2015 Feb/March Happenings on Mission Rd. Homestead

Life has been crazy lately as we race to get our homeschool year wrapped up so we can take a long break to enjoy our little blessing coming soon. We've been having more fun adventures and getting projects accomplished on the homestead. Although I've done nothing to prepare for the baby yet. Yikes! I'm in my ninth month, maybe I ought to get busy! A special homeschool family we love and adore (the Clark Family) invited us to their Roman feast in Feb. Their eldest daughter, Gracia, has been studying about Rome and both she and Josiah are taking a Latin class together. What fun to hands-on study the food and eating customs of the ancient Romans. Gracia even sewed her family's costumes! Josiah decided to go as a Spartan soldier and made all his own armor out of cardboard and duct tape. Hailey provided the dancing entertainment. 

We had a delicious Roman feast with roast pork, salad, finger foods with cheeses, crackers, fruits, nuts and olives. Gracia made a traditional Roman punch that was astonishingly good. It contained grape juice, pepper, bay leaf and dates. I know. Sounds weird, but it really was good! The kids got to eat on the floor, reclining on cushions and pillows and used their hands to eat. What a fun experience! So blessed to have found another adventuresome homeschool family in the area.

We took the braces plunge with Josiah! So expensive, but God is providing in miraculous ways. Hailey will have an expander put in next year. 

Michael had another birthday. Hailey and I made his favorite cake in the world - cheesecake made from scratch. He loved it! 

This was me in March, just before my Mommy Makeover. 

Decided to dye my hair close to my original color and cut it before the baby gets here. It is so much easier to work with now. Josiah took these pics. He really loves photography.

My camera broke, so for my birthday/Easter present, I got a new one. Just a step up from what I had, nothing very fancy, but I'm happy with the results. I took this pic of Champ from faraway. Like the zoom on this camera!

I snapped this photo of a typical day of homeschooling my daughter. It has been fun, trying out some of the new settings on this camera.

Josiah saved up and got his bee suit! He and Michael have worked hard all winter making two hive boxes out of scrap material. They were given some stuff by past beekeepers as well, which was a wonderful blessings. We just got out first established hive last week, will do another blog post on that soon (I hope).

The most exciting thing that happened in March was Hailey and my mom getting baptized together! Hailey is telling Pastor Paul why she wanted to be baptized. She is such a water dog, we were all afraid he wouldn't be able to get her out of the baptismal when it was over ;)

Mom, who has been a Christian for years, is giving her testimony as to why she wanted to be baptized. It was so wonderful to have grandmother and granddaughter be baptized together. Very special! Thank you, Jeni Clark for taking these pics for us

We were able to have some family and friends join us for this special day. Michael and I got Hailey her very own pink princess bible and cover that she adores. Our little girl is turning into a big girl!

My in-laws got Hailey a sterling silver cross necklace for a baptism gift.

The next morning, this is what I woke up to. Hailey had gotten up early to set out all my bible study stuff so she could join me. Does it get any better than that? It just warms this mamma's heart! And of course she had to make a cup of tea of each of us. Gotta have tea or coffee with bible study!

God has been so good to us. While our children are far from perfect (trust me we have our struggles), I praise God that He continues to move their hearts toward Him, despite their mistakes as well as ours. I pray with all my heart that it will continue and I can look at the big picture and see just how far they/we've come. It is exciting to see our children taking steps to make their faith their own.

Hoping to get a couple more catch up posts written before the baby gets here.

God Bless You All,
Jackie