Homeschool Graduation 2011

This post is certainly overdue! I’ve been very busy with college classes this week. As most of you know, I graduated from home school on January 3rd. It took a lot of work to put a wonderful program together to celebrate but it turned out lovely!

We decided to have a dinner in one of Willowbank Hotel’s lounges. We invited a few friends that I’ve known for years –friends that we knew would enjoy celebrating this wonderful occasion with us. Willowbank’s staff did a fabulous job decorating the lounge where the dinner was held. The table was set elegantly and the fireplace had such a cozy scent (and feel!).

It was a beautiful program! Actually, it turned out much better than we even expected! We began with a selection of special music by my younger siblings and friends who are also home-schooled. The electricity went out just a few minutes after we began, but Willowbank’s staff brought in plenty of candles and flashlights. I’m glad that we lit the fireplace before the program began! It did give off some light! :p  Even though we didn’t plan to lose the electricity, we still went on with the program and had fun! It turns out that an electricity pole caught on fire down the street and the power had to be cut so they can properly repair it. The lights came back about 15-20 minutes later. Mom read a short speech that she prepared especially for the dinner before Dad presented me with my high school diploma and Mom gave me a lovely gift. :)

{Dad also had a few words to say before he gave me the diploma}

After receiving my diploma, I read my graduation speech and sang “Where He Leads Me” by Twila Paris.

Shortly following my solo, we began a delicious dinner prepared by Willowbank’s chefs. A dear friend of ours baked a tasty vegan cake and we purchased “vegetarian ice cream” for dessert that everyone enjoyed.

I really enjoyed my graduation dinner and I know that I formed special memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Here’s a copy of the speech that I delivered after receiving my diploma:

Good evening Family & Friends:

Thank you for joining us on this joyous occasion.

As I begin to look back on the past 11 years that I've spent studying in home school, I am humbled and amazed at the marvelous work that God has done both in my life and in the life of my family. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to Christ who blessed me with two, wonderful Christian parents and encouraged them to raise me and my younger siblings in a Godly home with a solid Biblical education. Time and time again, God has blessed my parents with both grace and strength to patiently teach me. Through each lesson, each semester, and every grade --all the way, He has been there uplifting my parents and giving them the strength, and sometimes even the courage to continue homeschooling us. I know beyond a doubt that without Christ it would've been impossible for my parents to tenderly raise me with the level of care, gentleness, and love that has been showered upon me for these past 16 years. Many times during my homeschool years, my family and I have faced seemingly insurmountable difficulties --trials that, looking back, we realize only made us stronger and increased our faith in Christ. And each time we've faced a trial, the Lord has brought us through. I know beyond a doubt that without Him and His grace; I wouldn't be standing here graduating from home school.
I am also forever grateful to my parents who have made countless sacrifices to homeschool my siblings and me. As you all know, it is not an easy thing to homeschool and live on one income in Bermuda. Yet, my parents have resolved to do the best they can in giving us a quality Christian education. On different occasions and in various ways, they have been tempted to quit providing us with a home education. And each time they've faced the temptation to give up, my parents have looked to Christ for strength and support. Together, they have set a wonderful example for me and my siblings. They’ve shown me what it means to be a true Christian ---what it means to always trust in Christ regardless of the circumstances or trials that may come our way. My parents have shown me what it really means to be committed to raising a family Biblically.
If someone was to ask me, "What are 3 things that come to mind when you think of your parents?" I would say patience, kindness, and confidence. Through the years that I've spent in homeschool, I've carefully watched my parents, and their examples of patience, kindness, and confidence are plentiful. When I didn't get that Math concept, or I didn't appreciate their help as I should have, or when I was unsure of myself, they showed me an amazing amount of patience and unwavering confidence.
So what have I learned on this homeschool journey? Well in addition to learning essential skills like Math and English, I've learned many priceless life lessons during these past 11 years –lessons that have left an indelible mark on my mind and will have a lasting impact on my life. Lessons of diligence, self-discipline, and contentment.

Being educated at home has given me the opportunity to learn much more than traditional “book knowledge”. I’ve learned important homemaking skills that will be helpful should it be God’s will for me to become a wife and mother someday. I’ve also been able to invest my time in nurturing my talents and pursuing many hobbies and interests such as singing, playing piano, guitar, and writing.

