Random Life from the past 4 months

  Well, Hello again! It's been way too long since I wrote last so this post may be a bit lengthy. =)

 Dad & Mom celebrated their 20th Anniversary in August and for fun, we all drove over to the church where they got married. We children had never been inside so they had fun explaining and showing the building to us! And of course, we had to grab a few pictures!

                                                                         ~~1998~~

                                                              20 years and 6 kids later!
                               This picture was taken in the sanctuary where they were married.


In early September, our family packed up and drove down to South Carolina to see my Grandpa Bradford who was dying. We got to visit him in the hospital and sing to him to cheer his last days! (He died just a few days later)

 From SC, we drove on out to Missouri where we stayed at our house and did some fun activities as a family!

 One of the activities, was attending a local event in our town there called "Timber fun days" and had games, vendors and activities geared around timber and wood products. Above, Ethan is splitting a big log using an axe and wedges. Talk about a way to burn calories!!

                                                                    Our little man!

                          Visiting with Grandpa & Grandma Morley in our house there in MO.

                                 And more visiting with the Geise family on their back deck.

 One of the fun things we took in was a beautiful park/resort made specifically to take golf carts through! You rent the carts and drive them through this absolutely stunning park in the mountains surrounding Branson. It was the highlight of our trip!

                                              Beautiful waterfalls and long covered bridges!

                                                               

                                            The "guys" golf cart with Laura taking a turn. =)

              We also took rides on a go-cart track as a family. We must really like the "cart" thing. =)

    I had my 18th birthday while we were out there and to celebrate, we toured one of our favorite places...an old fashioned village and heirloom seed store. The place also has an organic, vegetarian restaurant that we love!

                                                  Grandma is a wonderful book reader!!

 On our way home, we got to stop by and visit our cousins! Laura and the little girls loved playing dress up all afternoon!

                       Back at home, we three oldest enjoyed taking bike rides in the summer weather!

                  Our little Laura turned 6 in September!! She's growing into such a sweet girl!

 The last weekend of September, (yes, sorry folks. I'm still in September =0) we were invited to go camping with good friends of ours from NY. They have camped a lot and we never have as a family so they were eager to show us how! We arrived on a Friday night, after dark and in the pouring rain. There was more mud then I've almost ever seen! Within the first five minutes, both Ethan and Jonathan fell and plastered their jeans with mud! Our friends, the Hunters,  thankfully had a camper, which we all piled into, leaving our shoes under the canopy, for some warm food and to  dry out a bit. Later, after the rain slacked off, we ventured out to gather our things and climb into our tents. I discovered that I had left my sneakers sitting under the canopy, yes, but also under the gutter drain. They were sitting with several inches of water and of course, it was the only pair I'd brought. =) We managed to rescue our belongings and tramp into our tents. The parents were all staying in the camper but the boys and girls were sprawled out in two tents. We soon discovered after hearing comments from the boys tent that their roof was leaking badly! And pretty soon, Ethan and their oldest, Daniel, tramped through the mud to pick up the canopy over the picnic table and place it over their tent. It didn't help much and by morning they had inches of water in the tent. We girls stayed nice and dry but it was cold!

                      Morning finally dawned, the sun came out and we had a wonderful time!

                                                          We took long bike rides...

                                                              Played games....

                                            Cooked over the fire....and had a wonderful time!

                 Our church had special meetings, and our family was asked to play some special music.

                                                     Till next time, (and hopefully not so long this time)
                                                           Susanna

Graduation Day Part 2

 Graduation Day Part 2

  I can't believe how long it took me to send out part 2. This is getting embarrassing!!  I shall endeavor to stay in better touch now! =)

                             The next part of the ceremony was the handing out of diplomas!!!

Uncle Elon was the only father that had graduated a child before so the other dads elected him to go first! Each father said a little something about their daughter and her life and then handed out the diploma! 

                                            Uncle Gabriel had two daughters graduating!

