Zindra the Test Administrator & More

Hi everyone! It feels like awhile since i've blogged. Things have been crazzy around here. Friday School finally ended. I will miss everyone tremendously but I was ready for a break. Awana Graduation was tonight and the friends night that the kids have been doing while we've been doing a bible study at the Avon church, will be over in a few weeks. Boy am I looking forward to summer! I'm hoping that the weather will pan out a bit more.

One of the local firestations near here has a reader board that says something such as: "LOST.. the Sun. If found, please return." I had a big ol' laugh over that a few days ago. Really made me smile!

I've been doing the ezine for first class homeschool ministries. Which has been hard yet a treat. I enjoy being in touch with the people that write and I enjoy posting it all... but working with Constant Contact the ezine service has been a "growing" experience.

Rod's chess class had 29 students in it and he ran a round robin chess tournament. It was great at display night to give the kids awards. There were three different age groups.. and Josiah took the 'gold' for the 3rd-5th grades and Jedediah took the 'gold' for the 1st-3rd grades. Rod was funny and said that 'they didn't gold just because they are the teachers kids!'. They really did win them on their own. Jedediah didn't lose one game! It was a fun experience!

Our teens group is going every SO much better than expected. Not that we haven't had satan try to sabotage our events and time together... but I thought It would take well over a year to get to the point we are at. We love the kids, they love us. Match made in heaven! In June, we are taking teens and some of their parents River Rafting... (Eddie are you gonna be there?) with Youth Dynamics Adventures. We'll be on the Wenatchee June 12. I hope it's sunny but wet suits and all it'll be a great day either way. We have more people that want to go than they gave us spaces for! They gave us 20 spots. They told us that after May 15 that if there were any spots in the session open, they would open them up to us..

A few weeks ago a friend of mine who did the annual test administrating for a few families last year, told me that they might not be doing it this year. So I looked into doing it myself. Then someone asked if anyone locally administered the IOWA test on our Friday School google group, I said that I can... Turns out that there are quite a few families that want me to test their kids! Uh... that's not really what I intended... but none the less.. I guess I'm going to do it. It'll work out that I will probably break even for this year.. maybe make a few bucks. We'll see how it goes. I told Rod.. I didn't ever think of myself as a Test Administrator but I guess I am now! I will be administering the IOWA and the Stanford Achievement Tests. I was recently approved as a tester. So now i'm looking into the actual details of buying tests and helping others with a part of homeschooling that they really don't enjoy. One thing people seem to appreciate is that I'm willing to test year round instead of just in the spring.

Update on the kids... Josiah's baseball team isn't doing so well... but the coach has said that he will be invited to play or invited to try out for the All Star team. How ever that works. A select baseball team for 9 &10 year olds. We haven't told him yet, but we've decided that if he 'makes the team' he can play. He's also in Youth Level 6 in swimming... which means that he's only got one level to go. If we want him to continue swimming, we are going to have to make a decision in the next year or so about joining a swim team. Which is sort of a big decision...esp. if I want him in a league that is not a YMCA league.

Jedediah is very much into chess and paper airplanes. Both were classes at Friday School. He is sad that Rod's not going to teach the paper airplane science class again.. because he loves paper airplanes SO much. He's excelling at chess, and in the fall we may look into doing chess competitions again. Jed just turned seven this week. He is so good with homeschooling that I think i'm going to have to find work for him that is harder to do. He zips through everything I give him!

Jaden and his multi expression little self is doing great! Just finished cubbies... so next year if we do Awana he will be in the Sparkys. He was in Kindergarten at friday school and loved every minute of it. Jaden isn't really into school yet. He still wants to play with playdough and do mazes. He seems a little behind academically but he's still involved.

Julia is the family doll. She just recently learned how to swing on the swing in the front yard.. that's her new favorite thing. She loves her brothers and can't seem to live without Josiah. She does "school" too, which is sooo funny. She'll sit at the table and color or draw or whatever for a little bit almost every day. She's been drawing faces alot lately and it's amazing how much detail she puts in there (for a 2 year old!).

Well, I guess that's enough for now... Zindra

Happy Easter! He is Risen Indeed!

