family life

It's time for a post on the kids and just what we've been up to outside of ministry and work.
School has started here, actually we've been going for a month now. We're doing a new homeschool class and a Bible study this year. They are in Memphis instead of Germantown (a suburb about 30mins away), so I have high hopes this kids will make some good friends. We had our 1st week of doing both and it was a bit stressful, but we'll get used to the routine. Nathan is in a real class this year and loved it, hope that continues.
   Otherwise school is going well. Charlie is reading like a champ. This summer he discovered chapter books and I love watching him spend an afternoon reading. Nathan is beginning to read too and is doing great. Caitlin usually sits with Nathan and I while we do school and is just soaking it up.
   We had a 6 month check up for Mariam's hips. They did an xray for the 1st time. It wasn't quite normal, but the doctor said he wasn't worried about. We go back when she's a year and hopefully everything will be perfect then. She's crawling around getting into everything and has just learned to stand. She's such a happy little one and just goes along with our crazy schedule without a complaint.

   We've been on a few trips this year and been rained on during almost every one -I'm not kidding. The 1st was a vacation to Grandfather Mtn North Carolina. We went to the Highland Games. It rained every single day. We still had fun though. The kids got kilts and I put Nathan's in the dirty clothes or he wears it constantly. On the way back we visited my mom in Sevierville and stayed at a small waterpark hotel. The boys swimming lessons came in handy as they braved the slides and other activities. For Jason's birthday we went on the first real hike with our kids. It was 3 miles round trip to a waterfall. Fitting with our rainy adventures a thunderstorm hit while we were playing at the falls. The kids started to get really cold so we hiked back in the rain. It was quite an adventure.

     The next trip was to Chattanooga for a quick weekend. Jason went to a surgery conference and I took the kids to the aquarium. On the way home we stopped at Rock City. A favorite trip for me as a child and I love sharing it with Jason and the kids.
     Next was a trip by myself with the kids to Michigan. I drove straight through and it went really well. Once again it rained everyday and was in the 70's. My plans to swim in the lakes were ruined, but we had a great time anyway.
    A week later we drove to Florida and guess what? Hurricane Isaac hit. We evacuated to Atlanta for a few days and then came back when the danger passed. It wasn't my hoped for relaxing week at the beach, but we made the best of it and we were all sad to come home.

One of many critters the kids kept in buckets while we were there.

    I have to say I'm missing the lazier days of summer, but it's exciting to get into the swing of a new school year too.