May 18

Dear Friends and Family,

We got some new chickens.

What an adventure it has been this year in Sun Valley, Arizona! And now we are down to the last week of school.

The eighth graders just got back from their trip to San Diego area. The chaperone reported that they were like tourists – just looking around and taking it all in. Most of them were hesitant to try new, unfamiliar things. They camped, went the beach, enjoyed an amusement park, and strolled around the area. She said as they got closer and closer to home, they became chattier and more animated. They obviously were relieved to come back to their safe little world here at SVIS. Our school also sent a Quizzing Team to Point Loma, CA last weekend. They did very well also. Two of the girls (from my class) scored in the 90%.

Eighth graders in Cali.

This week we have the team from Mid America Nazarene University on campus. They will do theater camp and vocabulary games in the morning and basketball camp in the afternoons. (We’ll do our own Bible class before the special events begin.) We’re looking forward to a different kind of week, hopefully more relaxing in a way.

Young staff members camped in CA over break.

Promotion will be on Friday. Promotion here is also the Awards Ceremony. We have prepared 

“fun” awards to give out during the rehearsal in the morning, and then the real awards for academic achievement and character will be given out when the parents come in the evening. Here are some of the awards I’m giving: Story Problem Queen, Makes me Laugh, “Oh, I get it now!” Friendship, “I Made a Game!” Most Expressive Reader, “Tell Me a Story,” Kindness, and Joy in Jesus. Yep. They were a fun group, and the magic started 

happening when we bonded early in the year.

R. has been walking and talking (with the Lord) a lot these days. It seems that we came and liked it here, and then we did what we would naturally do – got comfortable. Getting comfortable does not seem to be in God’s plan for us. God has given us resources and gifts for His Kingdom. Perhaps our Kingdom work is elsewhere, and God needs us to be off-guard and dependent on Him. Thank you for your prayers and notes this past week. Your input has been a real blessing.

Quizzers celebrate. Well Done.