Do you see that caterpillar?

Hannah "I know know"

I'm really enjoying doing some flashing back to funny kid videos. I have soooo many. Here's another random one featuring the awesome Hannah:

Hannah turns 13

I have never thrown a surprise party. But I did it! I pulled it off. We invited some of Hannah's friends to meet at THE FACTORY ADVENTURE in downtown Greeneville for a fun afternoon of pizza and cupcakes and hang out time. It was great! I now, officially, have four teenagers. 

Nala and Brianna (two new friend)

The surprise group team: Braianna, Ezri, Zoey, Nala, Genevieve, Hannah, Jada, Piper, Marley, Quinn, Annabell, Avalynna

Fun Flashbacks

She's always coming up with something new ...

 

She really does think outside of the box. She's so creative. She is always trying and doing new things.

Anne of Green Gables

 

For Hannah's 12th birthday, John planned a special birthday treat. They went to Abingdon, Virginia (a favorite of our's) and saw a play at the Barter Theater. This was followed by dinner at the Tavern!

Some fun Hannah photos

Hannah got a new jacket from her Grama Joni for her birthday

The picture looks a little weird, but Hannah was taking a selfie of her pants. She made them!

The General Morgan has some photos from Kristin G. And our Hannah is in there!

First Youth Group for the Pomegranate

On Wednesday evening, my Pomegranate attended her first youth group event. Summer has begun and she is officially a 6th grader so she is officially allowed to attend summer events. It was the first week that ALL FOUR of my children are gone on Wednesday evenings together. It is so crazy to me that I have four kiddos in youth group. What in the world is happening?

 

During the summer, they meet across the county instead of meeting at the church. This last Wednesday, the event was held at Tusculum Park, and Bapa and Tante Jan were there! They snagged her for a photo. 

 

I love our small town. I love having family nearby. I love our community. I love our church. I have a lot of loves.  

Life has been ...

....

busy here.  I am on a New Member Committee so last week I made 18 phone calls to introduce ourselves and interview potential new members to our cooperative. We had a graduation, a graduation rehearsal, and a dinner for Tusculum supporting the memory of Chuck Bowlin. It was just a lot!

While school is mostly done now, little Pomegranate is still finishing up at the Kotynskis. She will be done at the end of the month. Our olders are mostly completely done although all of them will do math throughout the summer. 

Here is a little update on all of the kiddos: 

Isaac: Isaac is now 17 and is working at Yoder's almost 30 hours a week! It's a great job for him, and he seems to really enjoy it. I think it's fantastic that he can practice in an area like customer service as I think his life will involve a lot of "schmoozing" -- especially if he goes into the Arts. He is also still taking piano, voice, and guitar. Theater is mostly finishing up for the summer. He will be attending a theatre camp at Liberty University this summer with Randy Belt's (John's co-director at the ER) daughter Rylee. I am super excited for him. Generally, Isaac has become a pretty easy kid to parent. We had some challenging growing pains when he was 14-15, but mostly, now, he is enjoyable. He also has a girl that he likes :)

Elijah "Sidge": Sidge is 16. He still takes Karate two days a week. I think he will probably get his black belt by the time he graduates high school. He is working on the farm, hunting, and also working for other people (Daniel S., Aunt Betsy, Gabe, Grampa) sometimes. He is now driving as well which really helps here -- even though they share a vehicle. Sidge will be taking full-time college classes this fall which will be a very big change for him. His classes will be on Mondays and Wednesdays so he will have time to work on the farm and get some outdoor, hunting time in. While he does enjoy playing his allotted time of games on his phone each day (30 minutes), he is otherwise listening to hunting or some political podcasts (he likes Charlie Kirk) or reading. He is soon to leave for Columbia on a mission trip which is super exciting!)

Abigail: Abigail will turn 14 in July. She is still very involved in ballet. She probably is my least "liking" of school, and while she is a very good writer, doesn't even enjoy that all that much. She is really gifted with photography and spends time editing those items. She is going to be attending an overnight youth camp in Florida (WITHOUT her brothers as they have theater and mission trip). Abigail LOVES her friends and her social group (including a certain young man :) and is very intentional about her relationships -- something I never saw with the boys. 

Hannah: Hannah is 11 and as spirited, spunky, silly, and sweet as ever. She is just a spit-fire and so full of life. She loves ballet, and Ms. LoriAnn asked her to help at the princess and beginner camps this summer. She is super smart and schoolwork comes very easy to her. (If it doesn't, she can easily get frustrated as it isn't "normal" for something to feel hard.) She is very good on the farm as well, and if Sidge can't help us, Hannah is the next one in line to step in. She is the best cook and seamstress in our house and remains incredibly creative (and a bit messy :)

 

Community is Cool

I have been blessed, so many times in my life, with amazing community. Each place we moved, God has provided fantastic people that have ended up truly being FAMILY to us. 

