Club Volleyball

Following Ellie's season with CYAA volleyball, we signed Ellie up for weekly classes with a local volleyball club during their winter session. During the first month, the coach talked with the girls about playing club and let them know that there were openings on several teams. Ellie's friend had already joined a team there, and knowing that she wanted to try out for the high school team at Western Christian High School, she decided she'd like to give club a try.  We thought this experience would help her learn skills that would be needed for more competitive volleyball in the high school environment.

Overall, it was not a positive experience for Ellie. From the beginning she felt tremendous pressure to perform by her coach. This, along with her coach's coaching style, created a lot of anxiety for Ellie. We did have a meeting with her coach and the head coach and Ellie did a very good job of communicating how she was feeling. Her coach acknowledged her feelings and although she did make some changes, it still was a difficult time.

In spite of the taxing environment, however, Ellie did learn a great deal about competitive volleyball and grew in her skills. And thankfully, the experience paid off because she made the JV volleyball team at Western Christian High School and her coach told her she would be a starter.

We have watched our girl grow in perseverance through the years. This was another instance where she showed this character trait. While it was difficult and we hated to see her losing her joy for something she had loved doing, we were very proud of her for sticking it out and finishing strong. We look forward to watching her play this upcoming year.

Mission Possible

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." -Hebrews 11:6

Have you been weighing the pros and cons of homeschooling and trying to decide what to do this year for your children's education? Although the idea of schooling your children at home seems like a daunting task, you can successfully teach them. Planning schedules, purchasing curriculum and making lesson plans may sound foreign to you right now, but God will help you if you will simply pray and ask for his leading. Not only will he send the encouragement and support you need from homeschooling families, he'll also show you where to get the ideas, resources and supplies you need to complete the task.

Abraham's servant in Genesis 24 also knew about facing a huge undertaking. Under oath, he was sent out by his master, Abraham, to search for the perfect wife for Abraham's son Isaac. Just imagine that task - trying to find a woman who would be willing to return with a complete stranger from a foreign land to marry a man she had never met. In today's world, that would be considered "mission impossible"! Abraham's servant was no fool and knew the obstacles facing him. Knowing he could never succeed without God's divine intervention, he prayed for success and started out in faith on the long journey. Fortunately, his mission had a happy ending when Rebekah proved to be the answer to his prayers and just the woman for Isaac.

God is waiting to give you success in homeschooling, too, but you must first obey his call and step out in faith. Even if you don't immediately receive the answer to every homeschooling question you have right now, God will prove mighty and guide you each day, one step at a time. As you see the Lord's divine leading and specific answer to prayer, you'll praise God like Abraham's servant. Most of all, you'll be thankful you didn't allow your doubts to cause you to self-destruct before experiencing homeschoooling's many blessings.


-Taken from Homeschool Mom's Bible; devotions by Janet Tatman; p. 846

Frog Disection

Ellie and her friends had the opportunity to do a frog disection. Another mom was able to borrow the supplies from her husband's school district and she ordered the frogs online for us. She took the girls through the disection. They found it very interesting and had fun too!

Worship and Church Service

One of Ellie's gifts is leading worship. She does this at church each Sunday for children's ministry and has had the opportunity to do it for Friday School Chapel with our homeschool group.

Friday school Chapel with one of her close friends

Sunday morning at church

Friday school Chapel again

Josh also has a ministry. He was asked to give an object lesson for the 1st through 3rd graders before they go in for their teaching. The object lesson is put together by a couple of ladies and emailed to us the week before. All the kids know him as "Teacher Josh." He was even recognized by a girl at Legoland who we found out is part of our homeschool group as well! Small world!

Thankful the kids have found a way to serve.