The Second First Day of School

So it is that God brings to an end one season and ushers in another. This is one of those times. Christopher starts his first day of school today at Covenant Classical School. After much prayer and consideration, God has made it very clear that Christopher has need of what a more traditional school has to offer over homeschool. It is a very bitter sweet time. After many years of homeschool, it is hard to let him go, yet I know that for his best, it is necessary. God has great plans for my Christopher, and far be it from me to hold him back for my own selfish desires.
He is very excited about going, and a little nervous. But who isn't the first day of school.

(So since this is a late post, I can also give you the follow-up... He loved it!!! Praise God!! He really loves school. He loves the teacher and kids, the routine, the challenge, and of course lunch and recess. It is just what he needed.)

He is in a class of 11 kids with his teacher Mrs. Balbuena. The curriculum is classical with a focus on memorizing at this stage of development. The homework is somewhat formidable with the first major assignment being an 8+ page paper written about the Oregon Trail. WHAT???? And after much pain and agony and many late nights, my boy turned out an 18 page story about the Oregon Trail that will blow you away. Amazing what your kids can and will do when given the right stuff. Never underestimate your kids.

A Biltmore Birthday

Once upon a time there was a girl...
Alas, this girl was turning 30, and at the request of her knight of what she desired for her celebration, she responded, "a day with my ladies-in-waiting at a place fit for a princess." And so, her knight took up the charge and sent her with her ladies to the Biltmore Estates.


What beauty awaited as they stepped from their coach. It was more beautiful than they imagined.

The gardens bedazzled with flowers galore, were but a mere shadow of the beauty surrounding them in the mountains they were hidden within.

There was no lack of fun or food or enjoyment, the princess and her ladies celebrated a birthday not to be forgotten. For this princess now joined her wise and good friends in the decade they call the 30s. Happy Birthday my dear, sweet Lindsay!!

Simhat Torah Party

To complete the Sukkoth, the children have a Simhat Torah Party. This commemorates when the Jews would take the Torah out of the ark during the Festival of Booths and parade it around for all to see, celebrating God's word. In current times, the children invite all the neighbors/friends to make banners celebrating God and His Word to parade around the neighborhood with treats to share for all

Christopher and Samuel made their banners, then went through the neighborhood inviting all the kids to come make a banner and have a parade with them.

So they lead all the kids in a grand parade up and down the street with their banners. Afterward, they had candy to share and played games in the front yard. It seems so simple and yet we never stop to do these things. God set these times aside for his people for the purpose of remembering and glorifying Him, and in the glorifying of Him, His people are brought closer together and filled with joy. I think even as christians, though we are no longer required to live by the law, we should take the time to be purposeful to remember God and His provision, simply to glorify God.

Sukkoth

As we continue our studies of the old testament and jewish tradition, we took time to celebrate Sukkoth, the Festival of Booths. This is where the people would build a small booth and share a meal in it as a reminder of how temporal material things are and celebrate God's provision for them during the flight out of Egypt, as well as today.

So the boys built the frame with dad's help and carried it to the spot they felt best.

Then you decorate it with greenery and fall decorations in preparation for your meal together. Different parts of the meal symbolize how God provides for his people. I have to say, besides just being fun family time, it is also humbling to take time just to celebrate God and to dwell on his provision for our every need.