Last day...

Another last day of school in the books...

Here is Hopie girl with the incredible Miss Blinn... She was an excellent teacher and exactly what Hope needed this past year.  We were so blessed by her and her patience with our family! Oh there were the tears a flowing when we went to pick her up from school yesterday...

Not only was it the last day of being in Miss Blinn's class and seeing some of her friends for a couple of months... but it was also....

The last day with this great man as principal at St. Peter School.  Mr. Kirsch retires after 42 years serving here at St. Peter... What a unique and special experience for the people here.  There are many people who grew up and attended school here and had Mr. Kirsch as a teacher that now have their children here in school... 

He is one of the most personable principals I have ever met... He is there doing parking lot duty and greeting the kids every day. I literally have seen him be the last person at the Sports banquet washing down the tables... 

He even went above and beyond to serve Hot cocoa at the preschool on freezing cold mornings... 

He has a servant's like unlike most others... and has given his heart and soul to this place... 

He will be GREATLY missed by so many...

I have met with him on a number of occasions about the older kids walking over to take some classes... 

Each visit he would always ask if I would just like to put them all in the school... (While we LOVE the school and it is a great help and fit for Hope... I have loved homeschooling the other kids in the past) We have been so impressed with the school on so many levels!  We really do love it!

He would always ask, but never put any pressure on, and he welcomed my Anna this past year with arms wide open for art, choir,  and sports after school... 

She has loved it and Jojo will join her over there for hopefully PE, art,  and a few hours on Friday... 

It is a huge blessing to us and as a principal he welcomed us as homeschoolers with respect, support, encouragement and kindness... I so appreciate that and him... 

It was emotional for me as a mom with just one child there in the school and a couple doing extracurriculars there... I know it was a super emotional day for many...  I realized that I really don't mind change and think that change is good... But in this situation, change is just hard... I know everyone will love the new principal, but it is hard to say goodbye to someone who is a staple here... 

What an example he and his secretary (Mrs. Namakoudis, who has been there for over 20 years) are to the people and especially the kids... Service with a smile and hearts that point back to Christ again and again...

Hope and her friend Faith at the yogurt shop after school... The place was full of St. Peter families... It was a great day!

 So another homeschooling year is under way at the Hintz house...

 This is what 9 previous years of homeschooling will do to you....:)

 Levi is perfectly content when he is with mom, dad, or his siblings... but put him with someone else and look out!!!   He doesn't give us easily... so probably the biggest thing Levi will be working on is spending some time in the nursery this year!:) 

 Hope had a great first day this past week... I am sure she will wear those teachers out, but love them to pieces too:)

 One of the most easy going kids I know is entering Second grade... I am so proud of this little man!

Hello????  Where did my little girl go???  

Anna had a great start to the week and already says that literature and her writing class are her favorite!

 Caleb was pretty persistent that I tell everyone that he is really in 9th grade... I just can't do it, even though he is taking all 9th grade level classes!!!  Somehow, we are going to have to get an extra year of work in for him... I will not be ready for him to leave home in 4 years!  He is the most driven, self motivated guy I know...

Today when I saw Louis out on the soccer field, I was shaking my head.... Hello man child!!!  He is so grown up!  So it looks like driver's ed will be in our near future... I need to start looking into it...

So we survived our first week back to the books.  Actually it went surprisingly smoothly... 

Only by the grace of God... 

We have been swamped with soccer games starting...

2 new weekly studies for both Greg and I that we are teaching up at church...

all at the same time as getting back to school...

But like I said God was gracious.  For some reason, it wasn't overwhelming at all! 

We are looking forward to a great year with much loving and learning around here!:)

THE WEEKEND...

SWEET JOJO HEADING TO THE HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE...

I KNOW THIS PICTURE LOU TOOK IS BLURRY... BUT OH, HE LOOKS SO SWEET...I LOVE THOSE BLUE EYES...

WE HAD A SERIOUS THUNDERSTORM TODAY... AND THIS IS THE HAIL IT BLEW ONTO OUR BACK PORCH... I HAVE NEVER SEEN HAIL ANY WHERE ELSE, LIKE WE SEE HERE IN OKLAHOMA...

THIS IS HOW I SPENT THE MAJORITY OF MY SUNDAY AFTERNOON... AND IT WAS DELIGHTFUL!!!

On Friday and Saturday we had the homeschool conference in town... I have always wanted to take the whole family. Really it isn't Greg's thing at all, but he came because he knew it would make me happy. We went to a couple of different workshops and hit the vendor hall. I usually always try to buy all of my books for the following year... I love having that out of the way. I loved talking with Tracy, my now blog in real life friend, who helps to organize the Oklahoma homeschool conferences. She is amazing! I am always so thankful for people who do all that work so people like me, and our family, can benefit from it.

Another highlight was taking the kids to Gengis Grill, a mongolian stir fry place where you pick out all your foods and they fry it on the big grill. It was really fun and the kids loved it!

