PROM 2009

Group photo of the two couples

Bekki & Kirsten

Emma and her boys!! Learning early.

Bekki and BF, Seth

Bekki & Seth in living color!!

I am way behind in my posts so I am trying to cover some ground here. Today, the prom. This event actually took place on May 16th at Mason High School here in Mason, Ohio. They really do it up well and I know my daughter had a wonderful time with her friends. Here are some photos to enjoy.

Graduations!!

Bekki's senior picture. Aimee loves photography so we hired her to do the shots. I think she is very talented. :)

Nadya at her 6th grade graduation! She is the one with the pink skirt!! :)
Nadya's 6th grade photo, by Aimee.

Graduation Day for two of our girls!! May 30th our daughter, Bekki, graduated from high school. Bekki has been home schooled for all her schooling and with the help of a program called PEP that she was enrolled in these past 3 years she has completed her studies!! Yeah!! We are very proud of her accomplishment and dedication to the work load. PEP is a wonderful though acedemically challenging program for home schoolers. We are very thankful that we had that available to us. She is taking a year to work and save $$ with plans of attending Hillsong School in Australia in 2010-2011.

We also had our daughter, Nadya, complete the 6th grade and with great honors is ready for the next faze of her education. Nadya received multiple awards; Leadership, High Honors, Writing Excellence, Team Player, Social Studies Achievement, Art Award and the President's Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence with a letter. So, basicaly, she is our little nerd. :)

CONGRATULATIONS TO MY GIRLS!!!

MOTHER'S DAY AT THE PARK

Mother's Day has come and gone once again. This year I must admit I had my reservations as usual about it being "Mother's" day. I had decided early on that I would do something different and take the afternoon away from the family. I know that may sound odd to some, but I have been in such need of a break from all the bodies and voices at home. So, my dear husband was planning to pack me a picnic lunch of my favorite foods; roast beef sandwich on rye, chips, pickle, iced tea and I would get myself an ice cream as a treat. Sounds good to me!! Anyway, Sunday came and the weather was just too nice to spend it by myself. I rushed home from church and packed a picnic for the family. Sandwiches, chips, watermelon and drinks. I surprised them by inviting them to the park with me. It was a wonderful time for all. Emma enjoyed the playground toys and the girls enjoyed hiking the trails. My husband and I just enjoyed relaxing with no phones or requests. It was probably my best Mother's Day!! I say that because often I am the one to spoil the fun times planned by the kids. A fancy meal is not what I want and seeing them all running around the house trying to make everything perfect is just too stressful for me!! I want to get away and just do nothing!! This year we did just that and I am very thankful for that opportunity. Thanks kids!! I enjoyed having a day off and just hanging with you all. :)

Friday Frenzy!

Well, it's Friday again!! How many Friday's have passed since I last posted? Hmm...

So, why is the Friday Frenzy! Ok, today was a pretty typical day except that in the afternoon I had to drive my daughter, Bekki, to a location that was not so close and navigate a very busy Friday afternoon road-system that is just plain crazy and scary!! So, I drove the 30+ minutes to the location where her drama club was performing in the evening. I dropped her off and turned around towards home. Emma fell asleep, not good, and I once again fought the endless Friday traffic home. I made a stop at the grocery store to pick up some goodies that I needed to take to the performance and then home. It's now 30 minutes that I have to dress, eat, put a cheese tray together and make sure my 4 year old is fed and cleaned up. Now we are headed back to where I was only about an hour ago, thus my frenzied Friday. :) In the mean time my husband had a presentation at our daughter, Nadya's, school for the Kids Against Hunger program we do on Saturdays. Nadya was planning to go to a freinds after school and we had to pull the plug on that when we realized we had nobody at home to retrieve her from her friends home after dinner. Just a lot of odds and ends that were getting lost in my plans. I really should place a large planner on my wall and have everyone fill it out around my committments. I will.....some day!!

The drama was put on by our daughter, Bekki's, home school group. There were two groups and they each did a comedy on church related stuff that was actually very relevant today! They all did a great job and wish I had a photo of Bekki's costume because she really shined! Way to go Bekki!!!

That's it for now. I will try to get some new photos of the gang up next time.

HAPPY MAY DAY!!

