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A Day at the Biltmore House & Gardens

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During the HEAV Convention in June, we were blessed to vend right beside a dear lady named Kat representing the Biltmore House in Ashville, NC. Before leaving the convention, she surprised us all and gave us free one-day passes to tour the house and gardens!

As a special birthday celebration later in July, we had an open Saturday and decided to go – and because of Kat’s generosity, we were even able to include Mom’s sister and her family in the fun! What a delightful day! The Lord gave us beautiful weather, sweet fellowship, and precious memories as we learned more about the history of this intriguing mansion and marveled at the beauty of our Creator’s handiwork.

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IMG_6116-JLStudios-150725Sisters <3

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2015 HEAV Convention

Yet another journey in June was to Richmond for the HEAV (Home Educator’s Association of Virginia) Convention. With the days packed to bursting with busyness, fellowship, opportunities to serve and minister to many precious people, and much more, we all came away truly blessed and uplifted.

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One of the numerous blessings of the weekend was seeing the standard of righteousness that the HEAV has set. Throughout the convention, frequent and unashamed acknowledgement of the LORD and His Word was clearly evident, and for that we were immensely grateful.

Convention activities… Smile

** Jessica was privileged to join our friend James (with Lenspiration) in leading a team of photographers for the convention.

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** At any convention, the Neely Team always loves the vendor hall… so being able to operate a booth ourselves and walk the floor many times visiting others was certainly a highlight. Smile

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** Participating in music, both in the HEAV High School Graduation ceremony and in the lobby background music, was such a joy! Matthew & Amanda joined us at the convention on the day of the graduation, so having Amanda in the ranks again to sing/play brought many smiles.

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Gen2 Conference – Review

What a blessing it was to journey northward a few weeks ago to take part in the Gen2 Conference! Hosted by Generations with Vision (taking place at the Creation Museum), this conference focused on the millennial generation and why a large percentage of it is walking away from the faith.

Sweet fellowship with many dear friends —

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The sessions, presented by Kevin Swanson, Daniel Craig, Ken Ham, Rick Boyer, Norm Wakefield, Brian Ray, Woody Robertson, Israel Wayne, and many others, left us challenged and encouraged. May we each, in the coming days, not only reject the apostasy that is sweeping our culture, but continue pressing onward in the strength of the LORD, seeking His grace, and pursuing lives of godliness for His glory and the expansion of His Kingdom.

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Music from Danny Craig was once again a tremendous blessing"Why We Aren't Giving Up" - panel session with Isaac Botkin, Grace Mally, Chad Roach, Danny Craig, Stephen Craig, Jonathan Lewis, Joshua Erber, and others

An added joy was that Matthew & Amanda were able to join us for the weekend! We treasured the opportunity to minister in song a couple of times throughout the conference, and having them there to participate with us again blessed us immensely.

Gen2 Conference - SarahLeePhoto.com-0178  - Singing "God of our Fathers"Gen2 Conference - SarahLeePhoto.com-7618 - "Turn the Tide"

Other snapshots —

Vending at the conference - two faithful booth managers :)Uncle & niece <3

Resting with "Grandpapa"JLS-16

Mother/daughter moments <3JLS-42

Special thanks to Sarah Bryant for the use of her photos!

A Walk Through Colonial Williamsburg

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The Governor’s Palace

Several weeks ago, after attending the Family Economics & Mentorship Conference, we were blessed with the opportunity to take a brief evening walk through Colonial Williamsburg with Matthew and Amanda. Though most of the shops and tourist attractions were already closed for the evening, we were just in time for a lovely sunset and thoroughly enjoyed our leisurely stroll together. Special thanks to Matthew for suggesting the idea!

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The fall foilage was truly stunning – a testimony to the creativity and handiwork of our Creator

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Taking a ride in the shuttle

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We enjoyed ourselves so much that, when our dear ones gave us an invitation to come back with them a few weeks later, we decided to take them up on the offer… stay alert for a post about that trip coming soon!

Colonial Williamsburg offers many young-child-friendly, wholesome, and incredibly educational opportunities for the entire family. Learn a fascinating portion of our nation’s history, and be reminded of the providence of our God. Visit here to get your seasonal passes today!

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