Back To School Blessing

We look forward to this all summer long. 

It's our Back to School Blessing. 

And it's very special to us -- like a 'rite of passage'. 

It's a fancy dinner - 

It's a beautifully decorated table - 

It's a yummy, homemade dessert -

It's stained glass stars engraved - 

And the best part is finding our our family theme, our Bible verse, our guiding principle for our year back to school. 

Scott and I start talking about the Back to School Blessing in the middle of the summer. We toss around verses that have spoken to us. We talk about struggles our family is currently going through, challenges that we're up against this year, and where our family is headed, and then we decided. 

So here is our Blessing this year: 

We served Cranberry, Chicken and Pears -- and it was amazing! 











I made frosted pumpkin cookies -- almost like little cakes 







And then there was the Hot Buttered Cider... yummmmmmm 





and always homemade bread. 




I set up the porch with all of the loveliness that makes it feel very special. 




It was nice that it was already decorated for fall. 





I love the way the stars were wrapped. 





Glowing candles in milk glass 



And the lights... ahhhh

Everything was ready. 











First we enjoyed our special meal. 





The taste of fall







Stars



Next they unwrapped their stained glass stars. 







So so pretty 



We were smiling the way Anna's star happened to match the blouse she chose that day. 





12th grade - her last star



Then we had pumpkin frosted cookies and tea

And then it was time for the girls blessing and our promise for the year. 



First Scott had us all share something this school year that was our 'mountain'.  We all had that 'something' that we thought would be a challenge. He wrote them on the back of this (which is now framed in our home) 



And we talked deep into the night about how to have the faith to move our mountains this year. 



It was a wonderful night. And I am grateful for this, another memory.