It is no coincidence that her initials also stand for "Her Royal Highness". This girl has had quite the last few months. Heck - she's had quite the last year!!!
Our little Classical Conversations group that met weekly over the last school year was truly a godsend. We not only connected with some wonderful people but learning took place in an atmosphere of fun and creativity, and enriched our overall curriculum at home.
We wrapped up the year with special presentations given by the older kids. They picked a person (or character) of history we had studied this past school year and wrote a research paper, put together a board, and gave a presentation in character. We had studied Ancient History and she picked the Greek goddess, "Pandora". We invited dads and friends as guests and included a themed lunch based on the girls' characters. It was a nice way to end our CC adventure!
Sports has also been a big influence in her year. Having never really played basketball before, she thoroughly enjoyed her first year on a team. She loved her teammates and respected her coaches. She learned well the basics of the game and there was a healthy balance of competition and fun. Her ability grew by leaps and bounds! We're so proud of her!!
In the spring she participated in a short season of track. Track doesn't run too late into the spring here since it gets hot FAST! She participated more for exercise and growth more than competition but her coach sees potential and wants us to plan on her going to State next year.
Last month we attended an awards banquet for the homeschool sports association she played for. After a delicious potluck dinner at beautifully decorated tables, teams were recognized and players were highlighted. Awards were given and compliments abounded! Zanna received a metal for her participation in the basketball tournaments we had in Ft Worth back in April. She also won the award for most improved player on her team!!
Her coach was so incredibly encouraging and had some really wonderful things to say about her. My heart was bursting with emotion knowing how much this meant to her. This move ... this last year ... had been a big deal for her. She didn't want to move and she was just fine with her life, her friends, her routine in Ottawa. I prayed for God to provide for her what she needed to make this be home now. He's done that in so many ways and this was just one example of his goodness towards her.
Another unexpected blessing for her royal highness has been the sewing group at our church. What started as an invitation for her to join them in their weekly sewing day turned into her bringing a friend, bringing another friend, adding twins, and ... one more friend. This turned into a full blown THING. What had been up till now some dear church friends who shared a love for quilting and sewing and who got together once a week to work on their projects at church turned into these same gals sharing their love of sewing with the next generation. Actually, maybe a few generations down. They never planned on teaching a bunch of kids. God certainly has a sense of humor!!
This mentorship sewing class has been amazing. She has learned to make "quillows" (half pillow, half quilt), table runners, microwave bowls, snap purses, and baby blankets.
She even made a quilt for my mom's Comforter Ministry!
Best of all, she finds herself influenced by a group of godly women who have embraced her with their love and friendship regardless of the age gap! In life we don't always have friends born the same year we were. That's a good thing!!
One tradition we've been able to continue down here is going strawberry picking. The main difference is that it's earlier in the spring.
We had our first area field trip to the Kilgore Oil Museum. Pretty much your typical Texas experience: oil is good;)
She (we) survived our first local tornado. Wayne stood outside to take these pictures and watch the sky do funky things. Will wandered around from window to window and occasionally wandered outside to briefly
FYI - we live in the huge red box where the arrow is pointing. Awesome.
Will and I watched it go spin over the lake we live on. It was slightly unsettling. But no damage done and we are very grateful!!
Now back to more upbeat news.
Zanna had her end of year violin recital and rocked it!
She played Concerto No. 2 3rd Movement by F. Seitz.
She always gets super nervous before a performance but she channels that and gets in the zone. This time was no exception except to add that she lost her music moments before the recital started. Now to be fair, we knew it was in the building. She had practiced with it before the recital started and she had it in her hand at one point. Then it was just gone. So she sat through all the performances as she was the last one to play in the program knowing that she didn't really know where her music was. Personally I would be totally unhinged at this point if it were me. We really wondered what the heck she was going to do. But as it turned out it had fallen in the theater seat between her and the girl next to her and it was revealed at the last second. Yikes!
Add to all this fun and excitement - Camp Grandma, 2019. Even though she personally has no grandma in the area whatsoever, she was invited to a camp given by a handful of grandmas in our subdivision. Meant to be a fun and organized day while hosting their grandkids at the lake for the week or so, this tradition turned out to be truly impressive! Complete with personalized t-shirts the grandkids enjoyed a day of crafts, a scavenger hunt, swimming at the pool, a piñata, food and treats, pontoon ride and tubing, and ended with a golf cart parade around the neighborhood.
The weekend ended with some neighbors taking us out on their boat and letting both kids go tubing. Fun!!
What a blessed year she's had! I had intended for us to finish her 7th grade year at the end of the week but neither of us has the energy and this morning I called it. We've done so much and accomplished so many things and she's ended well. I love that today's music is the hum of her sewing machine coming from her room as Koine plays on her CD player. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for her future and I get to watch and be a part of her becoming equipped for whatever that future might hold!
