Jacob's Graduation Celebration!

Hello everyone!  It's been a while since I had the time and energy (both at the same time) to update you on life...  While a lot has happened since I last wrote, the most exciting part has been that Jacob has graduated from his home school high school studies!! 

 

"Congratulations brother!!!!"

 

Thanks to a couple of friends, there are many pictures to share with all of you!  In fact, it was hard to choose from the 500+ photos they took for this post!!  :)

 

 

Setting up the hall and decorating it was truly enjoyable!

 

 Mom and Jacob decided on a patriotic theme, since his graduation was on Memorial Day weekend....so, you'll be seeing lots of red, white, and blue in the next few minutes!

 Our good friend, Lauretta came over to help and brought along her friend, Randall.

 They were a huge blessing in getting things ready!! 

 This kitchen there is so handy, with lots of counter space!

 We covered the tables in white...

 The punch and nut table...

 Mom had some lettuce scraps to take home and Jacob was apparently feeling hungry?

 The cake/cupcake table:

 I ordered an edible image for Jacob's cake.  It was the first time I'd ever used one, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to do.  

 

You're probably wondering why Jacob is standing by a tank in a uniform!   Well, in the past 2 years of school study, Jacob's been very intrigued with studying WW2 and knows a LOT about tanks.  He dressed up in my Grandpa Harvey's old army uniform and had his picture taken by the tank in Napoleon...  It's one of his very favorite Senior pictures and goes along with the Memorial Day theme----remembering those who gave their lives for this Country, so, that's why!

 Brothers and balloons...

 We couldn't find a piano bench, so used chairs instead.

  It was a little harder to play that way, but it worked.

 My mom did some seam-ripping on the brand new shirts she'd bought for the guys to wear... 

She reminds me a little of Betsy Ross in this photo!

 My dad sliced a whole slew of buns for the party...

 Awwwwww, sweet.  :)

 My mom pinned on Jacob's boutineer...

We were so happy that both Grandpa and Grandma B. could join us!!

 Here's our lovely friend, Kimberly and her son, Daniel.  She played piano for us and did such an excellent job!!  :)   (Her daughter, Leah turned the pages for her----"Thanks Leah!")

 Andrew, repinning Jacob's flowers that didn't want to stay put...

 Lauretta, Josephine and Randall were a BIG blessing once again with everything from mixing up and serving punch and coffee; to setting the food out on the serving table; to helping with cleanup afterwards!! 

 It was great to see Sarena and her family again too!!

 Happy faces!

 "Farmer Dave" came to the graduation!  :)

 Thinking?? 

 Andrew was, as usual, the handy technical guy....making sure everything was working correctly.

 This picture makes me *smile* !

 Grandpa (right) and my dad's uncle (left)...

 At 2:30, we had a special musical program...  My dad was the MC.

 My mom and I played piano duets and Andrew was our helpful page-turner...

 Mom and Jacob sang a medley of Gospel songs...  I REALLY enjoyed this, as I hadn't heard them practice it, as I'm gone our outside a lot, and it was so nice to hear!

 My mom spoke for a while about their home schooling years and how God helped her learn so much through teaching us....and also how it's a little sad for those years to be officially over now....

 Andrew recorded the program (copies are available upon request).  :)

 There was some time for group singing...(patriotic music)

 Andrew led the singing...

 Finally, it was time for Jacob to give his speech!  :)  

  If he was nervous, he didn't show it.

 Guess who?

 We rent some of our land from this dear lady...  It was so nice to have Fern and her daughter there!

My dad again...

 Friends...

 More friends...

 ...and still more friends...

 

 Another duet...

 Andrew and I worked together to make a long slideshow of pictures of Jacob's life...

 Grandpa and Grandma---singing.  :)

 More singing...

 And, yes, another picture of people singing...

 ...

 Jacob, getting his diploma!

 Next, we sang a song as a family while Kimberly played for us...

 Josephine and a sister of hers took pictures...

 Me...

 My grandma Marly read a cute poem ("Goodbye, little desk, goodbye" is what I remember most from it...).  Then, she read some notes that she'd written of things Grandpa wanted to say to Jacob.  (Memories of going out in the pasture with Jacob and watching him sit on his tame cow....)

  That was so special!!!

 Isn't that a neat shirt?  :)

 Our friend, Dianne came...  (this isn't the best picture of her, but is the only close-up one I have).

 He looks so grown up!!

 Dad's cousin, Jerome was there...

 He looks like he'd rather be eating the cake than having his picture taken!  ;)

 Josephine and I...going for more food maybe?

 Hooray!  Even my dear friend, Miranda (right) made it to the party!!!  :)

 Grandma and 2 of her sisters...

 Miranda's brother, Josiah came along and they were both a BIG blessing during clean-up time!!!

More visiting...

 The cake baker and cake server ladies...

 After the party was over and the Braddock hall was tidied up, those who had time came over to the farm for some more visiting and games.  We played volleyball and "Steal the Bacon" until nearly midnight, then visited a little later than that even.  I was so exhausted by the end of the day, but it was a very happy tired feeling.  :) 

The next day, we'd planned to move cows to pasture, but my dad thought it was a better plan to work on getting the crop in the ground while the sun was shining.  He planted corn all afternoon and got stuck more times than he could count.  Both Andrew and Jacob took their turns going over there (several miles away) and pulling him out.  Meanwhile, my mom and I were planting flowers in our flower bed and trying to make some order of our kitchen which was a leftovers-from-the-party disaster!! 

When it came to cleaning up the balloons, Andrew had a great idea!  How about using them for targets?  ;)   That sounded like fun, and then somebody had the even more fun idea of inviting a couple families over to join us in the balloon popping that evening.  Here is what the range looked like last night:

 Those who wanted to brought their pistols and shot the balloons with those.  :)

 Then, we put up some paper targets and had some fun...  This is my dad shooting.

 The grass was getting so tall down there!  My mom went down and mowed it this afternoon while I mowed around the house and started across the road (until I got a flat tire on the lawn mower, at which time I stopped for supper and then went along with Dad and Andrew to move some vehicles home from the field).

 I have so many fond memories of shooting with friends at this range already!  I look forward to many more in the days ahead.  :)  (I'm way on the left in this picture.)

 

Once it got dark, we put away our rifles and headed up to the yard to, YES, play volleyball until midnight again!  Maybe that is why we were all a little on the tired/sore side today???

 

So, that is a sampling of what Jacob's graduation celebration was like.  Please join me in praying for him now as he makes decisions for the future!  He really loves farming (I think it's in his genes), but he seems to have a longing for more adventure too, so time will tell how/if God leads in fulfilling that desire...

 

  Until next time,

      ~Cora