Coming to the end of the week. . .

This is the end of our first week of school, and it's been a good one. Rachael has gotten a dose of what 7th grade is like, and she dominated! I thought it was going to be a shock to her system, but she actually finished her work in three days...so I've already threatened to add more work to her schedule! I do realize, and so does she, that its really just review from last year, so the math and english isn't really hard yet. In a few weeks we'll add a Geography Co-op to our schedule - studying Asia. The kids will do the research (working together) and put together a presentation. Last time the kids learned how to do Powerpoint, and we'll probably use that method again this year. In addition to the presentation, all the families who participate in the co-op prepare a food dish from their particular country and we all feast! It's a lot of fun to try different things that we wouldn't normally try!

For the next few days, Rachael is farm-sitting. Yes, farm sitting! My friend is out of town, and has asked Rachael to take over feeding and watering her animals. She has goats, chickens, one lonely duck, and two kitties. When we pulled up to her house tonight, we saw that one of the boy goats (about the size of a small dog) on the *outside* of the fence! Argh! So, we set to luring, pleading, chasing and herding this little goat back into his cage. I bet anyone riding by would have been really, really entertained by that sight! While my oldest children chased the goat, my little Lukie had spotted the tiny kitten named Luke (all the animals are named after friends and this one is my Lukie's namesake). So, he proceeded to hog the kitten, and not let any of the other kids have a turn holding him. He toted him all around, holding him with one hand. I don't think Luke (the kitten) was really unhappy with the situation, but I did see him run away from Lukie a few times. Then Lukie, the boy, would chase down Luke, the kitten, and catch him again. It was very funny! Just before we were getting ready to leave, Luke, the kitten, had hidden himself under the car just out of the reach of Lukie, the boy. It frustrated Lukie and he was very upset that he had to leave the kitten behind and go to our home, which has no kitten... Life is always an adventure!

My dad and stepmother came by tonight and we sat outside and had a very nice visit. The weather was pleasant and the conversation entertaining.

Tomorrow we will spend part of the day with friends we only see about once a year. All the kids will be together and will spend the day in and out of the pool. That will give us grown ups time to catch up with each other's lives.

Just a note about Independence Day - I am so thankful for our country, and the freedoms we have! It's awesome that God placed me in this country when he chose me to be born. We have the freedom to worship our God, freedom to homeschool, freedom to choose our career, and our friends. I'm thankful to all those who have served in the military (including my husband) to defend our freedom against all those out there who would like to dominate us. I will be ever thankful that I serve a God who is, above all, in control!