Well... thanks to EVERYONE for your prayers concerning my mom. Things are going well. We are in the process of getting her to a dentist... but all is well.

Had one of the best easter's we've had in years. Got the kids easter presents... something meaningful to each of them. Josiah-cleats. Baseball started yesterday. Jed-snowglobe. He collects them... damage is now 21. Jaden-a many times asked for lightening mcqueen book. Julia.. a girly pink purse and pink gloves. I sincerely love giving personalized gifts... not on dollar value of the item... but on whether or not the person that recieves the gift wants that particular gift. Cleats to Jed wouldn't be well recieved. A snow globe to Josiah would be okay... but not desired... maybe you 'get' what I mean.

Went to a friends church for church and breakfast. Enjoyed the sermon. They had a yummy breakfast. Came home, baked pies for dinner. A friend called.. she had a bad experience with a neighbor after church, got to pray and comfort her! Went to Jessie's for and easter egg hunt with us, Jessie & her kids, Janet & her kids and one of the neighbor girls. Our first multi family easter egg hunt worked and was successful. A few days ago we asked my parents if a couple of friends could come to their house for easter supper. They said yes. They know both of the families. One family they know well. The other, her husband is deployed for 6 weeks (NAVY). I love her very much and thought she might enjoy going. Dinner went even better than expected. Janet brought Salmon. Yummy. Good time with family, good food and good friends.

I've been frustrated with Easter gifts for a couple of years... asking myself why we bother. While talking to someone I really look up to yesterday, she said that she give her kids gifts (not from the easter bunny) but to make easter sunday stand out from all of the rest of the sundays that we show up at church. Also to help the kids look forward to it and to make it special. I really liked her thoughts on it.

This was an easter to remember.... Happy Easter to you!

Zindra's Pi Day

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday was a hard day for me. We started out with Friday School... which went fabulously. Rod's ballistics class made marshmellow shooters... a huge hit. I made coffees for 2.5 hours.... That was fine too. It gives me a great chance to meet and greet and build relationships with the other moms. It's a good spot for me. I also see a lot of the teens in our coffee corner and it's good to build relationships with them too.

Mom has been a volunteer at Friday School this entire term. She loves it. My friends love her. One of her teeth is giving her problems and her face was pretty swolen yesterday. I told her we need to get her to the doctor... she said yah, after garretts soccer game.

Rod and I left Friday School. Went home to relax before going to Garrett's soccer game. I didn't realize it, but he's on the JV Soccer Team for Sedro Woolley High School. It's been a good experience for him the last few weeks, but I didn't realize that he was ON the team. Anyway, we got there.... Mom needed to go deposit dad's check.. so she left and was going to be back asap. It would take 10 minutes to get to the bank and back.. Anyway, Garrett's team won 45 minutes after she left, and she didn't return. We finally left and went to the bank to see where she was.. couldn't find her. So we took Garrett home... Took the kids to Janet's house, because we had a Teens Youth Night at the church that we had to be to at 7pm. Left Janet's, stopped by our house and made it to the church by 7pm. Got Youth Night started not knowing where my mom was... I was pretty freaked out by this point.

And I realize that every Youth Event we do, something happens... And I'm hoping that this is just another one of those moments... My dad called Rod's cell about 8:40 (it had been about four hours) to tell me that the police had stopped my mom. She was swerving. They took her home. After Youth Night was over at 9pm, we went and picked up her car which was at a gas station in sedro-woolley. Rod went and got Mom & Dad and took her to the ER.

I went to pick up the kids from Janets. Ended up staying and eating pizza and getting loved on... which by this point I was in serious need of.... I was so thankful that Janet was so willing to help me out by watching my kids and then watching them even longer so that I could take care of my parents... such a blessing!

Mom has a pretty bad infection in her face & mouth. They put her on antibiotics & pain meds. I guess that it was affecting her bad enough that she couldn't drive coherently.... I am glad that she got home safely. She stayed the night at Skagit Valley Hospital. She's going to stay tonight too... just because Dad & I said that it would be easier than for her to get home & then have to go back over a fever or something... She's coherent and everything now.. just still swollen with a fever. I guess we'll have to get her to a dentist to see about the bad tooth on Monday...

I'm extremely thankful that she's going to be okay & that they found her before anything *bad* could happen.

