School's out!

The 2011-2012 school year at African Bible Colleges Christian Academy is officially over!  What a wonderful year it has been!  The kids learned so much, made some great friends, and are taking with them some amazing memories of their school year.  Here are some photos of our last week of school.

CJ with his amazing first grade teacher teacher Mrs. Blake (who received her National Board certification while she was here)!!!

AJ and her best friends Martina and Myra!  These are three of the sweetest, kindest, most beautiful girls I know!!

On awards day AJ received her Bible verse award (for saying her Bible verse every week). She received a writing award for a story she wrote in which she competed with all of the other 4th graders. She received an academic award in Literature, Science, History, and Spelling (to receive this award she had to have an average of ABOVE 97% all school year). And her most difficult award was her BIBLE verse year end award.  To receive this award she had to say each Bible verse that they had learned throughout the school year in one sitting (over 60 verses) without mistakes.  She has a fantastic memory and an amazing love for the Lord!

Martina and AJ (Nya in the background) with their awards.

I had to throw a cute pic of two of my boys in here.  

This is CJ and some of his friends at field day.  

Run man, run!!!!

Yep, Prince and his team won this!!!

So excited for his sports award!!!

So now that Winter/Summer break has started we are enjoying hanging around in pj's, helping Mrs. Jennifer to bake cakes, playing spaceships outside with the extra moving boxes, and homeschooling.  Yes, that's right.  My children insisted that we begin homeschooling two days after they were done with school.  I had to push them off a couple of days because I hadn't finished planning the year out.  So we spend our mornings reading books together and doing art projects, science projects, etc.  I love their eagerness!!!!

The amazing Mrs. Jennifer!!!!!  She makes my life so much easier!!!  How blessed we are to have her helping us!  And the kids absolutely adore her!

Somehow this pic showed up at the end.  It was originally first.  One day I'll figure out why....

This is CJ with his special award from Mrs. Blake for being the Biggest Helper!  She said he always asks if he can help her pick up, clean, put away books, or anything she needs.  I'm one proud Mamma! Now if only he'd bring that eagerness home! haha!

We had a great school year and we are excited about the Lord leading us back to homeschooling this next year.  I'm so thankful that He knows our future and the plans for us even when we aren't sure!  God is so good and we are so thankful for His many blessings!!

ABCCA Swim Gala

This past Friday it was the younger kids' time to shine!  Remember in December AJ had her swim gala and participated in many races showing off her swim talent.  The smaller kids didn't swim races but they had a demonstration where they were able to show off all they had learned in swimming this year.  Yes, we've been swimming for the past few months.  Remember it's summer here!  

Here is SM with some of her classmates waiting for the Gala to begin.

Kicking in the kiddie pool!

Swim! We are so proud of her!  At the beginning of the year she was afraid to even get in the water.  Now she's swimming!

All of the Reception (preschool) kids!

Now it's CJ's time to shine!  Here he is showing his talents with a kickboard.

CJ has really progressed in his swimming!  His freestyle is getting pretty good.

Here he is about to swim the entire length of the pool!  Yay!!!!

Getting his certificate!  Way to go Prince-Man!

Last days of school!

In case you haven't heard, we are having a baby very soon!  Yes, I'm currently in my 9th month of pregnancy with baby number 4.  What an exciting time it is for all of us!  Since I'm due at the end of January it was necessary for the Academy to find a replacement for me who would be able to take over my 4th grade classroom after the baby is born.  It's bittersweet leaving these precious children.  I love them like my own.  (Well, one of them actually is my own!!!)  In order to thoroughly spoil my sweet class I decided that the last two weeks of school would be a little different.  We still learned a few things, don't worry, but we enjoyed lots of games, arts and crafts, special projects, and candy!! Hey, they were all already on Christmas break in their minds anyway....why not have a little fun!  So here are some pics of my last days as the 4th grade 2 teacher!  Now let me go get the tissues....

 

ABCCA Swim Gala

There is a house system in place at ABCCA.  When you register with the school you are automatically put into one of three houses: Liwonde, Nyika, or Majete. These are representative of three of the nature reserve parks in Malawi.  All members of a family are in the same house.  Throughout the year there are different ways to earn "points" for your house.  Think of it like the houses in the Harry Potter movies.  Anyway, at the end of this term we had a House Swim Gala where people from each house competed in a swim meet with people from the other houses.  It took up an entire school day and the kids were allowed to wear their house colors that day!  What a fun day!  Here are some pictures:

My sweet class on Swim Gala day dressed in their house colors.

Now I told them to act like they were fighting each other!  They had fun with this!!

AJ and her good friend Brianna (also an ABC MK)

Me with Grandma Iris and Scharlie....Liwonde teachers (and ABC Missionaries).

In case you haven't figure it out yet...we are in Liwonde.  We pretty much loose everything each year.  The houses are not quite as even as they should be.  But we have fun!

Majete...the biggest house.  Although they didn't win the Swim Gala.  That was reserved for....

Nyika!  Good job Nyika!

Mr. McDonald, Mr. Kyser, and Mr. Bartlett all watching their daughters swim in the gala.  Yeah, they're a real serious bunch!  If only you knew the humor that these three men can muster up!

AJ swimming back (her favorite stroke).  She is in the blue cap second from the top.

Great job AJ!

AJ swimming Free...she really did NOT want to do this relay.  But she made it and did well!

AJ with some of her good friends: Martina, Charlotte, and Brianna!
What an exhausting day...but fun at the same time!

Jill

The Parliament Building of Malawi