Patriotic Graduation Party Decorations

Last week we celebrated Gabriel's graduation from Pensacola with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. We thought a 4th of July themed party was appropriate for the aspiring politician.  I'm thinking about selling some of these in my Etsy shop.  Here are a few of the pictures:

Stay tuned for more pictures.....

Happy 21st Birthday to Gabriel

Today is Gabriel's 21st birthday. Where did the years go? Hannah and his friends at college celebrated with him. I wish we could be together on his birthday. Instead, he's studying for a couple of big tests and we have having pizza for lunch in his honor. Happy Birthday Gabriel!! I am blessed to be your mom and I'm so thankful that you have great friends to celebrate with.

Here are a few pictures. Hannah's not in them. I'm guessing she was behind the camera!

Gabriel and his sweetheart Sarah

Friends who came to celebrate

Megan and Breana - Hannah's best friends

A Bit about Gabriel and Hannah

Gabriel and Hannah are finishing up their last few weeks of work. Gabriel works in the Abeka Book distribution center. If you use Abeka, he might be the one who pulled your books off the shelves! He has also been a substitute worker in the sports center. They have a day camp for elementary kids and Gabriel's job when he's there is to supervise them while they are bowling, skating, rock climbing and all the other activities that are there. Hannah works for Abeka Academy. That's their video school. She's on the phone all day making and receiving calls about enrollment.


I thank God daily for their jobs, for without them, I don't know how we could send them back this fall. But I miss them more than my heart can say. I love that they have made good friends and are really having a great time. Gabriel is getting a lot of reading in. Something that he probably wouldn't do here at home. It's been good for them, but cutting the apron strings (or heart strings would be more like it) is painful. August may be too early to start the Christmas break count down but I did it anyway. 120 days.

Scrapbook page made using my new digital scrapbooking program. I'm giving one away next week!!

Not Back to School - Student Photos

It's the "Not Back to School Blog Hop: Student Photo Week. So let me introduce you to my student:




This is Holly. She is 13, an age that she has long awaited. Being a teen was on the top of her goals list for many years. I suppose having teenaged siblings for so many years has something to do with that. She is entering her last year of middle school. I cannot believe that in five years we will be sending her off to college. Now that she has reached her goal of "teenager", she is working on some others. Her interests include journalism, art and photography.


I also had to include Gabriel and Hannah. Would you call them my former students? I suppose as Mom, I will always be their teacher. They will begin their sophomore year next month at Pensacola Christian College. Gabriel is studying pre-law. His ultimate goal is president. Yes, of the United States. Hannah is majoring in graphic design.


These pages are some of my first attempts using digital scrapbooking software. I'm planning a give-away next week so be sure to stop by again!

Not Back to School Plans - 2011

I have said now that I have two graduated from homeschool, I know how to do it now! And it is true that I have learned a lot over the years. Gabriel and Hannah will be sophomores at Pensacola Christian College this fall. Gabriel is studying pre-law and Hannah, graphic design. They love it there and we are blessed that they made the dean's list both semesters of their freshman year. That leaves me with just one at home.

Holly is going into 8th grade this year. Homeschooling one is entirely different than two or three or more! When I had all three at home and we were done with "school" for the day, they would spend time with each other. Even if they were in the same room, doing different things, there was a togetherness.

(Picture taken in the Transylvanian Alps circa 2003)

This year, I found myself analyzing what did and did not work with Gabriel and Hannah and what would be the best options for Holly. She is like them in many ways but in other ways, she is very much her own person. She is very social and needs interaction with others. So, here is what I have decided to do for this year:

Middle School English Composition and Literature - To be taken at a local co-op. I am also hoping this will encourage her to read. She reads well but never chooses to. This will be my first experience with this group of homeschoolers!


Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra - This will be a first for us. I have heard many good things about it.

Abeka History of the World - I like Abeka. It is very thorough!

Abeka Science Order and Design (Life Science)

Band - Continuing to learn the clarinet in a homeschool band group - if we can afford the gas. It is about 45 minutes away.

High School Art - this is also at the co-op. I am a bit apprehensive about her taking a high school class but the teacher said it is for all skill levels and the middle school class is for 5th-7th graders.

Her interests at this time are either journalism or graphic design. In her spare time, should she have any, she will work on keyboarding and blogging. Time will tell what her actual college major will be. At this point in their lives, Gabriel was going to be an author and Hannah had no plans to go to college.

For more Not Back to School plans check out Heart of the Matter {online}

Call Me Crazy

Holly is still away at camp. This year they have a new program where they can choose from several "classes" like archery and hiking. I heard from one of the other kid's mom that ALL of our group chose to do arts and crafts in order to escape the heat! Who can blame them in this oppressive suffocating weather. It's supposed to be 96 there today with a heat index of 105.

Today John is going on his own adventure. He is going with a good friend of his to Pensacola to visit with Gabriel and Hannah. I know that many of you think that I am CRAZY not to go and see my kids but let me explain. First of all, I have my own trip planned to fly down in October. Second, on short trips like this, it's easier to not take the whole family. John will be able to spend more individual time with them. Plus there is a major factor that some John's days off are while Holly is still at camp. Finally, and might I add mainly, it's JULY. I do not want to be walking around the college campus in this scorching heat. I melt. I get raging headaches. It wouldn't be an enjoyable time. So I am staying home. I enjoy these rare moments when I have some time to myself. I have a lengthy to-do list and hope to get a portion of it accomplished before Holly arrives at home tomorrow night. What do you do when you're home alone?

