Springtime update

Here are a few updates of life on the homefront...

As we are now entering into our second year here, we continue to enjoy SC. The springtime has such a charm and beauty to it. There is something special about the evenings at this time of year. The air is filled with a sweet pine smell that reminds me of being up in the mountains camping. There just is something so beautiful in that aroma. And it is especially rich in the cool spring evenings here.

Our garden seems to be doing well. The children are excited to see little red berries on their strawberry plants. Our landlords baby chicks and turkeys are growing so fast. His horse Patty is also pregnant, so we eagerly anticipate a baby foal in our backyard in the new future.

We are chomping at the bit for that summer break from the studies. W finished up his math book a couple of days ago, so he is doing some refresher work with Dad now. J has exactly the ten day mark left in his book it looks like. They have devoured more books than I can remember this year. Yes, it has been a good year. We hope to be finishing up in the next 2-3 weeks. I can hardly believe next year I will be teaching a 7th, 5th, 4th, 2nd and Kindergardener! I am pondering what our curriculum and goals will be for next year.

This week we have been having a friend with her two daughters from church staying with us. They are going to Korea for 4 months. Her husband has been out of town this week and their stuff is all in storage now until their return. So we have enjoyed the sweet time together. I am drinking in my time with dear Esther because I will miss her so much while they are gone. I will be counting the months till Sept. when they return.

SM is going to be moving out next week sometime. She and her brother close on their house on the 6th. I am coordinating a housewarming party at the church to try and help them set up their house, because they do not have much to start out with.

Shortly after SM moves out, we will be having another visitor for about 12 days. Our friend Travis from church has been courting a young woman. She will be coming for his graduation from seminary and will be staying with us. We look forward to getting to know her better.

So today I have been cleaning house...and yay, I can breathe again! I always feel better when the clutter is put away and everything is fresh and shiny.

Tomorrow a friend of mine is coming over to help me sew some swim dresses for my little girls. I went to Hancocks the other day to buy some swimsuit materials and was delighted to see it was on sale! I have heard sewing on that kind of fabric is VERY difficult, but I will have an expert with me...so we shall see. If they work out, maybe I will post a picture of them. They are fun bright colors..hot pink for E, florescent green for B, and a baby blue pattern for H.

After we sew, my friends husband will join us for dinner tomorrow night...a fun day!

I will sign off for now, but I am going to see if there is a pic I can put up here today. Oh yes, this is a picture of W on his birthday this past March. I made them pancakes and he got a mouse! As I am finishing this up my older 4 are in the living room crocheting...they have really gotten into that the last few days! Thats all for now!