It was nice to be back in our home state at the Iowa Homeschool Conference last weekend. Our booth was in a gym and my dad got pretty creative with our signs. 🙂
Friends in Florida
Relaxing and talking with the Mostert Family.
Mr. Mostert has been a huge help to our family as he’s made lots of contacts for us…from arranging harp/chalk programs and Bright Lights conferences to meeting our lodging/food needs while we are in Florida.
About two years ago the Mostert family met a 19-year-old girl named Chelsea at a homeschooling event. They were immediately impressed with her radiant countenance and maturity. Since they had been looking for someone to lead a Bright Lights group in their area, they asked Chelsea if she would consider the idea.
God, who amazingly works all things together, had already laid a desire on Chelsea’s heart to start some kind of a discipleship ministry for younger girls, and she told them that she was interested.
In God’s plan, our family came to Florida around that time and needed a place to stay. Chelsea’s family graciously offered their home and we became good friends with their family (the Owens). Sarah and I explained about Bright Lights to Chelsea and not long afterwards, she started a Bright Lights group. The group has been going very well and we often hear good reports!
Our family eating dinner with the Owen Family in Clearwater, Florida
From left to right: Chelsea and Delaney Owen, Sarah, Jessica and Tara Allman
Sarah and I went to Starbucks one evening with Chelsea, her sister Delaney, and two older girls who help in their Bright Lights group, Jessica and Tara. Since we hadn’t finished talking when Starbucks closed, we moved to the bed of Chelsea’s truck. 🙂
Tara and Jessica Allman, Delaney and Chelsea Owen
Future Bright Lights Conferences in Florida
Here we are visiting one of the churches that is hosting a Bright Lights conference this November. We are taking a team of about 20 girls down to do 4 conferences. The plan is to do a Radiant Purity conference in Clearwater on October 30-31 (Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday) and a Strong in the Lord conference on November 2-3 (Friday evening and all day Saturday), both in Clearwater. We are hoping to repeat that schedule the next week in Jacksonville.
The Russell Family is working on details for hosting one or two Bright Lights conferneces in Jacksonville, Florida.
We stopped to meet the Russells and tour their church as we were leaving Florida. We were encouraged by their helpfulness and enthusiasm.
Happy 35th Wedding Anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Since we are traveling, the three of us kids went out to eat tonight with my mom and dad to celebrate their anniversary. Wow! How many kids get to do that?
Yes, my mom is laughing, not crying. At the resturant tonight, it wasn’t very easy to get a good picture of mom and dad. We showed mom the first picture we took, which was a really bad/funny picture of dad. She couldn’t stop laughing after that. Actually, none of us could. I think we made quite a scene in the resturant.
16,000 Homeschoolers!
16,ooo homeschoolers attended the FPEA (Florida Parent-Educators Association) convention in Orlando, Florida. The vendor hall, over 70,000 square feet, was sometimes so crowded it was hard to walk from one side to another without getting stuck in traffic (which included lots of strollers and bookbags on wheels, etc.)!
We were especially excited to be here this year because of a special annoucement we are making: Three Bright Lights conferneces have been scheduled for Florida this November! We will be taking our team of about 20 Bright Lights leaders to Florida for 3 weeks. The conferences will be held in the Jacksonville and Clearwater areas.
Sarah’s speaking at the FPEA conference on “Preparing Young Ladies for their Teenage Years”
Florida FPEA Homeschool Conference
We are currently in the middle of a busy confernece here in Orlando. My mom hasn’t been feeling well, but besides for that, we’ve been encouraged about how the conference has been going.
Here is a picture I snapped as we were setting up. Mia is a little friend of mine…she was helping her family unload their trailor and set up their booth, “Lifetime Books and Gifts”.
Since a lot of the vendors go to the same conferences, we enjoy seeing each other every few weekends in various parts of the country–wherever the next state homeschool conference is.
Announcement
For those who live in driving distance of Clearwater, Florida, our family will be doing a harp concert and chalk drawing Friday, June 1st at Skycrest Baptist Church. The time is 6:30-8:30. For directions, call Allen Mostert at 727-443-2318.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Today was my dad’s 60th birthday. Last week my mom arranged for a bunch of friends of my dad (including several old college friends) to call him and wish him a happy birthday. Mom did a good job arranging it, and the plan worked out great. My dad was surprised to get call after call and enjoyed talking with old friends. We are currently in Clearwater, Florida and this has been the first “free day” of our trip, so it was a perfect day to celebrate Dad’s birthday.
Sarah, Stephen and I thought the best part of the whole phone call ordeal was watching Mom and Dad interact. Mom accidently dropped so many clues about the surprise phone calls that anyone could have figured it out– that is, anyone except my dad, who is usually oblivious to things like that. They make a great couple when it comes to surprises! Quite entertaining to watch, too. 🙂
New Friends in Mississippi…
One of the best parts of the Mississippi homeschool conference was getting to know the close-knit group of board members and their families. It was refreshing to us to spend time with a group of strong Christian families who are not afraid to seek God’s best without compromising. They are doing a great job running their conference.
Here Candy is taking a walk with her little sister Amy.
Stephen and I had fun playing a game late Saturday night with the kids of the board members. It got us all laughing… I guess that happens easily when everyone is tired after a long conference. 🙂
Mississippi Homeschool Conference
This is the first time our family has been to the Mississippi State Homeschool conference and we’ve been enjoying it so far!