Congratulations Joel!!

Recently our brother Joel received wonderful news concerning his college capstone project.  Joel's project (all 40 pages) was on the role of Christianity in Nazi Germany.   

 His professor had some very nice things to say about his paper: 

"This is a highly professional document that is worthy of publication. I look forward to seeing it as a documentary."

His professor mentioned that Joel's capstone is worthy of being published as a book, and she would like to see a portion of his paper printed in a history magazine!!! 

We are so grateful that the Lord graciously allowed Joel this opportunity to pursue his education, and how He guided Joel each step of the way along this path. 

1.  Topic Choice (Exceptional) Project is especially well-chosen, has significant need; provides strong questions to be answered; explains detailed delimitation; comprehensive definitions of terms; level of treatment. 2.  Topic Description Research Exceptional) Through literature review, describes topic extensively; reader grasps immediately the purpose of the project through documented research in the field; referenced material is well developed to provide validation for importance of the study or project. 3.  Research Methodology (Exceptional) Research plan is clearly and comprehensively described; steps are delineated to provide a replication of the research necessary to answer all sub questions. 4.  Organization of Study, Research, Conclusions (Exceptional) Artifacts of the writer`s study are well-chosen and effectively presented; study sub questions are clearly and comprehensively answered based on the writer`s research strategies; ideas clearly and logically arranged; results of study flow smoothly and are effectively linked; reader can clearly follow discussion and conclusions based on results. 5.  Writing Mechanics Research (Exceptional) Writing demonstrates a sophisticated clarity, conciseness, and correctness: has significant references and citations to reflect comprehensive research. 6.  Citation Format General (Exceptional) Uses reference and citation format accurately and consistently.

Grade: 100

Jobs of a Godly Wife/Mother

I had as an assignment for High School (I'm using Far Above Rubies) to make a collection of photos that show the different tasks of a full time homemaker. I thought I'd share it with you. As you know, these are not even all of the tasks a full time homemaker has, but just a tiny fraction of them! Thank you to Johanna for being my model for the pictures.

Along with that assignment, I was supposed to see how much a homemaker's yearly salary would be if she was paid for each task she did. My very ruff estimate was: $360,984. She would be a millionaire in 10 years! :) Of course, she isn't paid for any of the work she does.

Also, I found out that the average salary for women in the US today is: $32,500~.

The point of my little assignment was to see if being a full time homemaker is more productive than working a 'normal job' (as most women do now-a-days). What do you think?

I also found (as I had noticed before) that you can be a nurse, chef, maid, teacher, seamstress, manager, dietitian, counselor, referee, law enforcer, judge and entertainer just by being a mother/wife! Is that boring, or what?!

With regard to our unsettled habits, and government schools

"Had any of the real rustics [of the region] remained, he would probably have found some lingering legend of Mr. Prior, however remote he might be. But the new nomadic population of clerks and artisans, constantly shifting their homes from one suburb to another, or their children from one school to another, could have no corporate continuity. They had all that forgetfulness of history that goes everywhere with the extension of education." - G.K. Chesterton, THIRTEEN DETECTIVES ("Hole in the Wall", p. 115)

A Review

Hello bloggie friends :)

This is Abby, and I wanted to invite you to read a review I have written for the DVD Homeschool Dropouts over at my blog.

And of course, your feedback either here or there is very welcome.

The School Room Responsibility Act of 2009

Caleb is working through "Blessed is the Man" (a 2 - 3 year workbook for young men), and one of the assignments was to write a bill. So he wrote this "bill" (a little humorously), and got it passed into law (actually it was already law!). He had fun writing it, and it's a good reminder to keep the schoolroom clean and organized! You'll get a good laugh out of reading it! :)



[Scanned] picture number 1


[Scanned] picture number 2.

A wedding~

Jonathan James Ten Dolle and Elizabeth Grace Serven will be united in marriage on April 18th, 2009. You can read more about it on the Serven Clan's blog: www.servenclan.blogspot.com!

Please continue to pray for them as they prepare for their special day!!!

May God bless you, Jon and Beth!

~Johanna

Vistors...again! :-)

Friday afternoon, a little before lunch, the phone rang. Abby answered it. It was Nathaniel Wahlquist. He wanted to talk to Caleb. They talked for about two or three minutes and then Caleb got off. He said that Nathaniel said that they were going to come to our house. They had already fixed the mower!!! Boy, they're quick! I thought. We had thirty minutes to eat and clean-up. Didn't take long, though.

