There's a time in each year that we always hold dear,
Good old summertime!
With the birds and the trees and sweet scented breezes,
Good old summertime!
When your day's work is over, then you are in clover,
And life is one beautiful rhyme,
No trouble annoying, each one is enjoying,
The good old summertime!
~from "The Good Old Summertime"
composed by George Evans, lyrics by Ren Shields
The "good old summertime" is here and the school year is wrapping up. This past year has been filled with hardships for some and sweet delights for others. Some families have dealt with incredible challenges and have discovered the true meaning of perseverance and dedication. Sometimes I would sense a spirit of discouragement in some families, but as June approached discouragement was replaced with a spirit of victory as families relied on God's grace to see them through. Again I am reminded of Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
As the year draws to an end, I want to express a sincere thank you to each and every family. You are all amazing and have been an incredible encouragement and blessing to me throughout this past year. I pray that God will guide you in wisdom as you prepare for the upcoming school year. Bless you!
For those students who are moving on to grade 4, may God continue to guide you and give you wisdom and knowledge through your learning. May you learn to seek Him first and to rest in His promises. Thank you for the good times during our conference calls. May you continue to be a blessing to those who come across your path. 
Finally, I can't close the year without sharing a neat idea called a "Travel Journal". I recently picked up a spiral bound notebook from Wal-Mart ($7) to use as my own family's travel journal during our little vacations and weekend get-aways. The journal is meant for the whole family to participate in creating. Entries can include records of mileage, stops along the way, each family member's favorite "event" of the day, a picture of your destination, or postcards that were collected along the way. A set of alphabet rubber stamps and some fun stickers can help embellish the pages. The journal is meant to be a relaxed record of your family's travels, so kid drawings and spelling mistakes authenticate it even more. Have fun this summer as you record some special memories.
Blessings!
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. ~ Numbers 6:24-26
Please note: During the summer I will continue to post activity and encouragement entries onto the Homeschooling from the Heart blog. You can link to the blog from my classroom page on the Anchor Academy website.