  After the ceremony, everyone was dismissed to go down to the church basement for refreshments and fellowship. We had tables set up down there and finger foods such as cheeseballs, crackers, cookies and drinks.

The four graduates with our speaker, Brandon and Heather Byler and their two children. They had given us each a lantern as a graduation gift. 

Pearl's cap accidentally got left in the wrong vehicle that left early so she had to be "cap-less" in the picture. =)

                                          Caleb so badly wanted to try on my cap and tassel!

                    My amazing parents that helped everything about this day to go so well!

My beautiful sister! 

  It was such a wonderful day and I still look back on that time as an amazing step in my life! Since my graduation, I've taken another step and enrolled as a part time student at Penn View Bible College this fall semester. I'm taking music classes and enjoying every minute of it! The class setting was definitely a new experience for me but I'm very grateful for the opportunity and experience! It's hard to believe my high school days are actually behind me but I'm looking forward to the things God has in store for the days ahead!

  Till next time,

Susanna 

Graduation Day Part 1

  My highschool graduation came and went over a month ago and I haven't blogged about it yet but I hope to amend that at once. =)

I was so happy to be able to graduate with my three beautiful cousins! All three of us are first cousins, attend the same church and were homeschooled so it was perfect that we could also all graduate together! I loved spending time with them planning, practicing and getting ready!!

Our Graduation was May 26, 2018 and early that morning, we graduates met at the sweet, historic church right around the corner from us, that we had rented for the ceremony. When we had been planning the whole graduation, we realized that all four of us graduates were musical so we decided to combine the ceremony with a senior recital where we would each share a solo or two as well as a couple group songs. So that morning, we set up and practiced at the church while Mom, Dad and a friend, Jessica, set up the refreshments in the basement. We all rushed back to our house for a quick lunch and then the house turned into a flurry and scurry of dressing and hair fixing. Ezra Morley and Natasha Morley met us at this little brick historic church where we took our group pictures in the blistering heat trying not to get too sweaty and steamed up in the process. =) 

Left to right: Pearl Morley, Andrea Morley, Susanna Bradford & Bethany Morley 

 Quickly before the service started, we gathered to snap a picture with Pearl's brand new niece, Kari Rose with her matching dress!

  Uncle Gabriel (and father to Andrea & Bethany Morley) opened the service and my Dad led in the opening prayer.

 The first song in the program was "Be Thou My Vision" with Bethany playing the piano part (she completely memorized in it less then a month, by the way!!) and Andrea, Pearl and I playing violins.

                     Bethany was next with a lovely piano solo which she had arranged herself!

                      Andrea accompanied me on the harp for a cheerful little piece by Chopin.

                                            Pearl played a beautiful hymn as her piano solo!

                    Andrea and Bethany gave a lovely version of "Savior like a Shepherd Lead Us".

                    I was next with a piano solo by Chopin called Grande Valse brillainte.

I had last minute decided to learn a violin piece to play and we decided on "Entrance to the Queen of Sheba".

    The three girls sang a medley of "Lord be Glorified" and "I want to be like Jesus" while I accompanied them on the harp.

I played "What a Friend" as a harp solo for the last song of the recital. 

         The sanctuary was quite full and there was a whole side room with many more people in it.

 We had asked Bro. Brandon Byler to give the commencement address and he got up to speak after the last song.

   After he finished, we girls got back up to sing "Speak Lord for thy servant hears" with Mom on the piano.

Speak Lord, for thy servant hears,

Speak Lord, for thy servant hears,

I am but a child, but thou hast called my name.

There must be a special task for me to claim,

Speak Lord, for thy servant hears,

Speak Lord, for thy servant hears.

Though the task be great,

Or though the task be small,

I will trust in you alone and give my all.

 I don't ask for riches,

 I don't ask for fame.

I don't ask that honor 

Be heaped upon my name.

I only ask Thy presence 

to ever be my guide,

Speak Lord, for thy servant hears.


All Photo credits to #Ezra Morley