Yesterday, I took Levi, Jojo, and Anna back to the conf. Last year just Jojo went with me and on the way home we had gotten him his first Gyro. This year the convention hall actually has a Greek Restaurant in it. I told Anna and Jo that maybe we could get a Gyro for lunch... Jojo said, "That would be like a slice of Heaven!" He is such a goof ball, but makes me smile so much!

Levi woke up yesterday with a little cough, but it was getting a little worse as the day progressed. By the time we got home it sounded pretty tight in his chest. So around 10:30pm Louis and I took him to the ER. I just knew if we stayed home, the cough would probably get worse during the night, that is the way it usually goes around here with coughs... always worse after midnight. I was just worried that maybe he had RSV. They got us right in and diagnosed him with an upper respitory infection and sent us on our way. It was just a relief to me to have gone and have him looked at. He is so much better today... Thank God!

After a baptismal luncheon for a family at church today, we came home and totally relaxed. It was such a nice afternoon. I told Greg, it was perfect... hours of just hanging out on the couch cuddling my baby and the rest of the kids. The weather was rotten, cold and rainy, so there was no pull to go out and get some much needed yard and garden work done. It will have to wait for sunnier weather.

It was such a treat to be able to have the afternoon to just enjoy each other.

Gearing up for another busy week:)

HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE and 18 MONTHS

LOOK WHO MY DATE WAS FOR THE CONFERENCE:)

LOOK WHO ALSO IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A HAIRCUT:)
JOJO WAS THRILLED TO BE PULLING THE BOOK BAG...


TRACY, MY SWEET BLOG FRIEND AND HER PRECIOUS DAUGHTER TO BE:)

JOJO EATING HIS FIRST GYRO:)

Tonight before I wrote this post I looked again at my Now I lay Me Down to Sleep pictures of our time with Samuel. We have pictures of Samuel all over the house... but tonight I just felt the need to look at them in detail; to gaze over the details of him... the peach fuzz on his face, the rosy red lips, the turned out little toe... all of it. I cried for him all over again... the ache in my arms is still there for me son... so with that I write this post... it is a little all over the place:)

I had an absolutely delightful day on Friday at the Home school conference. Initially the whole family planned on going to the city, it was a couple hours drive for us, but we decided for many reasons it was probably best that I just go... Since I was only shopping and not really attending the conference, I figured that it may not be the easiest place for Greg to keep everyone busy. Next year though maybe we will all go and actually take in the conference, the kids programs and the shopping. I always try to get all my books ordered for the next year and it is so nice to be able to see all of the books right in front of me before I actually buy them. It is always a huge relief to have them ordered and ready to go for the next year... then when summer rolls around we can just enjoy the summer and the big stuff is behind us...

Anyways, Jojo really wanted to come with me. I am so blessed by that little boy. He is the best natured kid. Truly, he is the kid who is frequently saying, "This is the best day of my life mama... the sun is so bright and shiny." Or like on Friday when he said, "This is the best day of my life mama... I had my first Gyro." He is generally almost always happy and finds great joy in the REALLY little things in life and it is so absolutely precious. We had a ball driving there, walking the city streets, and shopping, shopping, and shopping. He was such a good sport. The great thing is that at lots of the vendors they have bowls of candy out... I know is that bad or what?... but it was incredibly easy to keep him tied over with a little treat here and there. He thought the nachos for lunch were awesome and the slushy even better. It was a day of indulging with Jojo and it was a ball.

One of the definite highlights for me was meeting my blog friend Tracy... now I can say she is a real life friend:) She lost her 2 year old son Jacob just 2 months before we lost Samuel so we have had a lot of things in common over the last 18 mos. She is an encouragement to me, she has such a strong faith. There has been many occasions that after I blogged about something she said just the thing I needed to hear. It was funny, I recognized her right away and gave her a big hug... and we just started chatting like old friends. I know that sounds very cliche, but it was true. We talked about the two baby girls we are both hoping to adopt and of course we talked of their big brothers Samuel and Jacob. It was so nice to finally meet her.

Just having met Tracy for the first time, as I was driving home, I was overcome with emotion as I thought about the blessing that all my new friends have been to me. I have made friends in places and ways I would NEVER before have thought possible. I would never have dreamt that I would stop and stay with a blog friend I had never met in person before, yet when I stayed with Tonya in GA back it January, it was like we had known each other forever and felt totally like the natural thing to do... I could have stayed days:) I am just so thankful that the Lord saw fit to bless me with people along this journey that know exactly what I have experienced and still experience. What a gift that has been to me.

Lord, 18 mos have passed since I met my son face to face and held that precious little one. How can it be that long Father... but I smile knowing that means I am 18 mos closer to seeing Him and you for eternity. Thank you Jesus for knowing exactly who and what I have needed and for providing it along this journey. There were days Lord, no months Lord, in this new place that I longed for you to provide people, your people Lord, to minister to me. It took so much longer than I wanted God, it was so much harder than I ever dreamed even possible. I was alone Lord, I felt so alone, but Lord you were there... in the darkness and total loneliness you were there. You were carrying me and sustaining me, though it felt like it was by a thread... God if you are that thread Lord then it is enough. I could NEVER have said that a year ago, but I can today Lord. You are enough! Just being able to utter those words feels miraculous to me God...

