A Day of Adventure

One of the things I have always loved about homeschooling our guys is the freedom to take off mid-week and explore!  We are studying Earth/Space Science this year and we just finished a unit on the lithosphere and CAVES!  When I taught fifth grade in Land Park many years ago, one of the field trips we would do yearly, is go to the California Caverns near San Andreas.  It was a highlight of the year, and I would take them in fall because we would tag on a study of bats :0)  Soooo fun!

So, Brian had the day off yesterday and we took off early morn. to head to the Black Chasm Cave in Volcano (Amador County).  This cave has some of the rarest formations in the world and it is such a gem of a place, tucked back near other very family-friendly places to visit like Indian Grinding Rock State Park.  I love these kinds of days.  The weather was perfect, the setting was gorgeous and the Lord's peace surrounded us.  The boys were totally into it, eager to answer the guide's questions.  We toured with visitors from England and after the tour was over we were in the gift shop.  One of the gals approached me and said, "Your boys are so well behaved and respectful.  What is your secret? (that includes our Tyler Sumrall...what a guy!)"  She has three boys at home in England about the same ages as ours apparently.  What could I say accept that by God's grace we have been able to home school them since they were wee, and it's really a testimony of His love, His forgiveness and His Grace abounding in our lives.  My boys are not strangers to disobedience, nor are they such little angels...they are boys through and through, but they carry with them a PROMISE of hope and love.  They accepted Jesus in their hearts at very young ages and as a home school mom I have tried to nurture, as best as I can, the fact that they are treasured by a God who wants to talk to them, forgive them (daily!) and use them to bring glory to His name.  

What a sweet day!  The rest of the week will bring a few meetings and then a trip to spend the night at Grandpa and Grandma's this weekend.  Mom has been in Maine with her family and I'm so excited to just sit with them and talk (and reveal a little miracle taking shape in our lives!)