Happy Father's Day...just a little early

   Happy Fathers Day to my Daddy!!

Lori, Giny, Tracy, and I have a good Daddy.  He always worked hard to take care of us.  We also were fortunate to be able to know and spend time with our grandfathers and most of our great grandfathers. 

Happy Father's Day Dave!!!



A few years ago when we were at the beach, Daddy found a bargain shirt...it was like 2 bucks so he bought it. He did not pay attention to what it said.   He put it on one night and I thought we would all die laughing!!!



Samo with his real sword!

Grandaddy White

Daddy with Andrew and Brady...He loves his grandsons.



Grandpa Hart.....my great grandfather



Papaw with me, Lori, Giny, and Tracy
We still miss him so much!



Daddy teaching Samo to ride without training wheels.

Proverbs 17:6
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

and the glory of children is their fathers.

Grandaddy White with me, Lori, Giny, and Tracy.  Oh how we miss him!!  He was like a grandmother and grandfather rolled into one.

Uncle Lester

Daddy and his 4 girls

all of his grandchildren

I am thankful for all the time my Daddy spends pouring into his grandchildren. He could be taking trips and enjoying his retirement, but he chooses to spend alot of it with little people :)

Daddy with Chloe, Abby, and Emma



My Daddy with his Daddy(my Papaw)



me and my Daddy...I'm pretty sure I'm his favorite...sorry Lori, Giny, and Tracy  :)



Daddy supervising the boys shooting BB guns

I love this picture.   I came home from a bible study one night and this is what I found.  Everyone piled up on a little couch.

Dave, Abby, Andrew, and Brady

:) LOVE (:

Dave and Erin :)




Daddy, Dave, and Samo

Grandpa Hall...my great grandfather

Grandaddy Burk......my great grandfather

 



Daddy teaching Samuel Math

  

2 Timothy 2:1-2

        You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,  and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

This verse sums up Dave's life.  He does this with his children as well as other faithful men!!

Happy Father's Day.

A Rant.....just a little ranting

rant- (verb) 1: to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner



Today I called to register Samuel for football. He loves football and has been talking about playing all year. I was told that unless he is registered in public school, he cannot play. This is because they follow the same rules as high school football. He can play baseball, soccer, or wrestle....but no football. I called Mr. Allen, the president of the Coosa Valley Football Association, and his advice to me was to enroll him in public school. I could hardly contain myself....but I did. My blood boils a little now as I type this.  So basically they are telling me my children will be ostracized because I choose to educate them at home. Last time I checked we still pay taxes to fund the public schools even though we don't send our children to them. So why shouldn't we be able to let our children play football or be in the band????  Here are some facts from this site..... Alabama's Tim Tebow Bill .


Facts and Statistics


Homeschooling is growing rapidly and there are an estimated 2 million homeschooled children in the US.


Alabama has an estimated 25,000 homeschooled children.


Research shows that homeschooled students score well above the national average on standardized tests.


Homeschool parents are tax-payers and voters.


24 other states allow some form of "Equal Access" where homeschooled students participate in extracurricular activities.


325 Homeschooled Athletes are currently playing NCAA Division I-A sports this year.


Dave and I have seen lots of benefits of homeschooling our children.  We both have a BS in Education and have taught in the public school system.  We are not opposed to public school or private school.  We believe it is up to the individual families to make the decision of how to best educate their children.  Right now the best thing for our family is to educate our children at home.  But, by choosing to educate our children at home, does that mean we we should have to forfeit sports and music that are offered by the public school system that we help to fund through our tax dollars?  That is the question I have been mulling over all afternoon.  The initial answer I come to is NO.  So I plan to contact my representative and try to get him on board with this bill.  I could go on now about how football is a sort of god in Alabama and what a shame it is that little boys can't just play football for fun in their community league because it is all about them being prepped to play high school football for 15 weeks in the Fall.  But I won't go on and on about that because what good would that do anyway.  Don't get me wrong, I love football, but I don't like this rule. 

