebrations!

Donnie's birthday is just a few days before Frankie's so he suggested we meet up in Atoka, OK for Mexican food and celebrating. 

Donnie teased Frankie that since she was 30 she was officially older than him since he was only 29.  But Frankie reminded him that he turned 80 last year, meaning he was 81 now!  They had a fun time teasing each other. 

After lunch at our favorite meet up spot we went over the park to play with Sport and visit.  

Abigail made chocolate and vanilla cupcakes to share.  We packed away six cupcakes to take to Atoka, but Jon dropped them in back yard on the way to the car.  So I packed up another six cupcakes and dropped them on the kitchen floor.  The next six cupcakes Frankie packed and carried herself to the car without incident! It was funny, we were laughing too hard to be upset about the dozen wasted cupcakes! 

It was an enjoyable, lighthearted day just perfect for celebrating!  Frankie loved being the center of attention! 

They celebrate your abundant goodness

    and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Psalm 145:7

Frankie's Birthday

Can you believe our little Frankie is 30 today!  Like all great birthdays we began with breakfast in bed, her choice, bacon, egg and cheese bagel.   Breakfast was followed by opening presents, everyone's favorite time!  There were movies, shoes, clothes and lots of other goodies.  Her siblings found several '30' birthday cards that she really enjoyed them poking fun at her! 

After she opened her gifts, Caleb called on Skype where they could video chat on my laptop.  That was great, we all enjoyed seeing his smiling face and listening to the stories of college life.

I posted on Facebook that it was her birthday so lots of well wishes poured in.  Sissy had a great time reading and responding everyone's comments.  

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.  Deuteronomy 30:19

College Care Package

The drive home from LCU was kind of quiet on Friday afternoon.  Saturday was a very long day, and it was just odd how quiet the house had become.  Not because Caleb is loud but because we were all used to interacting with him.  

So I took the girls out and we put together his first care package to arrive on Monday. On one of our pizza pick ups for the pantry we had asked for an empty pizza box.  We arranged dollar bills to make the pizza and quarters for the toppings. 

The girls made cards, Frankie's said, "You have a Pizza My Heart." And Abigail's card read, "Fitness? More Like Fitness Whole Pizza in My Mouth!"  

Sunday after services came the first phone call and it was glorious.  Caleb was hanging outside the caf waiting for lunch and called to check in.  The girls and mom were thrilled to talk to him.  The quietness was quickly filled with jabbering and shortly after his call things began to resume.  

This next phase will look different, but it is hard to be sad knowing this is what's best for him and the natural progression of life. . . care packages and phone calls and who knows, maybe an occasional laundry run! 

The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded

    than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

Ecclesiastes 9:16

Time to Let Go

This morning was the beginning of freshman orientation for the boy and parent orientation for Jon and I.  We sat through several hours of Q & A with various school administrators and then the parents broke up in groups and walked to different parts of the campus and prayed for the students and the school.  

At noon the new freshman walked in and the parents surrounded them as the Bible Chair prayed a blessing over the incoming class.  I'm not going to lie, it was tough.  But, I have great peace in where he's at and who he is.  I look with great anticipation to see the man he is becoming.  

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 

3 John 4

LCU Move In Day

Today was move in day for the incoming freshmen.  Caleb and Richard arrived at the dorms early, hoping to one of the limited pairs of risers for their bunks.  The risers allow them to elevate their beds and move the desks under the beds so they have more floor space. 

Jon and the girls drove up with the refrigerator, microwave and a few other odds and ends.  Each of the freshmen had a welcome basket waiting in their dorms.  The boys will be in Johnson Hall near the common area.  It was fun while we were moving in, I was in the dorm hanging clothes and I heard Caleb in the hallway introducing himself to dorm mates and making small talk.  It was heartwarming to hear how comfortable he was in his new environment!  Even just walking around the campus as Caleb took the girls on the tour, Caleb was so relaxed and at ease walking about the campus.  

