Daddy Graduates // A Family Day

We got in the car late.  Again.  But we always do, you see, so we always leave 30 minutes early on longish trips.  Showers, bagels, hair-dos, and pumping tires were on the agenda before heading into Chicago this time.  We were going to Dad's graduation ceremony from Moody Theological Seminary.

What normally is a 1.5 hour ride is over 2 hours on Saturday mornings such as this.  Nathanael pulled up a book on following God on his computer, Hudson started his book of poems -- an especially profound one he shared with me -- I studied the Korean alphabet (Hangul), and before I fell asleep I heard discussion of hermeneutics drifting back from Mom and Dad in the front seat.  Emily contented herself with watching planes fly overhead.  I love our family.  The more we grow up and start to leave, to more I want us to stay together.

We're all nerds in our own way, and we have Mom and Dad's value of learning to thank for that.  Dad has spent the last 7 years not only working full time, being a great dad, keeping up with house chores, and being involved in our church and family ministries, but also pursuing his Master's degree.  This endeavor has been hard at times, but it is so worth it.  Walking with the class and getting a hood is cool, but the knowledge and experience he has gained and been able to pass on to us throughout these years is priceless.  I'm so proud of his dedication and good example to us.

Check out those three cords!  Summa cum laude, baby!  (3.9-4.0 GPA, for those who don't know)

Along with a diploma, graduates receive a special alumni Bible and a towel to represent them going out into the world like Christ -- not to be served, but to serve.

Hudson, Nathanael, Emily, Mom, Dad, Moi

Sidenote: I recognized one of the graduates and their families talking in Korean (thank you KDramas and Taekwondo!) and offered to take their pictures for them.  I was able to use just about all the words I know so far (Hana, duo, set!) and they were duly impressed. :)  

Also, Hudson is back from College for the summer and this is what he likes to do with my camera.

 And 'cause he's not camera shy, we use downtime in the parking garage to take portraits.  Fitted suits are the bomb.com

Nathanael - Not as big of a fan of the limelight, but just as handsome. 

Emm looks like she just saw a dinosaur.

DONE!!

We didn't get a picture on Mother's day, so this was our "girls" picture to make up for it.

   We rounded out the evening with dinner at Gino's East for some real Chi-style deep dish pizza.  'Twas sublime.  Just wishing big bro Jamie could have joined us.  It really was a wonderful day.

Tuesday 14:00

I love Tuesdays.

I get the house completely to myself.

Today that means:

Devotions in bed

Music or podcasts as loud as I want

Fancy lunch

Checklists to keep my multitasking organized

Financial Accounting/Microeconomics studying

Answering emails

Studying French

Editing pictures

Doing Laundry

Letter writing

Productivity is an awesome feeling.

Homeschooled, or a homeschooler?

This is a hilarious video about being homeschooled that I found on Morgan's blog today.  I don't agree with everything she has to say, but I got a kick out of it.

Far to great expectations

Have you ever heard that phrase "A blessing in disguise"? It is really nice when it happens (and you actually recognize it). But have you sort of had, oh, what is the opposite of a blessing... and curse I guess? Ok, have you ever had a curse in disguise? I don't mean to be negative, but it is something I've been struggling with, and, well, what is this blog for but to be my soap box? Just kidding. :-) Anyway, last year I did REALLY well in school, honors and the whole shebang and our homeschool co-op. Then it comes around to this year. Aaaahhhh! How on earth am I supposed to live up to all these expectations?! Of course, realistically, probably nobody will remember the great things I did last year, but I remember what other people did last year, so there is always the possibility that they will remember me.

I'm naturally worried about what others think, and quite frankly, that why I don't post very often. If I'm going to post anything it has got to be impressive right?! I feel like Elizabeth Bennet when she said "Neither of us want to say anything unless it will amaze the whole room" (Or something like that =). Anyway, yes. I do have a pride issue. So now this year I got so worried that at one point school consumed my life, and I actually stopped reading my Bible everyday. Some of you are probably thinking "What?! Of all things! School? She let school get in the way?" I know, a shocker, but I actually really do enjoy school, so it wasn't like I was torturing myself.

I let the good get in the way of the absolute best. But you know what? God has been working in me, and as much of a paranoid wreck as I am over grades, I am now willing to fail every single class to grow in God, to get an A+ in the most important course, at the best school ever. Yes, some of the things God will ask of me will be harder than anything I can imagine right now, but it is all worth it. His opinion is the only one that matters.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

I Peter 5:6-7

School

     I'm so sorry!  I feel like I have completely abandoned all my blogger friends!  Well, I haven't.  So what is happening?  School started today!  Yah!  The first week is always nice because there is not a lot of work.  For all of my readers who love books, the next book I am going to dig into for school is an Agatha Christie.  I have never read any of her books, but I know that they are mysteries.  This one is called "Ten little Indians", or "And Then there were None" (because it changed names after the second and third editions were printed. )  Everyone I have talked to says that it is really good, but I'm not so sure.  So far as I know, everyone gets murdered.  Doesn't make it sound very appealing?  My thoughts exactly.  

  In art we made stamps today.  I was feeling rather artistic, so I did mine a little different than I usually do.  It turned out great!  I did our state bird, the Cardinal.  I am really happy with it.  I will post pictures and some details about the process if you want me to.  Just comment and say so!  I will most likely be posting very short posts until next Monday.  Why?  I am privy to a very large secret, which I am so excited about, but alas, I cannot post about it yet.  Don't worry, when I do, it will be very good!