The Twists and Turns of My Heart

Gabriel and Hannah left just before dawn yesterday morning for their second semester of college. They took a carload of all the things they needed and some things they wanted to make their dorm rooms more comfy. They also took a huge piece of my heart. What's left of my poor heart has been twisted and turned so many times in the last several months. I am so excited for their successes. I love that they love college life. But I miss them; their hugs and their laughter. Yet I know that to keep them here would not be the best thing for them. Who wants a 30-40 year old son living at home living at home and playing video games? They must grow up. They must fly away. But they are so far away. They cannot come home on the weekends. I miss snuggling with Hannah on the couch and watching a chick flick. I miss Gabriel's sense of humor. He always makes me laugh. I realize how blessed I am to have such amazing kids. I am grateful for the one on one time with Holly. She enjoys the individual attention. Yet she will spend her teen years without having siblings around. Oh, do you see the maze that my heart is going through? So many emotions! I have always known that motherhood involved the cutting of the apron strings. I just didn't know it was such a long and painful process.

A Chute Full of Holes

When we left Gabriel and Hannah at Pensacola Christian College I said that I felt like my kids just jumped out of an airplane with a parachute that I had packed for them. They had spent most of their lives as homeschoolers. Not only that, they were missionary kids. Their academic life seemed to have been in constant turmoil. Most years really didn't go as I planned. So when we left them on campus, on their own, I was fearful. Did I teach them enough? Are their study skills good enough to handle different teachers, different tests? Did we work on taking notes enough? Each time, my answer was no. I needed more time with them. Another year. Maybe two or three. Then we'd be ready. But it was time to send them. So I worried about the parachute and their landing. Would the chute open? Was it full of holes? Would they crash and burn?

As a homeschooling mom, I found it very difficult not knowing what they were doing each and every academic moment. What topic were they learning in history? What kind of speech were they practicing that week? What kind of homework assignments did they have? What were they studying that evening? I tried not to interrogate them constantly, after all, they did need time to study. And hopefully, I improved somewhat during the semester.

On December 17th, they completed their first semester and it was amazingly successful. They received their report cards yesterday and they both made the Dean's List! They both love being there and made a lot of friends. I give all thanks and glory to God who helped them to land safely on the ground in spite of a poorly packed and torn parachute.

Normal

Gabriel and Hannah have been home for two weeks now. There's a sense of normalcy around the house. That includes more noise, laughter, laundry, and frequently running out of milk. It's good to have them home and we have nearly three more weeks together! I'm thankful for their long break. They were so homesick and I was just beside myself with missing them. I knew their absence would be difficult but I had no idea of the magnitude. I am sure that it will be just as tough for me to let them go again but they are already looking forward to their return and the new normal they have learned from campus life.

The first semester went well for them. Hannah has excellent roommates and has adapted to dorm life quite well. She'd rather have a bottom bunk but overall is pleased with everything. Gabriel had one roommate that he got along with really well and the other was a complete slob. That was tough for a young man who was used to having a room to himself. After midterms, his next door neighbor's roommate left school and requested Gabriel for a roommate. So he was excited to move into a much neater room.

Gabriel loves classes and loves studying! I wish I had seen some of that enthusiasm in all our years of homeschooling. He is a Pre-Law major. Hannah is studying Graphic Design. They both had a very successful semester and are eager to return. John, Holly and I will miss them fiercely but I'm happy that they want to go back. They like it there.

Waiting to Hear

Gabriel called today. Oh how good to hear his voice. Even if it was for a question about laundry. Now I am waiting to hear from Hannah. This is a new phase in my life - anxiously waiting for that hopefully daily phone call. How did my mom survive so many decades ago when all we had was a payphone in the hallway shared by 45 other girls? A weekly call would never be enough.

Many people have asked how I am doing. Am I surviving since letting two fly the nest? So far, yes. I am not sure what the answer will be when we walk into our home and notice the emptiness there. And they are doing well and having fun. I am excited for them. But how will I handle it when they have a rough day and I am not there to give them a hug?

John, Holly and I will begin our trek back to Virginia tomorrow. Our plan is to stop half way and spend the night. It's been a long summer and a lengthy trip and we just do not feel up to making a 12 hour trip in one day this time. Looking forward to being home.

Quietness

I am sitting here in the quietness. An intense quietness. Such solitude I would have longed for in years past when I had a couple of toddlers underfoot. Now I find it peaceful yet odd.

John and I took Gabriel and Hannah to Pensacola Christian College on Sunday afternoon. They checked in on Monday, moved into their dorm rooms and registered for classes. On Tuesday we kissed them good-bye, gave them a long hug and came back to my parents house where Holly was staying.

Hannah's phone quit working on registration day. We are thinking it has something to do with her taking it for a swim a couple of weeks ago. So it's been hard to communicate with her. We have another one on the way for her to use. Today is their first day of classes. I am anxious to hear what they think! They also have a ton of meetings this week. I told them to expect the first week to be very overwhelming and also a lot of fun. I am encouraged that they have already made friends and seem to have terrific roommates!

Of course we are not empty nesters. Holly has six more years of school to go. My dad took her to the Space and Rocket Museum this afternoon. I am looking forward to all the individual time that John and I will have to spend with her. Homeschool begins on Monday!

Stay tuned for the adventures of Gabriel and Hannah at PCC and the Homeschooling of Holly - all right here. I hope you'll come back!