Home Education Graduation 2014 ~ Austin

It is with a joy filled heart that we celebrate the completion of our second eldest son's home education graduation.  I think the pinnacle of homeschooling is when your children grow into young men and young women, who are strong in their faith, walking according to their convictions and the training of years of love, discipleship, admonition and even rebuke.  Austin has become a young man with determination, motivated by goals he has set and the plans the Lord has laid before him to walk in.



He has always been taught at home, shadowing me as a little boy.  He is the one child I always knew his whereabouts of.  He overcame his struggles with determination and diligence as a young boy when lessons in reading or math were not easy.  That determination not to quit and the diligence to complete the tasks set before him have carried into his adulthood; he turned 18 in April.

This young man has not been pulled by the latest fad or fashion; that was never his hurdle, being content to be comfortable in who God had created him to be.  So, when it was time to do his photo shoot {a few weeks ago}, it wasn't with great excitement to trapse all over the area to have pictures taken of himself.  But I am insistent in that regard.  Years of hard work should be noted with an announcement and to put a visual to this man he has become is worthy of photographing.   For it is a joy to celebrate with others when efforts to finish and finish well are announced and a blessing when our dear family and friends take the time to encourage him also.

So, we made way to a beautiful area where many camping trips and rich county history has been preserved for our first shoot.  He has always been my outdoors boy so this setting provides reflection of that.

Princess Place ~ April 2014

Our next couple of stops were to the beach!  It is another outdoor favorite for him and with the sun setting, several shots were captured featuring God's display of warm, bright hues of orange and gold.

Marineland ~ April 2014

Matanzas Inlet ~ April 2014

Our final destination brought us back to our local beach.  His life holds many dear memories of times at our beach with family and friends.

Flagler Beach ~ April 2014

Photo announcements were ordered, a personal newsletter was typed to include with his announcement and preparations were underway for how he decided to celebrate the graduation event.  It is with little surprise that he did not desire a 'formal' ceremony; his choice was a beach gathering with family and a few of his friends and mentors.   "Pizza, beach, friends!", as spoken of this young man when deciding what he wanted to do.  That sums it up, now doesn't it?

More to come with regards to the details of his graduation celebration on the beach.

Blessings,