Last Friday we had our end of the school year graduation program. We are proud of all our students. We had a spaghetti dinner and then our program. Each student gave a recitation during our program. Afterwards certificates, diplomas, and gifts were handed out and then we had dessert.

Rebecca Jensen – Tenth Grade: Poem – The Highwayman – Alfred Noyes
Isaiah Jensen – Eighth Grade: Poem – The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late – Bilbo Baggins
Anna Jensen – Sixth Grade: Recitation – John 14
Clara Jensen – Fourth Grade: Poem – Reedy River – by Henry Lawson
Ezra Jensen – First Grade: Recitation – Psalm 121
Micah Jensen – K-5: Recitation – Psalm 3
Maria Jensen : Poem – an original composition

Tuesday we started Isaiah’s countdown calendar. This year’s theme is the game RISK (one of Isaiah’s favorite games). It’s Isaiah (green/blue beads) against the WORLD i.e. the rest of his siblings (pink/purple beads). Each day there is a challenge and the team that wins the challenge gets to remove two of the opposing team’s solders (beads). At the end of the game, whoever has the most beads on the board is the winner. The challenge for the day is always age appropriate to whichever sibling is on to go against Isaiah.

Last Saturday I spoke at a church ladies leaders’ event. There were about 42 ladies there from about 17 different churches, covering three different tribal groups. My theme statement was “Every work God has given you to do, you can do, because the Holy Spirit dwells with you. He will help you.” Anna helped me with two skits to illustrate different points in my talk. The entire thing was done in Jarai, as almost everyone understood Jarai.

A Jensen tradition in our home is that our kids make a countdown calendar for Mother’s Day. It always starts with “New Book.” The new book is always an original story, written page by page by all the kids (minus Maria). The story always has twists and turns in it, and we laugh a lot. Other days on the countdown calendar were separate gifts from each of the kids, plus a play based on the book, The Seven Silly Eaters.

Mother’s Day evening the kids and Josh made dinner (twice baked potatoes, apple pie, special drink) and bought steak strips to go with it. It was a very lovely meal. Afterwards they gave me cards. Thankful for all our seven kids who have made me a mother and are fun to be with and grow with.

April 30th Micah lost his first tooth! It popped out pretty easily.

Yesterday we had our Elementary Music & Art classes, with lunch and a moms’ prayer time after lunch. Becca’s art lesson was a watercolor rabbit that the kids drew first. Music covered more rhythm and Summer from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. We were delighted to have Aunt Kim attend this month.