First Class Homeschool Ministries

This last weekend, Rod and I were invited to go to a get together at Jay St. John's parents house on Big Lake. Jay and Heidi are the founders of First Class Homeschool Ministries. We've known Jay and Heidi for some time. When I was pregnant with Jaden we all went to a marriage conference together. When Josiah was little we did friday school.... And i've known their family even longer. I remember doing Bible studies at the St. John's with Jay TenBrink... I remember we went out to their house when I was involved with YD to go waterskiing. And Jay St. John's sister married Mark.. the YD's founder's son... (I was very involved at YD for some time) and I see Jay's mom, Jerry, whenever i'm at Emmanuel.

Anyway, we were invited to this get together. Not sure.. exactly why they wanted us to be there. Polli (love you Polli) said that it was because Jay and Heidi wanted to meet the person (me) that is taking over the newsletter in the fall. And since Rod and I are both active in First Class as a husband/wife team (we are... we're both teachers... and I do other things as well) ... And that we show promise as leaders (pat pat).

There were leaders from the Skagit County First Class as well as others from the Clark County First Class. Wow, we learned alot about what's going on in the land of homeschooling. Jay and Heidi are willingly in over their heads in a only God can do this way!

It's just great what they are doing... They started First Class in Mount Vernon about 7 years ago. When they moved to Vancouver a couple of years ago, they started one there. And I lost count at how many are going/getting started... but apparently this is a huge need. Homeschooling is growing about 29% a year... and people are needing support. And it's a good alternative to parent partnership programs. And I guess that there are current homeschool groups out there that just need support and support for the leaderships of their co-ops, so they're joining under the FC umbrella.. to get connected with other homeschoolers! I had no idea! And this is going to get big... the HSLDA wants First Class Homeschool Ministries (yes, FC) to be a model for across the country.. they want Jay and Heidi to basically, head up getting homeschool groups across the nation connected... (They already have three First Class Co-ops connected in Kentucky!) I had no idea!

It was great to see them and catch up on what's going on in their lives... and it was even better to catch the vision they have for the future of homeschooling.

We also have been invited to participate in the first First Class Fundraising auction that's going to happen June 16th down near Portland. I guess we're going to be helping out as needed, as well as meeting the people involved in the First Class in Clark County. They are apparently very curious about the people who are a part of Jay and Heidi's very first co-op... so in a nerdy homeschooling way... we'll be the people to meet of the night (along with others who we are going with). Ok, that's wierd.

But the really cool thing about all of this is.... I am so excited about being a part of the future of homeschooling. There are so many people out there who really do need support. I can't imagine where I would have been if Jay and Heidi hadn't started the co-op at Emmanuel when Josiah was little. I'm really grateful for that. And to think that there are people out there who have no support.. from their friends or families or the community. Interestingly enough, I knew that there are a couple other First Class groups that they have put together... but I didn't ever look at it on a bigger perspective. That what the St. John's have done, they can teach others to do... and that our Mount Vernon group isn't alone... hadn't ever thought of things that way before... And that by participating in what Jay and Heidi (and God) are doing... in a very practical way we are helping others in Christ do what they feel led to do... homeschool their kids... all across the country! Go God!

Key West 2007

Our trip to Florida was simply fabulous... We did some great touristy stuff on this trip.

We flew into West Palm Beach. Rented a car and drove to Key West. The drive was simply amazing. I had to almost kick myself to even realize we were actually there. It's hard to believe that there's somewhere so beautiful and it's in the US! There's such a contrast from here to there. I know, we have our own beauty here, but i've kinda gotten over it after 32 years!

We stopped in Miami. It was just a nice place to stop after being on the plane and being in the car for a bit. Got out and streached our legs. Walked the beach. That's where I think I broke the LCD screen on my camera... well, we figured out that at least the camera still works. And by the sheer quantity of pictures taken (aprox 600) on the trip, you could say that i've gotten used to using the site finder on my camera once again. Once things slow down i'll have to use the warranty I bought for it!

The drive to Key West was almost too much to take in. Hard to believe on one hand that people can live that far away from everything, but on the other hand, you know why... it's paradise on earth... well except for a few things anyway... Key West is VERY touristy. I guess I expected that... did our souvenir shopping... walked down the main drag. Speaking of "drag" well there's quite a bit of that there too. The local Drag Queen is the locals' nightly entertainer at one of the local bars... and was surprisingly good.

