Happy New Year!

New school year, that is! This year we have an 8th grader, a 5th grader, and a 1st grader. WOW. Where has the time gone? Only one more year until high school? How did that happen? Just yesterday I was taking Sunshine to the beauty shop because she had cut her own hair in a VERY bad spot, as well as cutting her baby doll Sarah's hair, too. (Sunshine's grew out; baby Sarah's did not.)

Just yesterday, Sunshine was riding her Barbie bike on the sidewalk in front of our house on the military post in the desert, in July, wearing a pullover sweatshirt, a summer sundress, tights and sandals. (Trust me, she makes much better clothing choices today!) That girl just HAD to wear tights no matter what. And sandals because, well, it's hot out, you know. LOL!

Just yesterday, Sunshine was reading The Best Nest all by herself for the very first time.

Just yesterday, Sunshine was drawing big hearts with happy smiles on everything that she was allowed to draw on.

Just yesterday, Sunshine was asking her dad and I if she could pray to ask Jesus into her heart. She was 4-1/2 then. She had approached us after dinner one Sunday evening and said she wanted to do that. We talked to her for a couple of minutes to make sure (to the best of our limited knowledge) that she understood what she needed to, and we were assured that she did. (Not all 4-1/2 year olds can do this, but some can.) She didn't want us to pray *with* her right then, but wanted to do it alone. So she went into our bedroom and knelt on the floor behind our bed. We heard her praying out loud, though we couldn't make out the words. We didn't want to get too close as we didn't want to invade that private time between her and Jesus. But to this day, 9-1/2 years later, we've no reason to believe that she doesn't belong to our Lord Jesus and shares an eternal home in Heaven with us, as she's shown us nothing but spiritual fruit over the course of her life. (Not that she doesn't ever sin, of course. We need to never stop praying for our children's spiritual growth and protection.)

She is truly my Sunshine. Such a blessed gift from God.

But this post wasn't intended to be all about Sunshine today! LOL, I just can't help myself. I really love that girl and hate that she's growing up so fast! It has to happen, though, doesn't it? The start of another school year just reminds me again of how time passes and we all grow up... or at least most of us do. It reminds me of what an important job we homeschool moms have to do, ALL moms, in fact, and how difficult it can be some days... trying to balance academics and character, standardized test scores and spiritual growth, physical beauty and internal beauty. I am blessed to be the mother of 3 girls, with whom I've been given the responsibility to train up in the wisdom and nurture of the Lord, to be Godly young ladies who understand that charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised. I fail miserably sometimes, I certainly don't do it perfectly, but I am so thankful for the grace of God, His continuing work in me, and a husband who cares deeply about honoring God (as his name says, Timothy) and protecting his daughters to the best of his ability. That is what this blog is all about, this John 15:5 Academy, for Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."