Pomp and Circumstance

Congratulations to Jordyn Burton.  Our 2010 home school graduate!!!  Jim and I are so proud of Jordyn and her hard work.  Jim has been an amazing support and encouragement to me the past 12 years.  I could have never done this without his love, support, understanding and shoulder to cry on from time to time.  (Oh--of course, his support when it was time to dissect the pig fetus on the kitchen counter.  GROSS!!).   We were so excited this weekend  we just couldn't contain our happiness:

That was our "School's out for summer" dance!   Or the "happy" dance as Jordyn and I use to say when she would pass a test or finish a unit of study.  :)

What a fun filled and blessed weekend we had as we celebrated Jordyn's high school graduation.  It was a bitter-sweet time for me.  Many times over the past 12 years, I have been tempted to chase the school bus down and surrender.  I am thankful that the Lord didn't let me throw the towel in. With His help, we were able to press-on to the end.  I do not regret my decision to home school for one moment.  I would do it all over again if given the chance.  

 Here is a glimpse from our weekend celebrations:

Our 2010 graduate at our Virginia Home Educators Graduation.  

www.heav.org 

Our special little guest was with us this weekend.  She celebrated her 2 month birthday on JoJo's graduation. 

Jordyn and Chris.  It wouldn't be complete without him being there!  We love you "toot"!

Jordyn peeking out for a quick look to see if mom was bawling yet.  (and for the record, I only cried through HALF of the ceremony.)

Commencement speaker, Ken Hamm from Answers in Genesis 

We had 200 home school "kids" from all over the state take part in the graduation ceremony this year. 


(and for anyone who has ever asked, "What about socicalization??".  This pictures if for YOU!)

Jordyn with our dear friends--G Rich and Crusty C

My girls!

JoJo, Pop and Nanny (not in that exact order)

The Graduation Party

My brother's fiancée, Miss Holly Allen (soon to be  Holly Fick) 

Poppa Johnny and Jaelynn "chillin' " by the pool at the graduation party.

'Kane' (a.k.a. Elena) and baby Jaelynn.  Kane is a major prayer warrior and she couldn't wait to get her hands on the "child for whom she had prayed"......

I think the heat was starting to get to us!  You never know what will happen when you get the Burton gals together.

So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, ²¹ so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.  Deut. 11: 18-21

Outta the bag.....

The cat is out of the bag!!!!  I have been carrying around a secret for 2 weeks and I have been about to explode.  Amanda and baby Jaelynn drove from TN to surprise Jordyn for her upcoming graduation weekend celebrations!  Amanda timed it perfectly and arrived right before Jordyn got off work this afternoon.  We told Jordyn that a  graduation "package" had been delivered from her sissy and that it was on her bed.  Little did Jordyn know but Amanda and Jaelynn were hiding in JoJo's room.  I think Amanda was more excited than anyone.  I can't believe we pulled it off!  

Jordyn's face is priceless!  She was totally shocked!

JoJo and baby JaeJae

My girls

Great grandparents, Nanny Pat and Poppa Johnny.  This is their first time meeting baby Jaelynn

Mimi's little precious!

P.Y.T.

Another hectic week is in full swing around The Burton household.  We are getting ready for Jordyn's home school graduation and party this weekend.  

Amanda sent me two pictures today that I just had to share.

(Though I prefer "Mimi", I think I could easily answer to grandma if that precious little face called me that!  So, the I heart grandmas onesie is totally okay with me!!)

  

Purple Rain

Well, not really purple rain but Purple Jaelynn! (In case you didn't know, I try to name my blog titles from songs--don't know why--but I just do. Sometimes it is hard and they don't match, but I try anyway.  What do you expect from a "joyful noise kinda gal"??)  Amanda sent me this picture today while I was at church.  What a delight to see my grand-baby in the most amazing color ever!  

A hip hop to the hippity

Random happenings from the recent life of Beck:  

• Here is a picture of baby Jaelynn from Amanda's cell phone.  Jaelynn is six weeks old!  Amanda and baby will be coming to visit for a few months this summer.  I simply CAN. NOT. WAIT!

• Look out world, Jordy B is graduating in two weeks!!  Jordyn received her cap and gown yesterday and I am so weepy.  sigh.  So, after 12 years of home schooling I can honestly say,  if I can home school, ANYone can do it!!   

(I believe she is thinking, "Yikes...my mamma learned me at home!" ---personal joke between us!)