Our friends Catherine McCoy and Kristy Dick have been hosting monthly-get-together for the teen girls in our homeschool cooperative. This one was for March so it had to be St. Patrick's Day and all things green. 

I was, honestly, clocked with activities all weekend so I sent Pomegranate with Aunt Hannah and felt wonderful about her enjoying the festivities with the other gals. (Abigail is a little too old -- she ends up cycling upwards with friends -- most of her friends are in high school.) 

The Lord is so faithful and wonderful with even the little things. What a blessing.

How Hannah got her NICKname

Our Pomegranate.

She makes her own path. She’s done it since she was little. Constantly seeing the world through a unique lens. She’s such a pomegranate. I'm going to be compiling pictures of her here: 

 

 

 

This is Hannah working in the kitchen for the ballet's Pancake breakfast. All the other kids were out front, but she likes the cooking side!

This is Hannah

Since Hannah was conceived, this child just SEES the world differently. I've never been able to describe it or "put a name on it."

Until now ...

We had Hannah take a Myers-Briggs Test, and here were her results: She is a VIRTUOSO! These were her results: 

Here were some of the things from this website that REALLY stuck out to me as being HANNAH: 

• Love to explore with their hands and their eyes, touching and examining the world around them with cool rationalism and spirited curiosity.
• Natural Makers, moving from project to project, building the useful and the superfluous for the fun of it.
• Few personalities are as BOLD and PRACTICAL as Virtuosos. 
• Known of their technical mastery and willingness to improvise, they are known for finding unique solutions to seemingly impossible challenges. 
• Learn from the environment as they go.
• Pull things apart and put them back together.
• Great joy in getting hands dirty.
• Enjoy lending a hand and sharing their experience, especially with people they care about.
• Rare group (only 5% of the population and very unusual in females).
• Friendly but very private.
• Caleb but suddenly spontaneous.
• Extremely curious but unable to stay focused on formal studies
• A challenge to predict, even by their friends and loved ones.
• They can seem very loyal and steady for awhile but they tend to store up impulsive energy that explodes without warning, taking their interests in bold new directions.
• (Rather than some sort of vision quest, Virtuosos are merely exploring the viability of a new interest when they make these seismic shifts!)
• They often act too soon, taking for granted their permissive nature and assuming that others are the same. 
• Virtuosos will come to learn that many other personality types have much more firmly drawn lines on rules and acceptable behavior than they do.
• Struggle with boundaries and guidelines, preferring the freedom to move about and color outside the lines if they need to. 
• Usually up to their elbows in some project or other. 
• Cheerful and good-natured, they rarely get stressed out and just go with the flow. 
• Novel ideas come easily. 
• Due to open-mindedness, interesting hobbies, and a relaxed attitude, they are usually popular and attract a wide-range of personalities. 
• Can switch mindsets to fit new situations with little effort, making them flexible and versatile individuals. 
• Can store their spontaneity for a rainy day
• Naturals in crisis situations. they enjoy physical risk, and they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty when needed. 
• Hard to pin down for a career. But they do make excellent mechanics, engineers, graphic designers, and forensic scientists. 
• Abstract theory and purely academic work that will never see the light of real use, hold little interest for Virtuosos. 
• They are a born problem-solvers. 
• No other type is quite as fascinated by how things work, how tools can be used, and how facts can be put together to create immediate and satisfying results. 
• If a friend doesn't want to do what Virtuosos are doing, then they are free to go do their own thing, and they'll hang out some other time. 
• Usually quite relaxed. They live int he moment and go with the flow, refusing to worry much about the future. 
• However, they can be: 
• Stubborn Yes.
• Insensitive No.
• Private and reserved Slightly.
• Easily bored YES! But she quickly moves onto something else to keep her busy.
• Commitment dislikers I haven't really observed this.
• Prone to risky behavior YES!

When parenting these children, I am learning that Hannah ...

1. Is not always very verbally demonstrative or expressive of her feelings. 
2. Can feel pressured to give affirmations of her feelings to her parents which can make her feel awkward or uncomfortable. 
3. Enjoys her alone time. 
4. Likes parents who will just "hang out" with them. 
5. thinks Actions speak louder than words.
6. is HIGHLY independent. 
7. Realistic.
8. Has incredible tactical abilities. 
9. Thrives in a physical world where they can be adventurous and hands-on. 
10. is LOGICAL.
11. is RESOURCEFUL. 
12. is GENEROUS.
13. is FUN-LOVING. 
14. Doesn't like micro-managing, rigidity, or a full schedule. 
15. Likes to live in the moment and to explore opportunities as they arise. 
16. Enjoys compliments that acknowledge their kindness, empathy, and problem solving skills. 

