starting school 2019-2020

When we returned from our Colorado vacation on August 13th, we had to jump into homeschool pretty much right away. 

Okay, I might have had time to admire my dahlias which hadn't started to bloom until like the week before vacation.

And of course we had to visit the library for new books so we would have reading material. I can't remember if we planned to go with the O's or not but there's Abigail with Evie - bff's. 

Our neighbor was having a garage sale and we thought it was a good opportunity for Evie to set-up the  lemonade stand she'd been wanting all summer. We also made up some cookies to sell. She's excited because she's adding the magic ingredient of marshmallows - those make everything more special in her eyes. 

They did pretty well for themselves!

We also had some last of the summer smores.

Yep, Trouncer too.

Then, a week after returning home, on August 19th, we had our first day of school.

Jumping for joy?

Nope, definitely not joy. Just being silly.

No one wants to start school ever, especially in August.

In 2019 Evie was in Faith's Classical Co-op class all day on Mondays. This was her first day, August 26th, and I attended all day with her. Noah had his cross country stuff all ready to go too because he had his Biology lab class there in the morning. Afterwards Terry picked him up, took him to church for lunch, and then drove him to RCC for practice.

 

Evie's baptism!

On July 28, 2019, Evie was baptized!

Terry did the short devotional about baptism. It's not a salvific thing, it doesn't save you. It's a picture of a salvation that has already occurred! 

Russ interviewed all the people so we could know they were actually trusting in Christ alone and not in their baptism. 

Evie had already believed that she was a sinner deserving of Hell and in need of Jesus rescuing her from her sins. He did this through his death on the cross where He took on all of humanity's sin and was punished by the Father entirely. He paid our debt, something we could never do through our good works (like baptism to many people). Our good works (like relying on baptism and acts of service or a good life) are like filthy cloths to Him since He is so entirely perfect and holy. But if we cry out to Him in conviction over our wrongs against Him and trust Him alone to save us, He does it. 

Evie's good friend Abigail was baptized as well. 

And so was her mom and my friend Amanda!

Terry even go to baptize Evie. 

Going under the water signifies our death with Christ. 

When we come out of the water it is symbolic of our having risen to new life with Christ in His resurrection. 

Thankfully my mom got a video for me since the video I did end up getting couldn't really see the baptism at all. Mom's video is first and mine is second. 

Abigail coming up. 

And I just had to include her hugging her dad Danny afterwards because it was so precious. 

Afterwards the church went to a nearby park to celebrate and eat a picnic together. Noah's in that tree. 

This is fairly random but has to do with baptism. I gave Evie an old book of mine from high school and college that I used to keep favorite quotes in. While perusing it we discovered that little circled "quote" my dad inserted. I had no memory that he ever did this. It's so my dad, and funny. I must have read it at that time though because I commented "What?" and my sister inserted a translation, "baptize." "You can't baptize a cat."

July '19: VBS, Hills Alive, hiking, YG tubing

Evie was technically too old for VBS (I think? or it was her final year) but she went all the same.

I believe the kids raised money to support a Nebraskan church that was flooded out during the wet spring. They also worked toward taping Zeb and Moses to the wall. 

I love that look they're sharing. 😂

One day while the kids were at the church Terry and I drove down to visit Paul and Jana. Love them! 

There's always hail in summer but there aren't always dahlias that are behind in their growth. Terry was so kind as to run out there and cover them all up. 

I loved him running around under that umbrella for me. 💚

The following weekend, July 21, was Hills Alive. It had been a while since we'd gone but For King and Country drew us out. 

Evie with Sarah and Naomi.

Evie dancing with Grace.

Samuel and Ezra already look so much smaller here to me (it's February while I write this though).

It's always a huge crowd. 

Happy girls. 

Bouncing girls.

I did a more professional haircut for Luna since I finally figured out how to use the guards. 

David took Noah and Moses out a few times for hiking. 

He's the best! 

Beautiful. 

Creeper Noah 😂

Terry still does youth group in the summers when he's not on a trip. This particular event had been already been rescheduled to this night, July 24, due to rain and lightning. But even still it was cloudy and cold! 

Terry and Steven constructed a huge waterslide!

The littles had so much fun. So did everyone else!

The fall was very quickly approaching and I had to get my school stuff in order. I spent hours and hours planning and shopping. 

That kitty is so chill. 

The littles helping me water my dahlias. 

Haircut time for Evie. 

Our very good friends from Nebraska, Shawn and Becki, visited us on July 27 while they were here for their anniversary.