What Just Happened?

It happens.

It starts when you are fixing dinner, doing laundry, reading story books and preparing for the next days' activities. It just happens so quickly.

Your kids grow up. Just like that, in the midst of living life. They are graduating from school and starting their own journey.

When they are babies you can't even imagine what this day would be like because it cannot be tied to any ONE day. It is the accumulation of many days, many years.

Journee graduated from nursing school and landed a full time job in the emergency room. She still has her nursing boards to take, but the girl is done. Homeschooled from the start, never a day in public school, and she did just fine. 

I am still amazed at everything she has accomplished in her young life, not just academically, but personally and spiritually. She has a strong work ethic, a loyalty to others and a sensitive heart. 

Quinn graduated high school. She was also educated at home and finished high school with dual enrollment. This kid has been able to combine her art skills and math skills to jumpstart her goal of earning a degree in mechanical engineering. She works full time as an intern and has classes at night.

I rarely see her around here anymore because she is grown. She's independent. She's a hard worker. 

She also amazes me in her growth and accomplishments.

This last month has been very busy for me with farming and with graduation celebrations. When I am able to slow down I can't help but ask myself, "What just happened?"

One day you are reading bedtime stories and the next you are celebrating graduations. 

It happens.

Life goes on and I am grateful for all of these milestones in my life.

I am also exceedingly grateful to farm. We are currently busy with pastured chickens and honeybees, both are doing really well. 

I have been making cheddar wheels like crazy thanks to an abundance of milk. My cheese cave is housing 10 wheels and each wheel is about 7-8 pounds.

Tomorrow I will drive to pick up more fiber sheep. Tees water sheep.

I have longed for this breed for a few years and now I will have them . I spent a few hours this weekend lock spinning my curly Wensleydale fleece into a beautiful yarn. I am excited for more curly lock sheep.

The farm is growing and that is reason enough to be optimistic, even when things happen, like children growing up.

Congratulations to all of the new graduates in 2017!!

The Happy Birthday Graduation

Saturday Journee officially graduated from high school. Translation: we threw a big party.

Sure there were some local home school groups who held official graduation ceremonies complete with cap and gown but a party is sufficient. We are laid back in this family.

It was nice to visit with friends and family and we had a nice spread of food and drink. Journee was showered with gifts and cards too. Everyone came out to celebrate her hard work and bright future.

One close friend had a blanket made with a collage of family pictures printed on it. How cool is that?

The siblings used their creative minds to craft a special "Congratulation" sign in her honor as well.

Journee requested an ice cream cake for the party so last week I ordered a cake online. It was a simple request. A big cake with "Happy Graduation Journee" printed on it.

OOPS! By the time we got it home and saw that it read "Happy Birthday" we were not about to drive back into Chattanooga for a replacement or a fix. Happy birthday it was.

We laughed when we saw the mistake because there was really no need to get upset. This was a party, afterall. Mistakes happen sometimes, and the in the big picture we knew this cake was still delicious.

So, we had a graduation party complete with a happy birthday cake. We ate food all afternoon and enjoyed the nice weather outside. We enjoyed friends and family and celebrated the accomplishments of Journee.

Now I just have to convince Zeb that it was NOT her birthday. The little boys are a little confused:-)

My Senior Girl

My big girl is finished with high school. Home school high school. Actually, she has finished her last two years in dual enrollment at Chattanooga State. Her last two years were in college. BUT she is now finished with high school and starts college this summer. Confused?
This is home educating in a nut shell. No one program or plan fits every kid, so we adjust as needed and the kids are happier and better educated because we can make such changes.

Anyway, no big graduation ceremonies. No big diploma. No cap and gown. However, we WILL be throwing her a party the end of this month. We love a party around here. Party, cookout, back yard fire. We are all about having fun.

I decided to make up some announcements/invitations but needed a photo or two of my girl to put on them. We went outside and snapped some pictures of my girl...and her dog.
Here are the senior pictures of Journee (and Zelda).

Oh, and we had to take a photo or two with Yoda. He is, after all, in all of our photos. We are nerds and can't help it. Now, this looks to be more of an engagement photo with the Jedi Master....just laugh along. We all know Yoda is way too old for my girl:-)

So what's next for this girl? She will take Anatomy and Physiology II and Nutrition this summer. She plans to transfer to Dalton State College in the fall and start her way into the Bachelor Nursing Program. Yeah, I think this kid is awesome and she will go far!

Happy Monday Ya'll!