But my journey is far from over. Someone once said that life is a school –one that we never graduate from. So today we celebrate my completion of high school but I also remember that I’m simply closing one chapter of the textbook called “Life” and opening the next one. I still have so much more to learn. Next week, I will continue my formal education when I start classes at Bermuda College working towards a nursing degree. My primary goal in life is to glorify my Creator and do His will for my life. I’m determined to always do my work to the best of my ability so that I may reflect Christ.

I feel tremendously privileged to have been home schooled. I realize that many children will never have the opportunities that I have had. While I’ll always look back upon these years and think on the precious memories that I’ve made in homeschool, I’m also looking forward to using the knowledge and skill that I’ve learned to help others and most of all serve Christ.

Thanks to all of you that have encouraged me on this journey.

And thank you to all of you dear friends here on Blogger that have encouraged me over the past year. I wish I could’ve invited all of you to my graduation dinner!

I’m hoping to take some professional-style photos of my diploma soon so look out for those! :D

I hope you all have had a blessed week and are looking forward to this weekend. :p

Blessings,

A New Year

Happy New Year to all of you and your dear families! I can’t believe that it’s 2011. It seems like this new year has crept up on me suddenly. It feels like just a few months we were ringing in 2010! Now it’s 2011 and I have to get used to writing a one instead of a zero at the and of my dates.  :)

As you all know, I’ve been super busy these past few weeks. My graduation dinner is tomorrow this evening (!) and I’ve been working hard for the past week to get everything ready. I’ll be giving a speech and we’ll also have a mini-concert. :) Then, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner with a few friends at the Christian resort where we live. I can’t wait! I think it’s going to be fun. :)

My college classes start next week Monday and I’m all set for it! I think it’ll be an interesting transition from home school to college and I’m looking forward to adjusting to my new life. :)

To help me keep up with blogging, 7 lovely ladies have offered to write guest posts throughout the week so y’all can have something encouraging to read. Of course, I’ll still be writing here as well…just not as often as I used to. ;)

Look out for another post introducing each guest writer. They are great writers and I’m sure you’ll enjoy their posts!

Blessings,

Turning A Page–200th Blog Post

Well, I can’t believe that I’ve actually posted a whopping 200 times in just over a year’s time!

When I started my blog, I invited all of you on a journey –a peek inside my life through this little blog. You have commented, followed, and supported my blog in more ways than I can mention here. I’ve been inspired by connecting with other girls who blog, and I’ve been encouraged to continue growing in Christ.

The past year and a half has been an interesting time for me. I’ve improved my homemaking skills and shared a few tips here along the way. I’ve learned more about how God would like for me to dress, to serve my family, and obey His will for my life. I’ve watched as He has worked in my life helping me to grow into the young lady He would like me to be.

But my journey is far from over. I have much room for improvement. I still have more maturing to do. And I’m still working on my relationship with Christ. And next month, I will begin a new chapter as I start classes at the local community college working towards a nursing degree. I’ve prayed about this decision quite a bit and feel that God is leading me in this direction.

So I invite you again, dear readers, to continue with me on this journey and join me as I turn a new page and begin education outside of my home for the first time. And although I may not have the time to post as frequently as I’d like to, I realize know that many of you are eager to hear what college life will be like for a homeschool teen. And I’ll make an effort to keep you informed on what’s happening in my life as a college student.

I pray that as you read about my life, whether it be a new recipe I’ve made or an A that I’ve gotten in class, you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith. I pray that you will be inspired to also continue your journey and grow in Christ.

Blessings,

Busy, Busy, Busy…oh, and Internet Problems!

I must sincerely apologize for leaving my blog for so long. It’s been nearly a week since I published my last blog post!

The past few days have been super busy for me. I’ve been quite preoccupied with getting ready for college. On Friday, I officially registered at Bermuda College. Then I returned to the college yesterday to just walk around campus and get a feel for  where all my classes are located while running a few errands there.