Remembering 13 years

Today, June 13th, Dave and I celebrate our 13th year of marriage. I thought I would make a list of some of the high lights of the past 13 years.

1st year-1998-1999-our first little rental house in Gordo that we worked on so hard to make a home. Bible studies with the sweet students from Gordo.  Going to Grace Church in Tuscaloosa and making some lifelong friends.  Oh...and we can't forget the air conditioner never working... :)

2nd year-1999-2000-we bought our first house in Oxford, both of us had new teaching jobs, WOW...what a year that was.

3rd year-2000-2001-we got a new titles.....mommy and daddy.  Abigail Grace was born.

4th year-2001-2002-another baby girl....Erin Rebekah was born, and Dave began seminary at New Orleans.

5th year-2002-2003-and another baby :)  Samuel David, our baby boy was born, we lived in the little apartment in Alexandria, and learned to manage 3 babies together.  Dave began full time ministry at Hill Crest.

6th year-2003-2004-bought a new house in Weaver, Dave went to Germany on his first overseas mission trip.

7th year-2004-2005-busy raising babies, working....ahh the simple life.

8th year-2005-2006-started homeschooling. Abby's first year of school.

9th year2006-2007-Dave's graduation from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Erin's first year of school.

10th year-2007-2008- Began leading the college ministry at Hill Crest, went to Disney world with Ken, Ann and the boys.  Samuel started school.

11th year-2008-2009-became a part of Grace Fellowship.  Dave started teaching at Donoho.

12th year-2009-2010- so much happened this year, but the main thing was that we learned what the words we said on on our wedding day "in sickness and in health"  really meant. We went to Hawaii with the Donoho Band and Choir, I had major surgery, Dave was diagnosed with cancer.

13th year-2010-2011-we tag teamed school in Houston, lots of family time, watching God heal Dave through his fabulous doctors.

It been a happy 13 years of marriage Dave...I love you more and more I look forward to many, many more years!! Now...here are some pictures of us through the years.

12 Days

Well the countdown is on.  12 days until we arrive at our home!!  We are excited...and a little sad.  We have gotten used to our routine in Houston.  Dave is doing great.  He is looking forward to getting back to work.  He is finished with the Lovenox shots....HOORAYY!!  He is so glad to not have to get those anymore.  Plus the fact that they were super expensive.  He will be on another blood thinner until surgery. 

We have started packing up some of our stuff.  Oh my oh my how did we get so much stuff out here.  I guess having people bring a bag or box of things here or there over 8 months really adds up.  It is hot hot hot here.  But I hear its hot hot hot at home too. 

So that's a quick update of what's going on with us.  :)

DONE

We are DONE!!!! with school that is. We had a couple of marathon days of Science and we finished last Friday. Dave took the kids to buy some good chapter books this week so their brains don't turn to mush over the summer.  Over the next 3 weeks we are planning to make another trip to the space center.....our last chapter of Science was Astronomy, so we thought it would be a good educational trip...shhhhh.  don't tell the kids it's educational :)  We studied the History of the United States this year, so we are going to visit the American Cowboy Museum....how fun does that sound?  :)  We are also going to the Holocaust Museum.  We will be home in 20 days...wow.  So we've got alot to do over the next two weeks.

Last few minutes of the school year caught on camera :)

Pictures from the past week



Birthday cupcakes at a friends house on Sunday night.




Look at all those sweet kiddos.  Our kids love these kids.



My beach babes!!

They found a coconut in the ocean.

Big chocolate bunny in the candy store.

He had a great time swimming in the ocean. He kept begging me to get in, I just couldn't get past all the seaweed....yuck.



We took a boat tour in the Port of Houston last week.



The countdown is on!!  23 days until our Uhaul will pull into our driveway.  We are super excited about coming home.  Dave is doing great, but he still has some issues with neuropothy.