This month we were truly blessed with the opportunity to attend a homeschooling conference sponsored by the International Mission Board. I can honestly say that this week was one of the best weeks our family has shared together since coming to the Philippines. Let me tell you a little about the week.
The conference was held at a beautiful retreat center here in the PI - Caliraya Re-Creation Center. It was a beautiful place with so many different activities (as you will see in the following pics), but also it is the kind of place that just makes you want to get away by yourself and curl up with a good book!
One of the main reasons for the conference was for the kids to take the Iowa tests, one of the standardized tests given in the States. Even though Carly and Caleb had never tested before, they did great! Praise the Lord! (I think I was more nervous about their testing than they were!) I am sure that one reason they did so well on their tests is because of the wonderful people that proctored the tests......
An INCREDIBLE team of folks from the Green Valley Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama were truly the highlight of the week! Among many other things, they were the test proctors. But they also taught music, basketball, knitting, taekwondo, scrap booking, and even set up a salon and spa! All FREE!!! Basically, they just loved on us and spoiled us all week! I can't remember the last time that we, as a family, felt so honored and appreciated.
In addition to the team from GVBC, we were blessed to have Steve Demme as our featured speaker for the week. Steve, who is the creator of the Math-U-See program, has a heart for children and families and God's Word. Each time he spoke to us, we were blessed, challenged and encouraged. He's also just a lot of fun to be around! Caleb thought it was so cool that he could hang out with the guy that's on his math DVDs! But word of warning......When one teaches a math guy (Steve Demme) how to play one's favorite card game (Dutch Blitz), one should expect to lose!!!!!!!
I hope you can see in the following pictures and videos just how much we enjoyed the conference. If for no other reason, it was worth going just for the fellowship - for both us and the kids. Our prayer is that the Lord will allow us to be about to attend this conference again. This was the last year that the conference will be held in the Philippines, but we have a big God that can work out big details!!
The younger boys seemed to have a game of Four Square going 24-7! This was the first time Caleb had ever played Four Square. What a special opportunity for all these little guys to get to learn playground games together.
(Do you think Mr. Steve had a little height advantage?)
Caleb took the game pretty seriously, but was a very good sport! I was proud of him!
Caleb with his best bud, Zack
Carly and Mikayla learn how to crochet from Mrs. Joan
Caleb's first try at tennis
Male bonding!
One afternoon while we were on the tennis courts, we looked back up the hill at the retreat center and saw this beautiful rainbow!
Caleb and Mom share a few minutes on the swings
My little monkey
Each evening, Aunt Phala would read a favorite story to all the kids. They literally would hang on her every word!
(Aunt Phala is the one who coordinates this whole conference.)
Carly, one morning at breakfast
Steve Demme speaking to us parents
For more info about Steve and/or his ministry, see http://www.thefamilythatstaystogether.com/
Our family poses with Mrs. Ginger. Her Sunday School class at GVBC had "adopted" our family and sent us a huge bag of goodies!! We felt so spoiled! Thank you, Mrs. Ginger (and class)!!!
Caleb and Zack spend a quiet moment together on the way to ride horses.
The horses we definitely one of the big hits of the week, especially for Carly, my horse lover! One afternoon, the Hagen boys, along with Caleb and Jamin Murphy rode for a while. After the boys finished, Carly, Mikayla and a couple of other girls got a turn. The only problem is that it was cold and rainy. But that sure didn't dampen their spirits!
The kids had the opportunity to participate one night in the Speakers' Theater. Basically, they were to recite something they had learned in school. Caleb chose to recite Psalm 1.
(Sorry for the sideways view. Guess I was brain dead and forgot and turned the camera the wrong way!)
Carly chose to recite the poem "Sick" by Shel Silverstein. The sound on this video isn't the greatest, but basically the poem is told from a kid's perspective. The child lists all these crazy ailments in order to explain why she can't go to school. Then, as she realizes that "today is Saturday?!", she is suddenly HEALED!!!
Carly did a wonderful job of acting it out. We were so proud of both the kids and how well they did on stage in front of an audience.
(Again, I'm sorry. I was still brain dead and taped this one sideways!)
The younger boys seemed to have a game of Four Square going 24-7! This was the first time Caleb had ever played Four Square. What a special opportunity for all these little guys to get to learn playground games together. 
Carly and Mikayla learn how to crochet from Mrs. Joan
Caleb's first try at tennis
Male bonding!
One afternoon while we were on the tennis courts, we looked back up the hill at the retreat center and saw this beautiful rainbow!
Carly, one morning at breakfast
Steve Demme speaking to us parents
Caleb and Zack spend a quiet moment together on the way to ride horses.
The horses we definitely one of the big hits of the week, especially for Carly, my horse lover! One afternoon, the Hagen boys, along with Caleb and Jamin Murphy rode for a while. After the boys finished, Carly, Mikayla and a couple of other girls got a turn. The only problem is that it was cold and rainy. But that sure didn't dampen their spirits!
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