In addition to college registration, I’ve been busy studying for the GED test that is coming up in just 3 weeks. Math is my weakest subject so I’ve been working through an Algebra book to brush up on my Math skills. It’s not fun but I’m trying to enjoy it as these are also the last few weeks of homeschool for me. Yes, I’m graduating next month too!

And to make it even more difficult to blog here, I’ve been having some problems with my internet lately. I’m hoping to get it all fixed later today but for now I’m writing this post from the hotel’s lounge where they have a WiFi service.

Oh, and blogging isn’t the only thing that has taken a “back seat'”. Emails, craft projects, and a ton of other stuff have been getting neglected. :( Well, I guess I shouldn’t ramble on about how busy I am…I’m sure you all can relate at some time or another.

I hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying this autumn! Since I don’t have comment moderation turned on, your comments will be published automatically –regardless of if I have internet or not. So go ahead and say hello! Tell me what you’ve been up to and what’s been keeping you busy. I can’t wait to hear from y’all.

Blessings!

A Visit to Fort St. Catherine

Last Friday, another home school family and a couple of friends joined us for a visit to Fort St. Catherine located in St. George's parish. We've been wanting to see this fort for quite awhile so we were all excited to be finally going there! Fort St. Catherine was built shortly after the first settlers arrived on the island making it almost 400 years old. It was rebuilt and extended over the centuries to accommodate new weapons and methods of war. However, not long after the World War II, it was abandoned and remained so for several years before it was reopened as a museum and tourist attraction. I particularly enjoyed looking at life-size displays showing the life of a soldier in the fort. Gun collections, artifacts, and ammunition make the museum and fort one interesting place! Once we were finished reading all about the fort and looking over the displays, we enjoyed a breath-taking view from the keep's roof. From there, we were able to see the Dockyard which is at the opposite end of Bermuda! After touring the fort, we enjoyed a simple picnic lunch just outside the fort grounds. It was hot on Friday but Mom came prepared with semi-frozen mixed fruit. It was a delicious ending to an enjoyable trip!

A rifle disply

A cannon pointed out to sea

Display showing the soldier's cook house

Ammunition

These windy stairs lead to the breathtaking
view below...
 

We enjoyed this beautiful view from the keep's roof

A lovely beach nearby the fort!

What is one of your more memorable field trips? What made it fun and enjoyable?

Hope everyone's staying cool this week!

Summer With A Purpose: Week Four

Thanks to everyone who left sweet comments on my last post about sewing. I appreciate all your tips and helpful information and will be sure to look back on those comments as I continue my sewing journey. I did start working on the jumper without a pattern and hopefully it'll turn out the way I want it to. :-) It's quite challenging, but I'm sure I can finish it by God's grace.

This week, I was also able to finish Project Pearl. And now I've started reading Ships of Mercy and I enjoy reading every page! It's a really good book about how the Mercy Ships mission was started and how God helped them along the way.



I'm sure you all know by now that I finally finished the 9-Patch Baby Throw this week! I've been working on this project for quite a while now so I was really happy to complete it. I've started the friendship afghan squares and will post photos of them soon!

This week, I spent two evenings at Project Ride which is a motorcycle riding course that is mandatory for teens who wish to ride bikes. Most Bermudians teenagers take this course and then get their own motorbike --which is the most common mode of transportation around our island. I'm looking forward to finishing the course and passing the test!

When I'm not reading or learning something new like bike riding or sewing, you can find me working on studying for the GED and trying out even more recipes in the kitchen. I'll be posting yet another recipe here soon that you all are sure to enjoy!

I found a cool Twitter widget that allows me to post Twitter updates to my blog sidebar. I enjoy sharing my favorite Scripture verses, quotes, and what ever else is on my mind. ;-) So have a look at in in my right sidebar!

Hope all of you have a blessed weekend!

P.S. Lady Helen Mar over at Thoughts from Ellerslie has joined us in the Friendship Afghans project so we are no longer looking for a participant. Thanks for joining us Lady Helen and thank you to everyone who helped spread the word!

Crystal and Fantasy Caves

On Monday, Dad and Mom took us to see the Crystal and Fantasy caves located about an hour away from where we live. Crystal and Fantasy caves are located within walking distance of each other and their features are similar too. It was a special treat to look at these spectacular creations that God has made in the earth.

