Wedding!

Lucas Hedding had a Wedding! (sorry I couldn't resist)

Lucas & Melissa

Leon Hedding
For those of you who don't know them, yes they are twins.

Kelli Hedding
We love ya Kelli

It was fun to gather with friends. Melody & Helena

While we waited during the picture taking, we munched strawberries and made memory pages. They had paper, pens and stickers at each table for us to make a page for an album for the bride and groom.

Adam and Johanna Stanford newlyweds themselves.

Yummy cake with beautiful girls, Haley, GJ and Jill.

Lucas and Melissa

Bret and Michelle

Some of our clan!

It was fun for us to remember Kyle and Gretchen's wedding while going through this one. We really had fun at their wedding.



The groomsmen decorated the car. They tried to get the toilet plungers to stick to the outside. Too bad that didn't work! Cute idea guys.

So instead they filled the car with plungers, buckets, and mops! Sounds like just what a new couple needs for their honeymoon, no??



It took a bit of rearranging for the newlyweds to fit into the car! :-)

The lovely bride!

Soon . . . . . . . .

to be parents!!

We are VERY excited and so grateful to the LORD.

















Behold, (grand)children are a gift of the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Psalm 127: 3

Wonderful Young Man

We have been honored to attend several home school graduations this spring. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures at the last one! URGH. However last weekend we attended the graduation of Aaron Bentz.

It was really fun and very unique. Aaron's parents gave him a blessing and then his father presented him with a William Wallace replica sword. (You should have seen all the men and boys perk up at the sight of that thing!)

Then Mr. Bentz gave Arron a charge for living his life as a godly man. It was wonderful.

Notice the leather covering part of the blade above the hilt. Matthew pointed that out to me. That allows you to wield the sword with two hands! Yikes! You'd better believe that all those little boys wanted to give that a try.


Aaron is an excellent example of the fruit of home education. We are proud to know him.

Congratulations Bentz family on a job well done!

Thank you for praying

We were out of town this weekend and are just getting back to blogging. Many may have already heard, but while we were gone our dear brother Bob Schultz went to be with the Lord.

Thank you all for holding Bob and his family before the Lord in prayer. Here is the note Betsy sent out.

To everyone who has stood with us,

Honestly, I can’t stop smiling - my daddy is in the presence of His Master and Lord. His passage was easy and peaceful; he fought well and finished strong. I am so privileged to be his daughter and to have really come to know his heart and share in his passions: his love for his God, for everyday living, for relationships and for work. I’ve said it before, and I am proud to say it again, he was a great man of God and he is leaving behind a family who is grateful for his towering presence that will remain in our lives forever.

My family and I are so grateful for each of you and for all your support, service and prayers during this time. May God richly bless every one of you.

Beginning a new adventure with joy,
Betsy Schultz

2008 Convention

Another convention has come and gone. We were privileged to see the hand of the Lord working all around us.

It takes many volunteers 100's of hours to prepare and put on the convention. I can't begin to tell you how blessed our family is to work with all these folks. Many have become dear friends.

Kimberly our dynamo does hours and hours of behind the scenes work. It's fun to see her shining in public.

Sandy is amazing and helps out in so many ways. She excels at all she puts her hand to. All you have to do is mention a job and she's already doing it!!

Sarah and Haley do so many things during the year. Thanks girls for your willing spirits.

Aunt Kay is the back bone of the convention publishing. She does the handbook single-handedly. And all those name badges . . . . . . . goodness!


Setting up the Oasis in the vendor hall. Matthew's thrilled to be helping in high places. Thanks Jason for putting him to work.


Bret and Michelle were over the top in making the Oasis beautiful. Our theme was anchored in Christ and they reflected that with every detail. The oasis was a place of refreshment not only for the soul, but for our eyes! WOW

Laurie our "Blogger Queen"
For being such a gentle quiet person she sure knows how to stir up interest!

Katrina is another one of those indispensable year round workers. She does so many things that we can't list them all.
Jessica has worked on the art contest with her mom and volunteered to lend a hand during the conference.

Kathy has been our adult volunteer coordinator for more years than either of us want to think about. She's one of those rock solid people we have come to count on.

Before . . . . . . . . . . . .
after . . . . . . . . . . . . . .hello to the Henrys in the middle of this picture.

You really must stand up and clap for the gals in these next two pictures. With out them there would be NO convention. They have such a heart to minister to home educating families and they put their money where their mouth is with hours of prayer and work.

Aaron

Those Bentzes (how do you make their name plural??) are unstoppable! What a team. They work year round to bring in a wonderful vendor hall. Everything is so well organized and they are on top of it all. I am so proud of them. Yes Emily your family is a showcase family!

I call this the vendor hall blurrr picture. The only pictures of the Bentz boys that I have are blurred. That's because they never slowed down. So here's the one and only picture of Llyod!

Melody & Helena
Worker bees who kept us well fed and happy!

Nate and Matthew
Work is so much fun when you do it with friends!

Our friends the Pollocks joined us all the way from Wisconsin. I wonder if they know how much that encouraged our family.

Jacob

Tim
Imported from Indiana! That makes him more valuable??????

This was the only picture I could find of Jeremiah. Don't be fooled he never stopped running. I wonder how many miles he logged.

Gretchen

Aw----- talking about her beloved. Since Kyle wasn't able to join us until the last day, she had visual aids with her. You can't see it but she also had her laptop with all their wedding pictures------just in case anyone wanted to see them!
Actually her workshop was about walking in faith and courtship.

Katy--- another bed rock of ICHE. She serves faithfully all year long. At the convention though we get to see her heart as she ministers to everyone who comes to the table.

Jacob "jack-of-all-trades"

Haley still smiling. She's the best.

Smooches to you Kay Lou

Faith and Elli (sometimes known as Eli)
Don't we have the best help?

It's hard to believe that everyone is still smiling after all these hours on their feet.
You know I didn't even ask Matt if he had a match. I must be getting more sensible.

Jacob and Kyle good buddies.

The crew after clean up!

Ken and Jim

Matthew doing hand stands at the end of the conference. Do you think he's doing this because his feet hurt?? Naaaaaaaa

Many of these great pictures are Nathan Bluedorn's. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

There are still so many pictures and people to put up. Keep watching.

Please hold this dear family in your prayers.

Last weekend at the ICHE State Convention one of our dear speakers, Bob Schultz, suffered a massive heart attack. He has not regained consciousness and has extensive brain damage. We ask that you would please pray for his wife and daughters as they walk through this. [Bob is the author of Boyhood and Beyond, Created for Work and Practical Happiness.]

I am including the prayer request that his wife Janet just sent to us. Thank you for praying.

Cast upon the Savior

To the many wonderful people holding us up in prayer,

After having sought the Lord's will and the counsel of many Godly men Bob respected, I feel He is asking me to transfer Bob's life support from the medical profession into the hands of the Great Physician. I am planning on making this step at 9:00pm (Chicago time) this evening. This may not be the decision everyone would make, but I feel this is the only course I can walk with faith and peace. Thank you for your incredible love and support. Please pray with us for God's healing in whatever form He chooses to give it.

Cast upon the Savior,
Janet Schultz