Goodbye for summer, Turkey!

Turkey is a crazy place sometimes. There is an expression, "Burasi Turkiye!" which means, "This is how it is in Turkey!" I will miss it this summer. But yes, I'm ready to board a plane and go "home."

I thought this was a great last picture for my summer goodbye. (These are plastic water bottles on the back of his truck.)

Last Day 2015

Last year when Big Ben was in Kindergarten, he noticed the first graders getting a yellow certificate. He decided he wanted one and asked me how to get one. I told him he had to study hard and make good grades. He did just that. Knowing he'd get one, I told him to be sure to look at me and smile for a picture. Not only did he look, he stood, frozen, just like this for...a long time.I finally motioned he could sit down!

Sweet Cheeks got her Honor Roll award too with a sweet smile spread across her face.

It's fun to reward the kids for hard work and accomplishing so much.

Miss Middler won an Honor Roll certificate, as well as the Middle School English award.

Twinkle got an Honor Roll, too!

The older three girls worked this year towards the "Aslan Award" which combines teacher recommendations, service hours, and school involvement. Anyone who wants to get it may do the requirements and earn it. Additionally, Firstborn got the Turkish Award. Her sweet teacher bought her a copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in Turkish to read this summer! This teacher has opened Firstborn's heart to Turkey through the language. I am forever grateful.

This very fun and special day always becomes tough...

Some goodbyes are just for summer.

But others involve saying goodbye to a friend moving to another continent. Big Ben loves these twins and prays for them nightly.

And this goodbye, by far, broke my heart the worst. These little gals have been friends for 5 years. Her father, the Ambassador from Ecuador, has finished his assignment in Turkey. This family opened their hearts to us and will be missed. It was in this home that Sweet Cheeks got to sleepover and wake up the next morning to a nanny ready to fix her whatever she wanted for breakfast. In this family Sweet Cheeks learned that she could have a friend from a completely different continent with a different first language, and yet feel like a sister. The goodbye we had dreaded came. And yet, we will see them again. We will.

Korean Treat

My care group (which is a small group on staff who meet together to pray and as we can, look after each other) has been a sweet bunch. One of our group members wanted to bless us with lunch in her home. We arrived to the most beautiful table setting and refreshing barley tea.

She made us little appetizers.

And the main course was "Make Your Own Kimbap." Kimbap is like the Korean sushi.

My friend's name is Grace, and she lives up to her name!

Then as a little end-of-the-year gift, she gave us each a little plastic container to make kimbap.

I have loved being part of this group!

Starting the Goodbyes

I had my last English class this week. After a little party, we took this group selfie!

And then it was time to say goodbye on my last Bible class day. This sweet gal made a special point to come talk to me after class. She's moving on to 9th grade, so I won't have her next year.

And this little gal is moving back to her home country. Many of these kids have very special stories and hold a special place in my heart. I can't feature those stories on here, but I am so thankful to have taught them.

Letterman's Banquet

Whew, school is coming to a close, and it is one event after another! Here's Big Ben, who signed up for origami club. He created a little origami scene of creation.

That night, our older three girls had their Letterman's Banquet. Firstborn was a busy girl this year, did I mention that before? She lettered in volleyball, basketball, soccer, band, and drama! For most of hte year, her every afternoon was filled between sports, fine arts, and her tutoring job. I am so very thankful that we can walk to school. We still had dinner together every night. I realize that is a gift. When I saw this picture in my camera, I could not believe how much her smile looked like her Mimi Campbell's. She's a Campbell through and through!

So proud of my little 7th grader Miss Middler! She made it on the volleyball team, though it is a high school team, and also lettered in drama...because Tinkerbell!!! When I saw her hair she had fixed (she's the Pinterest Hair Queen!) and her make-up, I am not sure she is a little girl anymore.

I spent the entire night sending Twinkle subliminal messages to pull her hair out of her face! I was on the side where all the hair was. Finally, she threw her head back, and I snapped it! She lettered in volleyball, basketball, and soccer this year.

The gals with their beautiful inside and out drama instructor.

And then because we all looked so pretty, we took a few pictures.

I told Firstborn to pose with her "friend." I said, "Come on. Let me get a picture. This doesn't have to be awkward." And then they laughed and said, "We know. We just took a bunch of pictures together before the banquet!" Photo shoot???? Sigh.

I am so proud of my kids. I don't ever want to hurt them in any way in things that I post. So, I don't talk so much on here about the hard days and the bad attitudes and the disappointments. But I also don't want my readers to ever think we are perfect. We are just a group of people, given to each other by God, who are seeking to honor Him. We have bad attitudes, we are unkind to each other sometimes, but we are forgiven. And we want to reflect Jesus. So, if you are in that category, just know we are not the family of perfects, and you are in good company!

End-of-the-Year Fun!

Sweet Cheek's class and the 5th graders (my kids from last year) took a day to go to a nearby lake for some end-of-the-year fun! I was able to get my morning class covered and join them for part of the day.

This is her darling little friend, friends for many years now. I am certain Sweet Cheeks did some lunch trading to get some Korean food from her!

SC begged me to take pictures of all the ducks. Thanks to her cousin, she's turned into a nature lover.

We took a paddle boat ride.

I love this picture of our third grade teacher with a couple of her girls! I think they may have just turned their paddle boat into a bumper boat!

Guilty as charged!

Super fun day that ended with water balloons!

Bridal Shower

Our care group had the joy of having H (the new bride-to-be) in our care group, so we organized a bridal shower for her. Just before I went, it occurred to me that it would be entirely appropriate to take Sweet Cheeks with me, as she is in the wedding party this summer. We popped down to the store in our neighborhood, she bought a little journal, and then wrote this in it for her teacher. I loved it!

L decorated her house with a garden theme, as she knew H loves it! Wow, when I walked in, I thought her house was a Pinterest Board! It was amazing!

Sweet Cheeks was so very happy to be there and began writing her bride's blessing to give to her teacher.

Our care group provided the food...mmmmm!

One gal even decorated cupcakes into a wedding dress!

Here is our care group with our hostess.

And here's the whole gang!

This sweet gal was a former roommate of H's. She also holds a special place in my heart. When she was a very little girl, I prayed for her, as did my three (then) little girls. Her father, who devoted himself to sharing truth and discipling people, is in heaven as a martyr, taken from this land. Her mother stayed here with her young children after his death, as God did not tell her to leave. Now this little girl is all grown up, still shining her light. There's much talk these days of a heroes. She is my hero.

Here's B. B, I could not resist posting it. It is ever so cute of both of you!

Many of the teachers pooled their money and bought H a Kitchen Aid mixer. They had it shipped to her US address from the US. So, of course, they had to print a picture and wrap that picture in an enormous box! So cute.

And what else do you do at a shower than ooohh and ahhh over a new baby who got to come?

The bride in her bow bonnet is special to us all!