The tour guide gave us a brief history of the caves and how they were discovered before taking us in. There are over 80 steps leading down into each cave and it was quite breathtaking to look at all the different formations as we descended deeper into the cave. The bottom of the caves are filled with crystal clear salt water that ripples in soft greenish-blue hues. Looks are deceiving though and in some areas of these subterranean lakes, the water reaches depths of over 50 feet! Drops of rainwater that has filtered down through the layers of rock fall from the top of the caves, making the cave feel damp. But the cave is still active, and the stalactites and stalagmites are still growing!

I thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the marvelous formations and amazing beauty that are in the earth. Certainly, if you ever visit Bermuda, the caves will be one sight you wouldn't want to miss.

These pictures are only glimpses of the wonderful landscape we saw in the caves!

Remember, you can click on each picture to enlarge it.

Sara, Leah, and Jude were waiting in line at the ticket office!

Look at those palm trees in the background!

Simply stunning cavescape!

Mom took this picture of me on our way down to Fantasy Caves!

Blessings,

Hurricane Hunters

A couple of weeks ago, we had the opportunity to join other home-schoolers to meet the Hurricane Hunters and have a tour of their aircraft. If you're not familiar with the Hurricane Hunters, they are a squadron of the US Air Force who fly into hurricanes and tropical storms to get updated weather data. They play a crucial role in providing important information to local weather stations who, in turn inform the public on the nature of the storm.

We were glad to be able to meet these brave airmen(and women!) who fly directly into violent storms on a regular basis. They were friendly and answered all the questions we had regarding their job and the plane they fly. We are grateful for the work that they do to keep us well-informed on storms that may be threatening Bermuda or the coastal regions of the United States.

 Jude really enjoyed the outing!

If you would like to read more about the Hurricane Hunters, you can visit their website by clicking here.

As a quick side note: I've added a poll in the right sidebar, and I encourage all of you to vote for your favorite topic that I write about. Thanks in advance!

A Visit to Commissioner's House

Last week, we visited Commissioner's House for a field trip.  Commissioner's House was designed and built to be multi-purpose. It was constructed in 1822, and served as private quarters for the civilian commissioner of the Dockyard, as well as hosted functions and official ceremonies. After years of neglect and decay during the second half of the 20th century, the Bermuda Maritime Museum transformed it into a wonderful museum. Now, Commissioner's House features a wide variety of exhibits ranging from coin collections to shackles recovered from slave ships.  

~Commissioner's House from the water~

{We forgot to take an outside picture of the house so I found this pic on Google images.}

~Looking over the Dockyard from the first deck~

~The Portuguese make up around 10% of Bermuda's population~

~Wheel hoe used by Portuguese farmers, circa 1900~

~Diagram showing how slaves were packed into ships~

~Shackles recovered from slave ships~

~Jude by model of sail ship~

~Wash basin from Jamaica~

~New currency released in Jan. '09 is displayed in the money exhibit~

~Bermuda $1 bills printed in 1914~

~Real gold coins dating back to the 1600s~

~Wall mural painted by Graham Foster depicting 400 years of Bermudian history~

~Another view of wall mural~

~Leah enjoying a minute by the fountain~

~The children taking a break in front of the fountain~

(Left to Right: Eden, Leah, Jude, & Sara)

~Sara helping her little brother to look at an exhibit~

~Leah taking a peek through the wheel for a cannon~

(Sara's green iPod is between the spokes!)

 ~Sheep grazing along a wall; according the the museum's website the

sheep are their "trusty lawnmowers" :-) ~

~A sheep getting a nibble to eat~

~Dad and Jude hanging out by a cannon~

~Cute dollhouse exhibit~

 ~A cloudy day, but still a great view from the second veranda~

~Another view looking towards the pier for the cruise ships~

~Mother perched on a large window~

~Plaque outside Commissioner's House giving it's latitude/longitude~

~The outdoor grounds feature several tunnels and subterranean rooms~

~Small boat moored at the water's edge of a small pond~

We had lots of fun and learned new things by reading the informative displays located by each exhibit. We took lots of photos and hope to return another time!

Blessings,