School's Back: The Year of Discovery

 We started out the school year with a theme for the first time: The Year of Discovery! For the first time in the 4 years I have been doing this I feel like I don't need training wheels anymore. I finally feel like I know what is best for us and what we need and how to figure it out! I still need others' ideas and help, but I am excited about the potential of this new year. I am such a checklist, by the book kind of person that "discovery" is a huge thing for me. It doesn't really come naturally, unless the books says to. However, this year we are branching out into new curriculums and new books and new schedules. I am really looking forward to how it will stretch and grow all of us!

 There is just something so fun about new pencils and paper and workbooks!

 I did a word scramble for each of the kids with an encouraging word about themselves!

 Annie and Toby can work independently most of the time. Jesse still requires a lot of help...especially to FOCUS. Can anyone else relate? That kid is always bouncing out of his seat. I seriously wonder how he would do it if he went to a "regular" school.

 Annie is in 5th grade! So proud of this beautiful, young lady who is growing and changing every day! I am excited to discover new things with her this year. I am so thankful I get to be her teacher!

 Toby is in 3rd grade and the smartest kid in his class! He loves to learn and read and soaks up facts like a sponge. I forget them and he regularly reminds us all. He has a sensitive spirit and heart that God is sculpting this year. What an honor to be his teacher!

 Jesse is in 2nd grade this year. I am really trying hard not to baby him anymore. This kid is FULL of life and action. It's hard to get him to sit still enough to read, but he is getting it little by little. The key will be to help him discover the treasure of learning and discovering knowledge has power this year. It's going to be a WILD ride to be his teacher! I am thankful for the FUN he brings.

Bring on the school year of 2013-2014! We are ready for some Discovery!

Soran Fun Day

 After helping move the Houghs furniture to another house in Soran, we took the rest of the time to have FUN. We stayed with the Tilman's and got to meet Ninja the Turtle, or was he a tortoise. Either way, super cute. We had such a great time of fellowship with this amazing, faithful couple. So thankful for their influence in our lives. 

 The next day, we went up the mountain! Together, we rode the "Teleferic" or the gondola up the mountain. Quite an accomplishment for Iraq! But it was beautiful!

 We were a little nervous over the steep parts.

 The views were breathtaking, despite a little dust in the air.

 We found beautiful parks and lodges and rides on top of the mountain!

 We were amazed that this mountain resort could be tucked away in Kurdistan!

 The kids had fun on the climbing wall.

 The giant slide was a huge hit.

 This little playground has become our favorite play place. It was so beautiful.

 Freedom=pure joy!

 Toby thinks it's funny to make weird faces in pictures now. 

 Annie's amazing skills.

 You can see the backdrop better in the previous picture. We were a bit sweaty and thirsty in this picture...the pained look in the boys' eyes. 

A Mighty Girl: The Book Club

 Reading is FUN!! Try convincing girls that barely know how to read and only know reading as an activity they must "perform" in school as fast as they can without making any mistakes, lest the whole class correct them, thereby shaming them. Reading CANNOT be fun under those circumstances. You can't even learn if that is your approach to reading. It's simply a command you do to please the teacher and pass the class. You memorize information. Reading is NOT FUN here. Reading is scary. 

 So 16 girls and I joined on an adventure together to see if we could make a dent in their impression of reading. We read several books together. We combined learning some English with learning to read for FUN and for learning. I found this awesome website. A Mighty Girl has an awesome message out there for girls to believe in themselves and to use books to unleash their potential. I wanted to give this to these girls as well.

 We read "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, "You are Special" by Max Lucado, "Because I Love You" by Max Lucado and a few other books with great messages. We played tons of games to practice English and play with words and have FUN with each other. We spent 2 hours twice a week together in our new space above our house. 

 Each girl hungered for affirmation. They loved hearing "you are special." They couldn't get enough of it when I gave them each a note saying just that. They had a hard time getting the deeper meanings of all the books. But I think we cracked into some hearts with the idea that books contain knowledge and knowledge contains power and that is available to them. 

 They each got a certificate at the end of the class and their very own book.  I tried to pour into their heads and hearts over and over again that they are important and special. I know if they can believe this about themselves it will lead them to hunt for Truth. Ultimately that is what I want. Smart girls are awesome. Mighty Girls are amazing. But girls who find the Truth are unstoppable!

 It was a stressful experience for me to prepare each day before the class. I struggled with how to really reach them. How to teach, but to not just have it bounce back at me. I spent many hours going over ideas and searching the internet until I found just the right thing. I would dread going up there to try to balance it all, but at the end of each class, I was on a high! They didn't need much. They just wanted affirmation and attention. 

 Was so thankful for this girl who helped lead the way for everyone and provided an amazing example! What fun to serve together!

 Each girl was so precious to me. Each one found a special place in my heart. I love this little red head. She is strong and smart. 

 Here's the gang with some original art on the right that we all made together and our central theme: A Mighty Girl!

They each took home a cupcake...since it was Ramadan and everyone was fasting. 

I learned a lot about myself and about the girls this summer through this time. I would love to keep something going. I am praying that God will give me fresh ideas that I can balance in with the rest of my schedule so I can still reach out and touch those sweet girls.