My 2013 Graduate

Wesley is now officially graduated from our homeschool high school.  To commemorate the event we had a grad party this past Saturday, September 21.  It was a splendid occasion, so much fun and everything beautiful.  There was only one little thing, such a teeny tiny thing that almost nobody everybody probably noticed.

We. ran. out. of. food.  Yep.  You read that right.  We ran out of food.  Never in the history of either side of the families has this ever happened but there’s always a first!  So why?  WHY?  More people than I expected and other factors were involved.  But the guests were very gracious and even stayed the whole evening even though their tummies were probably grumbling terribly.

I’m only slightly exaggerating. 🙁

But with that confession out of the way, let’s talk about what went RIGHT!

My sister, Rebekah arrived along with Abigail on Tuesday.  As always she’s an incredible help and blessing.  Wednesday was the first workday and Rebekah spent pretty much all of it making empanadas – 4 different kinds.  We froze ours unbaked but we figured out (from a sample one we baked) that they can be made and baked ahead of time – for at least 3 days. The sample one we made still tasted fresh after 3 days.  (All that white flour, you know. 🙂 )

We made 5 different kinds of salsa.

Roasted Corn Salsa

Salsa Fresca

Pico de Gallo

Peach Salsa

Fresh Salsa Verde

Over the next few days we made the rest of the menu…

Green Chicken Enchiladas

Red Beef Enchiladas

Rice

Refried Beans

Radish & Cucumber Salad

& all the ingredients for a Nacho Bar

Sopapilla dough

Fried Ice Cream

Chocolate Roll w/ Coffee Ice Cream

Wesley was surprised when he came home from work one night. A friend from the east came for his grad – his first time out west.

Saturday rolled around and the outdoor clean-up began.  Russell had some young men volunteer to come early to help clean up the place & get things in order and they wouldn’t take a dime for it. May God bless them!

Russell certainly kept them busy.

Some of my overnight guests started arriving the day before like my niece, Lydia.  She’s precious!

The day of the celebration last minute details were taken care of – sopapillas cut out (best to do this right before frying)…

fruit empanadas baked and of course, everything else.

Unfortunately, a picture of the main table was not taken. So we’ll jump to the desserts, okay?

Sopapillas being fried up. This was really fun because we set up the Camp Chef on the lawn. People were gathering round to see what it was all about.  I love it when it’s like that because you get to visit with different ones.

Fried ice cream that’s really NOT fried.

The chocolate cake roll with coffee ice cream… and of course, there were the above mentioned empanadas as well.

So after everyone was fed or at least most of them :), we began the evening activities.

I won’t go into too many detaisl of what we did but we had a very enjoyable time.  People were relaxed and just had a good time being together.

My son, Zachary gave a speech and also read a poem he had written for Wesley…

We hid in the Manzanita we built our forts

Fighting against the tyrant of the land

Battling and relying on our last resorts

Until Seth before us could not  stand.

As children we grew, now we stand as men;

Find your purpose you cannot wait.

Haunted by shadows of what might have been

Crowns the old age of those who hesitate.

Your sovereign master looks for callused hands

Callused by service and giving

Not in foolish pride and selfish demands

For then you are not truly living.

Live from your heart, open and real

Power and humility the world will see

God in simplicity you will reveal

And truly a man you’ll be.

Several weeks ago I had contacted some young people and asked them if they would practice the song “I Want My Life to Count for Jesus”.  It’s a song that has meant a great deal to Wesley.  The kids all practiced on their own and then came together that afternoon (kids that were from Phoenix, Tucson and here locally), practiced a few times and that was it.  I think they did a beautiful job.  Here’s just a part of the song – the chorus.

Russell and I presented the diploma.

The evening ended with a slide show I had put together for Wesley.

(This picture is a little lopsided. I’m not sure where the boys are but at least half of these girls are his cousins.)

  Congratulations, Wesley!