We noticed last year the Miami was heavy on gay/lesbian and heavy on the cuban feel. So we were anticipating that some this time around. Key West in comparison to Miami felt very 'white'. There weren't any cubans or anything. While at Fort Jefferson we learned alot about the Cubans and how they get here. I guess Fort Jefferson is one of the best places for them to land (less policing there)... and if they make it to land they get shipped to Miami. And once in Miami, we, as the nice people of America we are, give each and every one of the cubans that live here aprox $800 a month to live and get back on their feet with.. for the first year they are here. Shocking, huh?

So while in Key West we found a lovely beach, and walked hand in hand at sunset. Watched someone get married at sunset. breathtaking. Found the lighthouse that's basically in the middle of town. We love lighthouses and lighthouse history so that part of our trip was a treat.

We'd heard about a catamaran ride out to Fort Jefferson and weren't sure whether or not to go. Kinda pricy. Well, we did it anyway, and I can say it was the highlight of our trip... The fort was built on an island, an island considered back then to be in a stategic location. B'c to go through either waterway that's around that island, you had to pass by it. So it was built to patrol that section of the ocean. It was never used for what it was built. Park Rangers now live there b'c it's considered a national park. Funny, they live there for 8 days and go home for 3 or 4 and then they go back. Ferries, go back and forth daily for tours... We also snorkeled there... that was the most fish i've ever seen snorkelling... i'd recommend it!

After a couple of days in KW, we had to start heading north. Rod had to be back in Orlando on a certain day for his work function/recognition... (www.myspace.com/fox has a show called "drive" and in the beginning they have some of the great views of the florida keys.) We decided to stop in Cocoa Beach. There they have one of the best beaches I've ever been to. Key West didn't have the sound of the surf, b'c the water breaks in the ocean out on the reefs. In Cocoa Beach the water breaks at the shore. I'd like to take the kids back to Cocoa Beach. Aparently it's big in surfing, b'c they have two Huge surf shops.

Then on we went to Orlando.. and we stayed in quite a fancy hotel. One you'd never normally pay for. On verizon, of course. Rod had to "work" for a few hours the night we got there and a couple of hours the next day. So I spent as much time as I could next to the pool/hot tub. Even ordered pool food (which i've never done before). They had two waterslides, a heated pool, these four seater bikes that were fun to ride, hammocks, a manmade beach, and these tropical birds in the lobby. On the very last day, I fell asleep under an umbrella, and woke up sunburnt! Oops!

It was a very nice trip. I love getting away, but it's so hard to come home. The kids get frustrated b'c you've been gone.... Life and bills and day to day stuff comes back into focus. I had a hard time adjusting to coming home this time. But all and all, i'd do it all over again!

DigiMOM's New Computer

Woohoo! We got a brand spankin new computer! and i'm so excited... or ya know, I was when I ordered it. I love it, it's SOOO fast. It has all the ram that computer will ever hold! (I ordered it full:4G's) I've been doing so much on my computer... and my "old" one is just slow. And an "easy" project that should be quick, takes longer than i'd like... and in the background the kids are all getting into something or on each others nerves... so i'm hoping i'll spend a little less time on it (yah right) okay, at least I won't be waiting for it to compute.

My focus has been changing... i'm going to be doing the newsletter for the Skagit County First Class starting in August (been partly responsible for it for a few months). And you all know, I have a fettish for photos... and I recently got Adobe Photoshop Elements which you can do so much with. The main reason I got PSE was to "tag" my 28,000 photos that i've taken since 2003... So between digital scrapbooking, newsletters, my photoshop program (which is a bit bulky) and my other digital creations... we just decided "it's time!"

And now the work begins. One of the main reasons it took so long for me to order it was just thinking about all the work that goes into it once you get it. Loading drivers, programs, getting the details done... like getting all of my little internet links back where they are supposed to be. Rod at this very moment is trying to figure out how to get our tv to be our 2nd monitor (which worked just fine on the old one)... And it all takes time. Time i'd rather be doing something else. But it's an end to a means. I just know i'm gonna love it - soon.

(Shan, I still can't get adobe to run from my extra hard drive! ACK!)