I am feeling:

Silly

and Artistic

We all knew it...

     ...But Rod Blagojevich just confirmed it.  WE OFFICIALLY HAVE THE MOST CORRUPT STATE GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES! (I live in Illinois for those of you who don't know)  Well, maybe not.  But we are definitely the runner up!  I mean, the nerve!  Trying to sell a Obama's vacant senate seat to the highest bidder?!!  But really, I'm surprised his other dealings weren't caught sooner.  Like, for example, withholding funds from hospitals and charities because the CEO, or someone high up hasn't donated to his campaign recently?  Talk about greed!  I heard this on the radio, so, if it is not exactly true, PLEASE forgive me.

Has anyone read Wuthering Heights By Emily Bronte?  What did you think?  I am reading it for school and have to write a persuasive paper on how Catherine (which one?) brought her fate on herself by her selfishness.  *snore*  What were we talking about?  Oh, yeah, that really depressing book.  Anyway, don't I have anything better to say right now?  Anything I can put a smiley next to?  Yes!  My grandma is coming on Wednesday!  Which means more recipes, pictures, and crafts!

     Oh and one more thing.  Only ONE more week of school!!!!   :-)  [there is your smiley]  I will miss art class, but hopefully I will make better use of my sketchbook.  The above picture is what we have been doing lately, namely school.  Actually, I was supposed to be doing school like my brother is in the picture, but the only thing I wanted to focus was a camera.  Have you ever felt that way?  Ok, before I start writing stuff that has no significance what so ever, I had better sign off.

Ever striving to be a proverbs 31 young woman,

~Joanna

Long time no see...

Yes, I know, where on earth have I been?!!  Well, at home doing school.  I took a picture of our first snow a week and a half ago, and it turned out pretty nice, but I was to busy to post about it.  So I'll post it later.  

I have not posted yet about the Reformation Day Faire because I haven't finished my brothers costumes yet.  They are coming along great.

I would post about the election too, but as Jesi said, there isn't much to say.  President Elect Obama has accepted the position.  One humorous thing that did come over the internet to me was the fact that gun sales went up drastically the day after the election.  Everyone is buying their guns when they can.  They are afraid Obama will make guns illegal, and he would if he could, but since that isn't possible at present, when he becomes president, he is just going to put a 500 percent tax on ammunition.  This is going to be a very big bummer for all those hunters who voted for him.  Well, I guess all we can do now is pray.

My 50th post!

So, here is an update on school.

1. Write with the best

Ok, we had an assignment last week to write a descriptive paragraph on a person that we had to make up.  I had some fun with it and named my old gentleman Professor Piersol.  This assignment wasn't hard because I like to make up characters, but then My teacher read it in front of the class!  I guess this is supposed to be good, because she thought it was great writing, but aaahhhhh!  How embarrassing!  I do not find pleasure in my own writing!  So, this week we have to write a short story.  I am having trouble with the plot, but perhaps it will work it self out.

2. Math

I am doing Saxon Algebra 1 this year.  I never was good at math, but I am determined to get an "A" this year.  We are still in review, so it is pretty easy, almost fun! I can't believe I said that!

3. Spanish 1

Spanish is very fun and I am learning lot.  We are even learning some songs, but I wish we could learn hymns instead of the praise choruses because I only know 5 of them in English!

4. Art

I am in advanced art this year, but I can't say that I am really advanced.  It is very fun.  So far this year we have done 1 1/2 canvases (we are working on our second), a watercolor, a one-point perspective pencil drawing, and some chinese painting.

As a side note, I finally got a battery charger for my camera, so get reading for some pictures!

School

     Well, school has started and I can finally walk again.  This year I am taking 5 of my classes at Hallstrom.(a homeschool co-op)  One of which is art.  Art is my favorite class.  I am not very good, but I enjoy it.  I like painting, but I don't have a favorite medium.  I also like doing Landscapes, but I am trying to become better at portraits.  This past Tuesday, we were studying some of the history of art, then we started copying some of the icons painted in the byzantine era to a canvas.  The faces of the people in the art were mostly expressionless during this time.  The picture on the right is almost exactly the same one as the one I chose to copy.  I don't really think that it is advisable to try to portray the Lord Jesus Christ, because it could distract from our truly seeing him.  At least, it is rather distracting for me.  We don't know what he looked like, I am sort of pretending it is just a regular family. But I am learning some about shading with color, how clothing lines look, and more about paintings faces, so I think this project will be nice anyway.  

More Reading

   The last two books I read were by Christopher Paolini.  The first book is Eragon. it is the first book in the Inheritance Trilogy.  Christopher wrote it when he was only fifteen.  It is about a boy named Eragon who finds a dragon egg and becomes a dragon rider.  Being only a farm boy he has a lot to learn, but in the end he defeats a Shade, and in doing so helps the Varden win their battle with Galbatorix's Urgals.  

His second book Is called Eldest.  In this book Eragon goes to the Elves secret capital of Ellesmera in Du Weldenvarden to complete his dragon training.  While there he finds that his elf friend Arya is actually the princess and heir to the elvish throne.  Oromis, an old crippled rider who teaches Eragon teaches him a lot about magic.  But will it be enough to defeat the  old rebellious rider Galbatorix,  and free the empire of his nasty reign?

The third book in the Trilogy is called Brisngr.  I comes out on September 20, 2008.