• I put a fresh coat of paint on my old outside glider this week.  I almost threw it away but decided to keep it one more year (it is a hand-me down from my parents).  I decided to cover the old, faded white paint with a nice, bright red.  While painting, I found myself singing some of the old "blood" hymns I knew from years ago.  (What can wash away my sin?  nothing but the blood of Jesus!!!!)   After my paint job was complete, I went inside to 'wash up', when I glanced at my hand.  It was a God wink and a wordless picture to me about what one drop of Jesus' blood means to all and how much He LOVES us:

• As you know we've gone to the dogs.  My new little puppy ZuZu is 13 weeks old.  Tilli is still very unsure about ZuZu and continues to make her Alpha-dog presence known on a daily hourly basis through snarled lips and assertive growls (assertive growls...whao...very scary coming from a 4 pound dog!  I mean seriously!! It is great comic relief.)  This week we are seeing progress.  Small steps in the journey of the two dog becoming "BFFs".   Actually I think we are making microscopic steps (since microscopic means- objects smaller than those that can easily be seen by the naked eye and which require a lens or microscope to see them clearly).  Here is a testimony to the power of prayer in my house:  

• Summer time,  It can only mean one thing to me.  Ice cream and LOTS of it!!!  The sound of the ice cream truck in the neighborhood leaves me giddy.  I had the opportunity to go to one of my favorite places with one of my favorite people "elf friends" recently.  

Grow old with me! The best is yet to be.

I am full of excitement this morning.  It reminds me of that Christmas morning excitement.  I am thrilled to congratulate  my precious brother, Ryan Fick and Miss Holly Allen on their recent engagement.  Our family could not be happier.  I am so proud of my brother and the Godly man he has become.  He is one of the smartest, most giving, God-loving men I know.   My brother is fourteen years younger than I am, so I have had the sheer delight of watching him grow-up.  From Teddy Ruxpin to collecting baseball cards, he has always been my little buddy.  As a teenager, I can remember him crawling down the hall of our home and banging on the door to come into my room.  He would enter the room and head right for my records (yes, you read that correctly--records.  Not CD's. lol).  He loved to scatter them on the floor and laugh and laugh until I'd kick him out and lock the door.  To which he'd sit and bang and bang until I let him back in.   Times have changed and so has our relationship.  Now, I look to him as my friend.  What a pleasure Jim and I have had watching Ryan grow into a young man  who loves and serves The Lord with his whole heart, mind and soul.  I have seen The Lord work in Ryan's life in ways I could never have imagined and I give The Lord all the glory!! 

Then there is Holly.  I could not have personally hand-picked a more amazing young woman to become his future wife. She is a loving, beautiful, Godly woman.  She is the one our family has been praying for  in faith over the years that would one day become Ryan 's wife.  She is fun and fits in with our family perfectly!!  I admire her boldness for Christ and the love she has for Him.  Jesus is her life and His joy resonates from her.  She is fun loving and so smart!   Besides--anyone with a birthday on Christmas Day has got to be a God send to our family.  (You know how much the Ficks love them some Christmas!)

We love you both and you are in our continued prayers!!!

Houston--we have a SPLEEN!

Quick update on little Miss Jaelynn (who is four weeks old today!!).  She had an ultrasound today to see if she has a spleen, and, in fact--- she does have a spleen!!  Apparently, the reason the spleen was never seen before was because it is on the wrong side (due to her heterotaxy syndrome).    

Gettin' jiggy with it.....

Jordyn's Senior Homeschool Prom was last night.  (Yes, homeschoolers have a prom too!!)  Just wanted to share a few pics from her big night (in case she feels slighted with all the baby Jaelynn pictures of late!)

Jordyn being silly with her buddy Ashley (not sure where she gets her silly side??)

Our amazing Youth Director (my little bro) and his darling gf  (my Holly) joined us for picture time!

Group picture

A pic of the poor little un-socialized home schoolers.....

One more picture of the poor, sheltered little home school kids as they all congregated to the prom.

I always feel like somebody's watching me

I had another silly 80's tune stuck in my head today. Being Monday and the fact that I am learning valuable lessons from a puppy these days (may be a future blog post), I feel I should have been singing, "just another manic Monday".  But instead, I was singing a different tune.  Amanda sent me a picture of Jaelynn and it made me started singing, "I always feel like somebody's watching me":

I was thinking about El Roi, The God who sees.  I am thankful that no matter how crazy our life may get (or even how manic our Monday may seem), we have a God who sees everything that we are going through.  He knows our struggles, our weaknesses, He sees our broken hearts.  He sees our need. He is there for us and He will NEVER leave us nor forsake Him. I look forward to that day when He returns and we will all "see" Him face to face. 

From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-  he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.   Psalms 33:13-15 NIV