EWB

SPRING HAS SPRUNG HERE IN OHIO

Spring has finally come to Ohio after a long cold winter. Every year it never ceases to amaze me just how much I dislike the cold!! And I mean strongly DISLIKE the winter. Coming from New England where our winters are long and cold, there is also the element of snow. For much of the winter we looked at a white blanket on the ground covering all the deadness. Ohio winters are bleak. Not much snow so most of the time we are looking out at gray skies, gray trees, gray streets and well, pretty much a dismal place. Every year I beg to move to a warmer climate where the sun shines most of the year and the leaves stay on the trees!! Anyway, it's spring now and I love this time of year. New birth in so many ways! The flowers, trees, birds, bunnies and other living creatures are coming out to see the wonderful creation God has provided for our pleasure!! Thank you!!

I have not blogged for a month and I can't believe how the time passes. This week Nadya is on school break so it's a nice time to relax. The other girls have already had spring breaks. We are looking forward to celebrating EASTER, the Resurrection of our Savior. I have been reading and listening to recounts of Jesus's last days and it is always a somber reminder of just how much He suffered for us! So, I will ponder his life and death on the cross these coming days.

The family is doing well. Aimee went and got engaged a couple of weeks ago and we are very happy for her and her fiancee, Brett Beatty. In a family full of girls it's a nice welcome to add another son. :)

Nadya

Nadya with BF Abby in Ct. 2006

Beach Babe on Cape Cod 2006

Photo shoot with sister Aimee. 2007

Bekki and Princess Nadya 2004

Well, spring is almost here!! I can feel it in the air and smell the emerging grass and tiny sprouts pushing their way thru the ground. Isn't God great to give us spring after a long cold winter.

I thought I would share some of my daughter Nadya's daily life with you all. It's not all that exciting, but she is growing up before out eyes and I thought she needed some special attention.

Nadya is 13 and thinks she is ready to take on the world. I think that is pretty much what all 13 year olds think. Having several older sisters gives her a view into the gradual freedoms that have been earned and much to her dismay she will have to wait, just like them. My husband and I set our own standard and decided that a cell phone was not necessary until they were working and/or driving. Most of Nadya's school friends have their own cell phones and that makes it very difficult for us and for her trying to fit in. Clothing is also another area that we have tried to adress among the skimpy dress we see everywhere in elementary school and soon in middle school. That is very disturbing to us so we have made a prayerful decision to home school next year and perhaps for Nadya's future years. She will be part of a program called PEP, Providence Extension Program. Our daughter, Bekki, is graduating grom that program in May with a graduation ceremony and diploma. Anyway, this will be a new journey for Nadya and I think she will do very well.

Some things about Nadya:

Compassionate, especially towards animals

Servant, best helper in the house

Strong Willed, Lord help me!!

Smart, very!

Artistic in many different areas

Desires to grow up way to fast

Can argue with the best of them, should be a lawyer

Thoughtful

Loyal

Inquisitive

There you have it. :)

Bekki turns 18!!

Well, my youngest birth child has gone and turned 18 on us!! How did this happen so fast I say! It seems like only yesterday that she was a 14 year old girl trying to find herself among all the changes in her life after our move to Ohio in 2005. I am truly amazed at just how much she has changed and become a woman of great faith. Now, that's not to say that she has reached her potential, but she is on the right road to finding it.

Bekki will graduate from high school in May. She has been home schooled for her entire education and I am proud of myself and of her for sticking to it. It's not easy getting thru high school and making sure all has been completed. I am thankful for a program called PEP for short or Providence Extension Program in which she attended classes two days a week and worked independently at home to complete each weeks studies. The program is very agressive and excellent. There were times when I just wanted to free her from the demands of the program, but she insisted she stay the course and complete it and she will in May 2009. Congratulations dear daughter, you have done well.

A few things about my daughter, Rebecca Lyn

1. Has very strong opinions...could win a debate

2. Excellent writer and speaker...may this ability continue to be challenged

3. Loyal...will stand with her friends

4. Tends to hold her emotions inside herself...ends up hurting

5. Thoughtful of others...will always go the extra yard to make them feel appreciated

6. Musically talented beyond ... plays piano & guitar and loves to write songs and sing

7. Beautiful...inside and out

8. Can be a hard worker....when out serving others

9. Committed to things she believes in....

10. Enjoys baking...that will come in handy when she finds her husband

11. Excellent ice skater...dedicated many years to competitive skating

12. Dancer at heart... always

13. Big sister to her two younger adopted sisters....not always easy

14. Desires to work in ministry with music...would like to attend the Hillsong School of Worship in Australia in 2010.

15. A good friend

16. Will become a driver very soon...takes it seriously

17. Has always wanted to attend a "ball" and be like a princess

18. My daugher...I love you Bekki!!