First Day of School Photo Shoot

 2022-2023 is going to be the best year ever!  We declare it!

8th grade, 6th grade, 3rd grade, 2nd grade, and PK3!  

Mom's 10th year homeschooling, 14th cumulative year teaching, 16th year in education.

This year, Evalynn, we pray joy for you.  We pray for happy days, soaking up your sweet childhood, further learning to follow directions, reading lots of good books, staying healthy, and learning to let Jesus live in your heart.

This year, Zayden, we pray focus for you.  We pray for patient moments, a calm body to do school work, and lots of opportunities to use your energy.  We pray that you continue to enjoy being in God's word and learn to have compassion and be a light to the people around the world that don't know Him.

This year, Ameliya, we pray that you hold on to your precious little girl years awhile longer.  We pray for left to right directionality to take firm hold, we pray for understanding and patience, and we pray that you know what a treasure you are.  We pray for calmness to rule over anxiety and for you to find joy in your school work.  We pray for you to be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer, and that you will desire to spread Jesus far and wide.

This year, Xavier, we pray that you will not grow weary in doing what is good.  We pray for opportunities for friendship and activities that we can help you achieve, and we pray that you learn the value of the curriculum put before you.  We pray that you invite Jesus into your heart and ask Him to rule.  We are thankful for your maturity and pray that it does not abandon you.

This year, Natalee, we pray for peaceful math moments and enjoyable school days.  We pray for intimate friendships that become rooted.  We pray for relaxation for your body and mind, a drive to not give up when things are hard, and for negative thinking to give way to positivity.  We pray that you ask Jesus to be ruler of your life and that you remember that you are a child of a King.

Everyone chose their own new back to school outfit.  

#WalMartfashion [b/c we don't have anything else]

#notsponsored

#shouldbesponsored

Group photos were so successful.

Loves the new Berenstain Bear stuffies....drug them along to photos "just in case."

She posed herself.  #shesavibe

Tried to take a "with the teacher" photo, should have done individuals!

We don't fit!...

Closer, but Ev's still mad I took away her bears for a second...

Almost all smiles!  We'll take it!

Mom's obligatory back to school selfie.  

I have on the necklace a friend gave me the year Mia was sick.  It says "she will not fall" on the large disk and "Psalm 46:5" on the skinny pendant.  I have tarnished it from unconsciously rubbing it all those months of her illness.  In the hospital, during tests, at appointments.  I would rub it and pray.  I would hold onto it and repeat that promise.  God is within her, she will not fall.  I still wear it when I am a little anxious or off kilter and find that I still unconsciously rub the pendants throughout the day.

I am so very thankful that I don't have to do this job of raising arrows on my own.  I'm grateful for a strong husband by my side and a grace-filled God guiding us.

Best year ever....coming up.