One of the deciding facts for me that LCU was the right place for Caleb was the sense that everyone from recruiters, administrators, and professors were determined to see Caleb and his fellow student succeed.  What a great environment, you want to know there are others right alongside him fighting and giving the tools to succeed. 

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything
 written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Joshua 1:8

College Bound

Today was the day to move the boy to Lubbock!  His Jeep Grand Cherokee was loaded up with everything a young man could possibly need.  He has to check into the dorm early tomorrow morning so he and I made the five hour drive today. 

The ride to Lubbock was good, not much to see but cotton fields, wind mills, and cows. When we made it Lubbock Christian University he took care of a little business, you know, picking out his meal plan, rec ID, etc! He also stopped by the Bible Department to say hello to Dr. Patty, his honor's professor. 

This evening we attended services at the Green Lawn Church of Christ that is adjacent to the campus.  It was a sweet service with a prayer service for the youth and faculty returning to school. 

It was funny on the drive up the boy would hit the search button on his stereo and I promise we listened to every sad country leaving, dying song!  Ugh! 

I will make every effort to see that after my departure
you will always be able to remember these things.
2 Peter 1:15

Books We Read for the 2014-2015 School Year

One of the great things about keeping the blog is it serves as a great place to save things I want to remember.  I try to keep up with the major books we've enjoyed through the school year, but I don't always remember to mark everything we read. 

These post serve as a great reminder of books we read, sometimes they are books we want to read again!  Some of our selections are predetermined by our school curriculum and some are books Jon & I chose for them; still others are the kid’s personal sections. 

Anyway, for posterity sake here is the list for our 2014-2015 School Year:

Alive in the Spirit; An Angel Experiment; Angel; Animal Farm; Benjeapes; Bible; Canterbury Tales; Cross My Heart & Hope to Spy; David Copperfield; Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover; Dorothy Must Die; Fountainhead; Gathering Blue; Great Divorce; Hamlett; Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy;  Legend; Max; Maximum Ride Final Warning; Mind Gym; Mysterious Island; Ode to the West Wind;  Our Town; Paradise Lost; Percy Jackson's Greek Gods; Prodigy; Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports; School's Out Forever; Scorch Trials; Screwtape Letters; Selection; The Blood Olympus; The Dragon Book; The Elite; The Gallagher Academy; The Mental ABC's of Pitching; The One;  The Roar; and The Scorpio Races.

Here is a look back at previous school years:

 2008-2009 Book List  

2010-2011 Book List

 2011-2012 Book List

 2012-2013 Book List

2014-2015 Book List 

Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 

Family Get Together

One last Sunday lunch together with the Gungans, Herrings and the Kirkwoods before we take the boys to college.  It will be interesting to sit down together in a few months and see how the boys have grown and matured. 

There are so many great things ahead for them and so many changes for every member sitting around this table.  I'm so grateful that some ten years ago God put our families together.  

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-9

Our Homeschool Farewell to the Duncan Family

This will be the first of several sappy posts, so please bear with me.  Sappy seems to be where we are right now.  Our friends the Gungans are relocating to Oklahoma.  Our families have been together at church, homeschooling and play for the better part of eleven years.  

It is still surreal, it's hard to imagine their family not being here.  The up side is Caleb and Richard will be together at Lubbock Christian University and I know our families will still be tied together.  It will just look differently than it has the last eleven years. 

With that said, this morning was the first of the going away parties.  Our homeschool group had a nice come and go event for the family today.  Just a time to wish them well and thank the family for all they've done for our group.  

“Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’”  I Samuel 20:42

Church Farewell to the Duncan Family

The second portion of our day was a farewell send off from our church family for the Gungans. 

The Sanderford family opened up their lovely new home for a come and go send off.  Lots of fun stories and sweet faces stopped by to wish them well.  

The pic in the lower left corner is one of my favorites, Abigail and Caleb sharing cake.  Something you have to know is Roy doesn't share drinks, food, germs, etc.  But in this one moment when his best friend offered him a fork, the two share the plate of cake.  

Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,

    when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,

5 

when the Almighty was still with me

    and my children were around me,

Job 29:4-5