Hannah's Answers

1. If you won a million dollars, what would you buy first? A house

2. How long does it take to get to the beach? Some hours.

3. What do I always say to you? "It's time for sheep paddocks."

4. What job would you like to do when you grow up? I want to be a doctor.

5. Who is the strongest person? God.

6. Where do babies come from? [Very uncomfortable] Parents.

7. At what age do you become a grownup? 18

8. What’s the worst rule I have for you? That we always have to clean up.

9. What wild animal do you like? A hyena

10. What is your least favorite food ever? Onions.

11. If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Potatoes

12. How much does it cost to buy a house? For me like a thousand, million, hundred dollars.

13. Who do you hang out with all the time? Genevieve

14. What song makes you want to dance? Brother (by Kodaline)

15. What are you scared of? Werewolves and Zombies

16. What is your favorite game to play? Five-Second Rule

17. What is your favorite color? Yellow

18. How old am I? 44 (I'm 45)

19. Who is the president? Joe Biden

20. What kind of car do you want when you grow up? One of those cool cars with a convertible roof. No, wait. A Lamborghini.

21. Where do you want to live when you grow up? Arizona

22. What’s the safest place in the world? My bed.

23. What’s your favorite activity? Baking

24. Who loves you the most? God

Wee-wind Wednesday

Baptism (and 9th birthday)

 

Our Hannah Joy Pomegranate turned 9 years old on September 4, 2022. On her birthday, John baptized her in Seymour Lake in Vermont. We thought this was just a perfect "thing." Lake Seymour is so special to us, and we really thought being there on Hannah's birthday was just perfect. 

Hannah continues to THRIVE in life. She is the best team player. She gets excited about nearly anything you can come up with. However, John did tease her when they were going out to Colorado together. He told her he had some "fun" activities for them to do in Colorado. What he really had was White Water Rafting and Horse Back Riding. What he told Hannah he had was a "Rock-Counting-Contest" and an opportunity to watch a Chess Tournament (where they couldn't really see what was happening, but it would be fun to be there nonetheless.) Hannah really tried to be a good sport about these things, but John said it was quite obvious, we had pushed her a bit past a reasonable "Team Player" allowance.

She is wicked smart. She is a good writer. She's creative. She likes sewing, and really enjoys cooking with JB and baking on her own. In fact, some days, at the house, she will simply say: "I really need to bake something." Genevieve is her best friend (although she gets along great with Eoin too.) She is a little bit messy, likes ballet, and is enjoying her co-op classes this year (Botany, Theater, STEAM, and Knitting Club.)

I adore this child. I am so glad God gave her to us. She is silly, spunky, spirited, sweet, independent, and not afraid of most things. 

Laughter from the Pomegranate

Man, I cannot BELIEVE how many days go by between Blog posts for me. I truly feel I was better at it when the kids were little. I think a lot of that is due to the fact that when kids are older, issues are BIGGER. However, there are still some funny things I think I can share. 

Like last night. Hannah (age 9) decided to drink water non-stop while using the bathroom to see if she would pee non-stop. She is completely full of herself and SO much fun. 

I often wish I could capture her personality in words. It's hard to do. She is so full of life. So fun. So BIG. Such a spit-fire. Starting to really pop back with the talking back lately too. But this picture captures why she just makes us LAUGH!

More pics from Colorado

JB and little Hannah are still in Colorado where he is "working" to earn his CME (Continuing Medical Education). I have seen very few pictures of him in a classroom. Ha! It seems this is mostly learning outside. 

I must admit, their pictures look idyllic, and I can only imagine what fun they are having. I have nearly (for sure) decided that next year it will be my turn to take the trip with JB. Everyone has been through the circuit, and it is my turn.

Here are some pictures from their horseback riding adventures (including a note Hannah wrote to Grama K. to tell her about her adventures):

They attended a lecture called "Kids in the Wilderness." A missionary in Chad, on furlough, they are hiking the Continental Divide Trail with a one-year-old. (Last furlough they did the Appalachian Trail with a four-year-old who was the youngest to complete it. Unassisted.) (This sounds like insanity to me.)

And now it is on to today's adventures: White Water Rafting! Hannah was the youngest on her raft. She was given an opportunity to just sit and be dead weight. No way! Not her!

I'm including some videos JB has sent me:

• Preparing for the "surprise" adventure
• Floating in the Colorado
• On the water

Daddy & Daughter in Colorado

Each year, John has to do CME (Continuing Medical Education.) He chooses, often, to do that through the WILDERNESS MEDICINE SOCIETY. This year he has added to Colorado ... and after a two year COVID break, it's Hannah's turn!!! 

Here is a look back at the past trips John has done with WMS 

• 2008 (By himself)
• 2009 (Colorad with JB, me, and the boys)
• 2009 (With Me -- the tragic trip where we lost a fellow diver)
• 2010-2014 (We lived overseas so there weren't any trips!)
• 2017 (With Isaac)
• 2018 (With Sidge)
• 2019 (With Abigail)
• 2020-2021 (COVID break)

And here are some of the pictures JB has taken with our fourth (and final) frolicking nearly nine-year-old: