Up till now

I'll try not to overwhelm you with pictures from our recent adventures but I'm really thankful for this phone I didn't want and it's ability to take pretty decent pictures even after being run over by several cars.
I've realized I haven't blogged much this year when Ava decided that she wanted to blog. She has written a "guest post" and may have others as "Miss Modesty." We published her first post this morning. You can read it here. (or just scroll down).
We, as her parents, are VERY encouraged by her heart, her morals, her desire to help and encourage others, her willingness to be prompted by God's Word, and to fulfill those promptings in her own life (and on this blog). And that she worked on her post for several weeks and brought it to us. She might just turn out okay. (sigh of momentary relief)

Since I've started with last things first we'll just keep to it and run history backwards.
Thursday, we traveled a LONG way with the Petitt boys and their fabulous mother to Springer Mountain, where the Appalachian Trail begins and made the 0.9 mile hike up and back. It was a beautiful day for it.

Getting there and back

Ode to Springer Mountain
to the tune of "On Top of Spaghetti "

On top of Springer Mountain

All covered with trees,

Mother lost 15 pounds

when she fell on her knees.

We got to the top

There was a swell view,

Then we went back down.

And all said "phew!"

Group at the top, Trail sign from 1934, The children with Joe the hiker (got to the top with us after walking 5 days from somewhere in North Carolina), and the view from my resting place at the top (rocks make great chairs)

"Wildlife" seen along the hike: Josiah and Jacob; Jorja; Brent (resting with this old lady); Anne examining leaves with the littles (in true homeschooler fashion), the littles: Lora, Chance, Josiah, Jacob, Jorja (who was crying); and Josiah when he got to the top and did what I felt like doing.

Recently Gene had fall break from school, so we all took a break from school. We tried hard not to learn anything but that's just sorta what we do. Like on the Magic School Bus:

Miss Frizzle: Seatbelts, everyone!

Arnold: *Please* let this be a normal field trip.

All: With the Frizz? No way!

And: Miss Frizzle: Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.

So, we went camping (aka: a vacation that is really an extended field trip).

Our Camp Site 

Students finding a crawl-dad, Students at the water-wheel house,
Students with The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Statue, The Parents,
Students discovering a window in the water-wheel house.

Doing Stuff: Top: Hiking
Bottom: Square Dancing and Clogging
(the girls - most of us - joined in before we left)

Cool stuff we saw

The week before that we had school pictures taken - and then we went to Lake Hartwell and took our own.

BHA Students 2014

Those Brown girls

Those Brown boys

My "spare kid" Brent - cutie pie!

Those Brown Darlings

"What a nice little monkey," he thought.
"I would like to take him home with me."

And the week before that we stood on the side of the road for Life Chain 2014 (which we do every year).

The Daddy and some littles and Aunt Courtney

Life Chain 2014 - Lavonia, GA

We've gone on other "field trips" this year (aka: lets get out of the house and go walk around and find stuff = science/history/PE/math).

We've gone to Tugaloo

At Tugaloo 

And we've walked up a billion stairs at Tallulah Gorge.

The gang, the film, Grandfather snail, the view, the suspension bridge, the buzzard 

The gaggle, the turkeys, some plant, nearing the end (after the billion stairs)

And every Wednesday since the end of August (or since Jorja was baby) we've gone to Community Bible Study where we have and are learning LOTS!
Last Spring the Lord called this Mama to be Associate Teaching Director (ATD). The ATD (still has to look at her name tag to remember her title) supports the Teaching Director (which isn't hard since it's dear, precious Cindy), shepherd the Core Leaders (which is only hard because they are her mentors - mothers and grandmothers - but a great delight), welcome visitors (which is fun because she gets to talk about CBS and if she messes up the "first day sphill" they are new and don't know the difference), play nicely with the other leaders (Children's Director Michelle, Coordinator June, and Prayer Chairman Elinor - all sweet, smart and patient - so more delightfulness), and sometimes teach or give the weekly lecture in place of Cindy (which is overwhelming, and lots of work - time and effort and prayer - but has been a great time of being with God and having Him teach me through His Word - and the delivery has been FUN!)
I'm really enjoying this "job" God has called me to this year! I've still got a whole lot to learn but with much prayer and trust God's using "even me." He provides the words and I provide my time and stand there with my mouth open. It's amazing.

"He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

I Thessalonians 5:24

If you'd like to learn what we are learning so far in Joshua and Judges or just learn more about our class you can go to the class website toccoalavonia.cbsclass.org and listen to the lectures. (I've taught Lessons 5, 8 and 9 so far).

And there's this truth:

So, I think your caught up. 

I've not posted about what we are doing in school this year or how I'm managing all nine students plus the other stuff I do. Some of it is still experimental. (And we've just finished week 11) I'll work on that post next. 

Love ya'll!