A few minutes, and I knew they were here, because of the sound of the truck. Caleb and Jaden went out and I followed. Mom followed me and I hurried to their truck to see if Mrs. was there. She was. She greeted me then walked over to Mom and they talked. Deborah (6), was in the back seat of the truck, so I talked to her. I asked her if they had any pets. She said she has a pet rabbit. They also have two goats. Deborah and I talked about homeschooling, animals, dresses, and where they and we are from (They're Swedish, German. We are German). I really enjoyed talking to Deborah!!! ;-)

Mom and Mrs. Wahlquist, talking. (Both of our families love to talk!)

Deborah...isn't she a cute, darling child?

Sorry we don't have more pictures! I guess I was caught-up in talking!!! :-)

Visitors

Yesterday, Mrs., Nathaniel, and Andrew Wahlquist came over. They came to pick-up some lawn mowers we have; one of them we needed to be fixed and two that we needed to get rid of.


Their old white truck
Caleb and and Jaden enjoyed their time with Nathaniel and Andrew, while us girls and Mom enjoyed talking to Mrs. Wahlquist.


L-R: Andrew (standing), Nathaniel (kneeling), and Caleb (standing).


L-R: Mom (sitting), Mrs. Wahlquist (sitting), and Phoebe (standing).

Mrs. handed me a bag. She said that it was for me and that the note inside would explain what it was all about. She also said that it was from her oldest daughter and child, Elisha (She is one of my pen pals). I opened the bag and inside were two packages, wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper. :-) I read the note from Elisha then, I opened the package that had my name on it, and took the one that had Phoebe's name on it to her. She opened hers and we both looked at what we got..................................(scroll down)..............






























































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...........(one more time!;-D)........................................................






























































.........okay, here it is: two beautiful paintings!!!!! ;-)



My painting- isn't it beautiful?! ;-)


Phoebe's painting- simply beautiful, too!!!
Thank you, Elisha, for the paintings! ~ Phoebe and Johanna

Patience: Lessons from a 6-year old

Jaden is very smart, He has insight into life and is opinionated about many things, far beyond any 6 year-old I know.

Since he has been surrounded by older people all of his life, his vocabulary matured much quicker than children who are around other children of similar age most of the time.

He frequently asks questions that surprise us as to their depth and content, sometimes they leave us stammering as to know how to respond.

Anyway...

Since he was about 5 1/2, he has been asking about learning to read books. For several reasons, I was unable to begin our reading and phonics program with him until Monday of this week.

The first lesson was, to say the least, a lesson in patience. He wiggled this way and that, he got off the couch, he slouched, he looked off into space instead of at the page where the answers were! He got quite noisy at different points and acted like he had ants in his pants. After a rough start, I asked the Lord to help me to be patient and loving in my teaching... and it worked! Jaden strove hard to sit quietly from then on, and listened intently, and came away having successfully learned:

Dan has an ax. Dad has wax. Sam has ham. And several other short sentences.

He thought that the Dad has wax sentence was funny (a family joke) and each time we would read it, he would break out laughing.

He is learning quickly, and I am enjoying this experience. I was too young to assist in teaching Phoebe or Johanna, and I learned to read alongside Caleb, so this has been a totally new thing for me. I am so blessed to have younger siblings, through them I am learning so much that I didn't know before.

Life is a school, you just have to be willing to be taught.

Special Offer from Trivium Pursuit & Christian Logic

Special Offer from Trivium Pursuit and Christian Logic

Our readers have the opportunity to receive two free ebooks from Trivium Pursuit.

1.The 73 page ebook of the entire text of Chapter Twelve: Ten Things to Do With Children Ages Ten Through Twelve from the book Teaching the Trivium: Christian Homeschooling in a Classical Style by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn

2.The new 94 page ebook Ancient Literature: Significant Excerpts from the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum - Volume Two: Alexander the Great.

You will receive both of these ebooks when you subscribe to the Homeschooling with the Trivium newsletter. This offer is only for new subscribers to Homeschooling with the Trivium and is good only through November 30. Go here to subscribe.

http://www.triviumpursuit.com/list/

In addition, if you subscribe to Christian Logic's Fallacy Detective News you will receive two lessons from the logic textbook The Thinking Toolbox by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn (Lessons 12 and 13, along with exercises and answer key). This offer is only for new subscribers to The Fallacy Detective News and is good only through November 30. Go here to subscribe.

http://www.fallacydetective.com/news/