Spring 2019

    It has been a hot minute since the last time I posted anything.  So much has happened, but I am going to focus on right now.  It's the middle of May, and every weekend is booked.  Graduation ceremony, homeschool convention, karate tournament, and karate belt test take up every Saturday.  Next month is nearly as busy.

    My 4th was the local homeschool graduation ceremony.  Yes, we went full Star Wars theme with it too.  Athos is my first graduate, and we are so excited for him.  Homeschoolers do things different for graduation then what you see in public school.  There were 13 students being promoted.  Each student had a display table highlighting their school years.  Each had a bio in the program that was read by the MC.  Each had a slide show of their lives, and some of the parents got up and gave a brief speech.  It was an amazing experience.

    The second Saturday I took Porthos and Aramis with me to the Called to Teach Homeschool Convention in Dallas.  It was in a different location than years' past, and had a lower attendance of vendors.  Apologia was not there.   My Father's World stopped coming a couple years ago.  So those are things I have/had to order online.  What did I buy?  You'll have to wait for the next post, which I promise won't be two years from now.  There were some good finds there though.  I did not attend any of the seminars, sticking only to shopping this time. 

    This Saturday is a karate tournament.  Porthos has decided that he wants to go to State this year, and so is competing in regional tournaments to hopefully earn enough points to be invited to State.  Although all three of the boys are in karate at this point, I have agreed to let tournaments be Porthos' thing.  He needed something that was just his. 

    Speaking of karate, Porthos and Aramis earned their final stripes on their current belts, and will be belt testing next Saturday.  It's a big belt test day, where multiple students will be testing.  The lower belts have only to do their sparring portion of the belt test now.  The higher belts may still have katas, combos (kicks and punches), and self-defense to demonstrate.  Porthos is blue belt, testing for green.  In December he can test for brown belt.  Then in two years he can test for black.  He really has done an amazing job, and excelled in karate.  Aramis is orange belt, testing for purple.  Although he is not naturally athletic, he has made great strides.  Athos can test in July, I think, for his purple belt.

 

    As crazy full as this month is, the past year + has been equally so.  There has been loss, stress, setbacks, and blessings.  Through it all, God has been with us every step of the way.  I know He will always carry us through whatever we face.