Father, the longer I live, the more I realize the less I really know your ways... I think... no I know they are far far beyond my comprehension... Yet you know what I need before I have even known that I needed it. Lord though the growing and stretching has been incredibly painful and still is, thank you for those growing pains. Lord I would have it no other way. If this is what I get as a result of being Samuel's mom here on earth for those 9+ mos... I will take it Father, it is worth it, He is so worth it. As I looked tonight again Father, at the close up pictures of my precious son, I saw anew your beautiful miraculous creation that you grew within me. Father, even though 18 mos have passed and it feels like as His mommy, I am the only one who really remembers Him like I do, that is hard God, so hard. I feel like his life left this huge impression but it feels like a gaping hole in my heart. Even those I can feel the edges of that wound starting to heal, it still bleeds so easily. All of this because of that 9 lb 2 oz miracle you gave us for a time and took so quickly back to yourself. What a precious gift that I will forever treasure and cherish... Forever Father till you reunite us in your presence! Thank you for using this trial to grow me and grow my compassion for others. Lord, please continue to use this pain for your purposes... don't waste this pain... use it Father however you see fit... and come Lord Jesus Come, we are ready Father... ready for YOU FATHER!

A TRIP TO THE VINEYARD

THIS IS THE CELLAR WHERE THEY KEEP THE GRAPES UNTIL

THEY GO TO MARKET... DOESN'T IT JUST LOOK LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE DAYS... I THINK I WAS BORN IN THE WRONG ERA... I LOVE THIS KIND OF STUFF.

JOJO WAS MORE ENAMORED WITH THIS BEETLE:)


THE NEXT FEW PICTURES ARE OF THE BOYS WITH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF GRAPES THEY HAVE ON THE VINEYARD. I THINK THEY HAD 16 DIFFERENT KINDS... ALL DELICIOUS... ALL SO SWEET.

Today we were invited by a sweet girl named Jamie from our church to go to her mom's vineyard. Her mom is the sweet lady who dropped the fruit and veggies by our house the other day. She used to be Jojo's Sunday school teacher and the kids all call her "the egg lady" because she often gives us farm fresh eggs. Now the kids know her real name, but I think they might like to call her "the grape lady" now.

The vineyard was amazing. I have never been to a vineyard. It was beautiful and they are such nice people. I always go to farms and think I would love that kind of lifestyle. Yet I wonder if I could really handle it. They work so hard. But wow, seeing all those different kinds and colors of grapes, and getting a chance to taste them all was so fun. I am serious, I think those grapes taste like candy, they are so sweet. I love seeing God's handiwork and creativity in nature. It was such a treat. We had a delightful time visiting with Jamie and her 2 kids at our house and then such a fun learning

experience at the vineyard.

We are going to count that as a field trip:)

We are going to head to Texas on Sunday to go camping with some friends... after that the kids are going to be hit with the brutal reality of the REAL school year schedule. It will be fun while it last though.

FIRST DAY CONTINUED!

More of our first day back to homeschooling.

1:45 Come home from the neighbors pool to find watermelon, cantaloupe, and fresh farm cucumbers and tomatoes on the front porch. I am thinking they were a gift from someone at church. Yummy! Anna and Jojo set to work mixing up trail mix to have for snacks this week.

2:00 Lunch is finally served... veggies, hummus and crackers.

One satisfied customer:), chewing away on a carrot.

Enjoying fresh flowers from Samuel's garden. I love zinneas and cosmos! They are so bright, colorful, cheery and make great cut flowers:)

2:45 Now the real learning begins... We do Science together, the boys do History and we tie up all of the loose ends of school around 5:00. It was a busy but productive afternoon.

This is so not what our days normally look like, given my teacher background... I can be kind of rigid with our schedule. It is nice to be able to be flexible when I have to. Maybe starting off slow will be a good transition into the normal school routine.

All in all, it was a good day, no real tears (besides at the dentist), eating icecream, swimming and school.

Thanking God that we survived the first day back:)

FIRST DAY BACK TO HOMESCHOOLING

7:30 AM Wake up the kiddos...They all like to sleep together, I think they miss being in the same room like they were at the seminary... It looks like Jojo must have kicked Lou out of his bed during the night. How is that for a good nights sleep before the first day of school.

7:45 Have a quick breakfast of baked oatmeal and fruit.

8:00 The older 3 work hard to get some work done before we head off to 3 different dental appts.

10:00 Head to the dentist for Anna's first cavity filling. She was crying before she even left the waiting room... Yikes, at the end of it all, she said she didn't even feel the shot.

11:30 We stop by dad's office with icecream treats. Is it wrong to reward a cavity with a little ice cream party with the church staff:)? Life is too short to not celebrate the small things even if it is a cavity.

12:45 Arrive home and head over to the neighbors pool to cool off, are we actually getting any school work done?

getting a little natural vitamin D...
ahhh... the beauty of homeschooling.

The first day back to homeschooling to be continued:)