Josh and Kristen

Halle Judea
Halle is our helper, our child blessed to be a blessing to others through organizing, arranging and creating. She loves art and singing and ballet and has a flair for storytelling. She is extrememley sensitive and observant and we say she's our 'deep waters' girl.

Maia Necia
Maia is our passionate extrovert. She is so full of life and cuddles and loves. We often find her changing her baby doll's diapers or 'nursing.' She keeps us all on our toes with her big personality and breakdancing.

Jones Young

Jones is the new man about the house. He is incredibly sweet and easy as far as babies go. He is never lacking a smile or giggle for his big sisters and is obsessed with his Johnny Jumper. We are exciting to have another man to balance things out around here and are learning all about the life of a young warrior by watching him.

Why Skylark?

Lately, I've been learning about how important it is to pursue the beauty of dreaming and flying and using my imagination, while at the same time seeing the worth and loveliness of the sometimes mundane domesticalities of homelife. How can I soar beyond what I know, how can I grow and at the same time encounter joy in the duties I am requried to perform each day? Are these things mutually exclusive? In the midst of this tension and tugging, I came across the writings of Charlotte Mason. I met her passion and desire for ideals to be made a reality in the lives of families. I was comforted by her gentle spirit and encouragment. Nestled between her words was a poem by Wordsworth that has given me a picture of what this life can appear to be:
To a Skylark
Ethereal minstrel! pilgrim of the sky!
Dost thou despise the earth where cares abound?
Or, while the wings aspire, are heart and eye
Both with thy nest upon the dewy ground?
Thy nest which thou canst drop into at will,
Those quivering wings composed, that music still!
Leave to the nightingale her shady wood;
A privacy of glorious light is thine,
Whence thou dost pour upon the world a flood
Of harmony, with instinct more divine;
Type of the wise who soar,
but never roam;
True to the kindred points of Heaven and Home!

And so like this songbird, I will aspire, high above my little nest, but never at a width where I can not keep it it my view, never without its presence primary in my heart and mind; never without a will determined to serve the life of my family first. And in rising high, perspective will prevail; adventure, nourishment and joy will infuse my being and nurture my heart. I hope that the encounters in this place will enrich my flight.