A New Chapter

Well before we get on with the pics, which I know is the main reason you are here, I must share some good news... we sold our house! After 4+ months of hearing the crickets (more like hearing the words, "we hate your steep driveway"), we had several showings on Saturday morning and not 1, nor 2, but 3 couples made offers on our house! Wow. I have learned so much. I plan to blog about this process of surrendering soon. It was a long tearful journey, but the Lord is faithful to care for His children. Now onto searching for our new home.
In other news: We thrived in our first week of homeschooling. Our Beautiful attends a school on T/Th and we do all other subjects on MWF. She is taking fun things at school (such as stage craft and hands on science) and we are doing the core curriculum at home plus things like typing and art lessons.
Our bonding is going great. We are all gelling nicely and we have the privilege to watch this precious flower bloom right before our eyes. His faithfulness again... seeing Beautiful have new friends, love church, make great grades and return love to her family.
WE ARE SENDING OUT ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH PICTURES THIS WEEK. FACEBOOK ME YOUR ADDRESS OR EMAIL ME OR LEAVE IT AS A COMMENT (if you dare : ) AND WE WILL SEND ONE TO YOU!

Avi Joy's self-portrait titled, "Avi Joy dressed in Ao Doi."
We started a weekly devo/craft family night. It has been beyond my expectations. I have learned two new things from teaching them. 1. That after Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord, she went on to have 5 more children for her faithfulness. Who knew!!! 2. That Adam and Eve made clothes for themselves out of leaves, but then God killed the animals (the first sacrifice for sin) and made clothing to cover them with the animal's skin.
We are going through the book, "Bible Explorations, 52 Activities for Christian Learning," by Janice VanCleave and here is one of our activities. Cut Adam and Eve paper dolls. (One side was clothes they made and the other was clothing made by God.)
OH this little joyjoy is one of the most amazing people I have ever known.
Her cooking show, "Cooking with Joy."
This picture cracks me up. Check out Nehemiah's face. They were playing spa day and giving Avi Joy a massage. They were karate chopping up and down her back and he was realllly into it. HA! Only when a NanNa owns a spa would kids play spa day. (my mom)
Unexpected blessing... Over the summer I was able to give some private art lessons to my friend Tuyet. We met at Vietnamese language school as she was Avi Joy's teacher. Co Tuyet has 4 kiddos and they all came over for lessons throughout the summer. Her two girls have grown out of a handful of traditional Ao Doi's and they gave them to us as a gift. Can you believe that?! GAVE them to us. I love these Ao Doi's sooo much. They are all from HCMC and handmade.
OK. Totally honest here. This boy is a through and through classic Vietnamese man. Always havin shirts open, messy hair, skinny legs, squattin, rice eating type of man. He fits this to a tee.
Adam and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. We got into the attic and pulled out our old VHS wedding video and let the kids watch it. There was much awww's at the dancing (the good) and the uwooo gross (the kiss). I really enjoyed watching it with them.
Our last day at the pool for the summer. We loved having a local pool where we could spend the day, have a picnic and soak in the last days of summer before starting school.
Beautiful letting the kids play with a frog. Nehemiah was mega scared of the frog and would not touch it, but after a while he would at least set in her lap and watch it jump around.
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I was able to do a few back to school projects for some local teachers. Here is a school bench that says, "All good things are wild and free," Henry David Thoreau. She wanted it red with leopard print, stripes and heavily distressed.
My sweet girlfriend (in the middle) who lives in Kenya, Africa, was able to make a quick trip to the states as a grandparent on both her side and her hubby's side passed away this month. I lived with these two girls for 4 years during college. We were able to have an hour with my mom at the spa and have dinner with all our families (8 kids between us).
Here is a more accurate picture. I love to see them laughing. They are amazing. The sisters of my heart. The other friend on the right will be leaving soon to serve in India for 4 years.
We made a little purse out of an old tee-shirt. I turned it inside out and sewed the three sides together... I used the collar as the opening. Super cute and sew easy!
A passage that helped me during the transition of letting go of our home...
"Whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess." Judges 11:24
Really the whole chapter brought me great encouragement. It is odd reading, but that is just how reading God's Word works, it may not seem like it will apply, then zap, encouragement.

The Perryman Family