FROM OUR FAMILY…

    Greetings to you and your family!

The Lord has blessed us in 2007. It was a year of much learning and growing for our family... it has been exciting to see God's hand in our lives!

GOD PROVIDED VENISON FOR OUR FAMILY...
We started the year with the end of hunting season. In January, Steve caught his second deer on our property. He started bow hunting in 2005. After catching a deer a half hour before hunting season ended, God blessed us with some family friends from our old homechurch. The father and his 17-year-old daughter came over to help us process the deer. It was homeschooling at its best as our children learned first hand how to process a deer and help grind the meat for our family.

A FAMILY HOME BUSINESS... We are teaching Niko how to run a home business. In March, we gave him a loan and he purchased a flock of 13 chicks. Our hens started laying eggs in the end of July. In August, Niko started selling eggs. His regular customers are his daddy's co-workers, church, and family friends. He also enjoys giving farm fresh eggs as gifts. We are now down to 11 hens. Recently, we believe a skunk got two of our hens.

A NEW HOMECHURCH... In October, we left our homechurch fellowship that we attended for almost two years. We enjoyed hosting church each month, and we enjoyed our time of worship and fellowship. After much prayer, we felt that it was God's timing for our family to make a change. In November, we started visiting a different homechurch. We'll see what the Lord has in store for us as we continue to worship and be in fellowship with our new church family.

STEVE  worked less from home this year, but still enjoys the work he is doing and has a great deal of flexibility in his work schedule. In May, Steve finished enclosing our loft to make a bedroom for Niko and Luke.

MICHELLE  continues to enjoy our four blessings from the Lord. We are in our seventh year of homeschooling, and she is encouraged by how diligent our children have been in doing their lessons. Michelle continues to learn how to sew with the encouragement of her step grandmother-in-law, a friend from our old homechurch, and Michelle's mother. Michelle's projects included lengthening Mia's jumpers, a pillowcase, a hymnal cover, pajama pants for Luke, and a hair scrunchie for Mia.

OUR BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD...  NIKO (11) has been diligently caring for his flock of 11 hens. He also enjoys playing chess and making magazines. MIA (7) is learning how to sew. She recently made a pillow for her doll using her mommy's sewing machine. Mia also enjoys making crafts and playing with her dolls. Both Niko and Mia especially enjoy reading books about character growth and God at work in people's lives. LUKE (5) is learning how to read and write. In the Spring, we were surprised when Luke taught himself how to rollerblade. Since June he has become an avid chess player. He learned while observing his Lolo (grandfather in Tagalog) and Niko playing chess. IAN (almost 3) has been learning how to play games. His favorites are Uno and Sherlock, a memory and deduction game. He also likes listening to Bible storybooks.

Our children also enjoy exploring outdoors, rollerblading, drawing, singing hymns, and making things for each other.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward."
Psalm 127:3.

Rejoicing in the Lord,

  Thrash Family
    Steve & Michelle,
    Niko, Mia, Luke, and Ian