Thought i'd let you all know... she needs your prayers. For her healing... And also so that she can get into a dentist this week in a timely manner. Thanks y'all.

PS: Branden, loved the Pi blog!

New Editor

I don't know if most of you know, but I've been the editor of our Friday School Newsletter for about a year give or take. It's going fan-tabulous... I'm writing cover articles, doing layouts and embedding photos. And apparently, I've done too good of a job!

What do I mean by that? The St. Johns, who are the Founders of First Class Homeschool Co-op recently asked me to take on the Members Ezine for First Class Homeschool Ministries! Uhhh, WOW! Well, of course I said "YES." I love the ministry that they have and by taking some load off of them, they can do even more ministry. I really think that every homeschooling family should have access to a co-op for homeschool support and friendships for the moms. As well as the fact that it is a ministry of the gospel of Christ.

So over the next few months, i'll slowly be taking it over. The program that they use is one that I'm learning to work with. It makes my skagit county newsletter look like a piece of cake! But I am happy to serve... and I hear that i'm good at it.

I didn't know the specifics of writing, the specifics of anything. I have grown and been in the hot seat here for awhile. And right now i'm really feeling it! March is my first Ezine, and Heidi is definately helping me with it. I'm learning the ropes, which I didn't think would take this much time, but i'll get it!

The funny thing is, and Rod and I have had these incredible conversations about how the Lord is using us right now... and the way that we are really under spiritual attack... and I really feel that I am using my gifts in a way that is pleasing to the LORD (thanks Jesse). And if you would have asked me a year and a half ago if I knew how to be "the editor" of a newsletter with a 100 family circulation or the principal writer for it... I would have said, UH NO... needless to say that I wouldn't know how to be one to an ezine with over 1000 subscribers!!!! So, I guess you could say i'm kind of excited about this great opportunity to learn something new and to serve in a ministry that I whole heartedly believe in.

Homeschooling parents... Yes, I mean you, my friends... I taking article submissions for the ezine! Crazy, huh? I've printed Rod a few times. He has a real way with words! Who knew? Wouldn't have known if I wouldn't have been willing to stick my neck out and try something new! Keep me in your prayers! We are under spiritual attack.. and it's not easy, but we are survivors! Zindra

FC Masquerade Ball

Howdy Partners! Rod is missing Sean's Xbox 360 night tomorrow night because we are taking 7 girls and another mom down to a First Class Masquerade Ball in Vancouver, WA! As you all know, Rod & I loooveee to Ballroom dance. We get dressed up to go dancing when we go... but we've not had the chance to go all dolled up. We go to Portland a couple of times a year, so we are used to the drive... We've been advertising this event through friday school for weeks and last week it all came together. I was going to throw in the towel... and within a week, we went from taking taking no one to all of us riding in a 15 passenger van!

I went to Goodwill bought a dress (which I love) for $10. (My accessories cost more than my dress!) But I went almost all out! Bought some long black gloves, earrings, necklace, bracelet etc. Even bought a black boa. When else would I ever get to wear one??? And yes, I got a mask!

There will be pictures, so i'm sure you'll get to see all of us... The girls are all going to wear gowns etc. One girl is planning on wearing my poofy underskirt from my wedding gown!

We are leaving tomorrow morning, and I'm seriously hoping that we get down to the St. John's house with enough time for us all to get dressed!!

Mostly there is going to be ballroom and wiggle dancing (no slow dancing for the kids!). One of the concerned moms wanted to know what kind of music/dancing would be. All the music has been screened and i'm hoping we get to teach the kids a few ballroom dances.

The neat thing of this alllll... is that parents at our Friday School get the chance to see that other Christian Homeschooling Parents are putting on a ball for their kids, maybe we could do that for ours! At our Friday School there's a lot of boundaries put up by many of the moms over a the years. Through things like this, we are going to be able to break down some of those walls! Yay! And now there's talk that Zindra needs to plan something like this for our group for the parents. Many of them didn't ever get to go to the Prom & they would like to do something more along the lines of a Formal Dance. We'll see where it goes. Another mom has stepped up to help me out on that one!

Lovin' the changes we are seeing in our teen group!!!! Zindra