At the heart of choosing to home educate through high school, my daughter and our family felt that this path fit our priorities best. Looking at all outside options, continuing to home educate makes most sense. Looking at all home schooling options, High School of Your Dreams, make most sense.
There is a lot of social pressure to make academics the top priority for all high schoolers. The argument is that this is the season for intensive academic growth and preparation for college. Yet, our family continues to question this argument. More specifically, we ask ourselves, what would an academically rich curriculum look like that wouldn't sacrifice other, we believe higher, priorities?
Priority one: God
How will we protect, foster, and ensure an environment that brings our high schooler closer to God? How will we make time for an increase and maturity in prayer? How will we minimize distractions from and attacks against our high schoolers relationship with God? How will she receive opportunities to defend God and her faith, growing in spiritual strength and maturity? How will she best get to know and love her faith?
Priority two: Virtue
How will we help her to continue to grow in virtue? How can we help her build upon her strengths while dealing directly with her weaknesses? How can we best mentor and guide her? What virtues are of highest priority?
Priority three: Personal Care
How can we help her to get enough sleep? Eat well? Exercise? Heal in time of illness? How can we help her to best prevent harm to her body, to avoid being exposed to alcohol, drugs, body piercing, tattooing, slicing, promiscuity, and more?
Priority four: Relationships
How do we help her to stay connected in a healthy way to those who love her, and who she loves, the most? How do we encourage healthy friendships?
Priority five: Skills and Service
How do we help her to grow in academic skill? How do we help her to prepare for her vocation of wife and mother? How do we help her to prepare for college? How do we help her to serve others through her talents and gifts?
When batting all this around a few months ago, we were honest with our daughter. Although we felt that we could provide a unique, enriching, and real-life high school curriculum, there may be negative consequences connected with this decision. Some people may not understand it. Some colleges may not accept it. Some tests scores may not be as high as under other circumstances. Yet when all was said and done and the decision needed to be made, we chose to stay home and to continue learning together.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Shiny Corners
Our family life is currently shiny bright. This isn't bragging. It is the truth, God-given, and appreciated. Practicing our faith, living our values, and sticking together through the tough times has helped us to flourish. Since the accident, I've been wondering if all our brightness has tricked me, tricked our family, into not seeing some shaded corners of our otherwise shiny life.
Corner one: Finances
The accident cost us money and forced us to look again at how we have been handling our money. There was a time, not long ago, when our family was debt-free and had comfortable savings. This lifestyle was gained through a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Yet, the past few years brought with them financial challenges combined with growing children and apathy that a good, secure income can bring.
Where is the family glue here? Our new family project, of course! We are working together on our finances to include reading books on the subject, having meetings, pulling together a budget, and of course making financial sacrifices to reach our goals.
Corner two: Time Management
The accident cost us time. Plus, after I finally said, "Yes," to God to look again at our finances, I had to beg, "Lord, I know how much time and energy this will entail! Can you PLEASE help me to figure out how I can squeeze one more thing into my full life?" Within a few days, He helped me see a solution to a time management puzzle that has been haunting me for over a year.
The stage is now set for many blog posts as our family bumbles, I mean grows in unity, through our latest projects. Thanks be to God.
Corner one: Finances
The accident cost us money and forced us to look again at how we have been handling our money. There was a time, not long ago, when our family was debt-free and had comfortable savings. This lifestyle was gained through a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Yet, the past few years brought with them financial challenges combined with growing children and apathy that a good, secure income can bring.
Where is the family glue here? Our new family project, of course! We are working together on our finances to include reading books on the subject, having meetings, pulling together a budget, and of course making financial sacrifices to reach our goals.
Corner two: Time Management
The accident cost us time. Plus, after I finally said, "Yes," to God to look again at our finances, I had to beg, "Lord, I know how much time and energy this will entail! Can you PLEASE help me to figure out how I can squeeze one more thing into my full life?" Within a few days, He helped me see a solution to a time management puzzle that has been haunting me for over a year.
The stage is now set for many blog posts as our family bumbles, I mean grows in unity, through our latest projects. Thanks be to God.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Crash and Rebuild
On July 11, 2006, our whole family was in a vehicle accident that left our old van totaled, our bodies bruised and achey, and our souls strong. Going through difficulties together as a family has a way of showing our strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately, this time, we saw mostly our strengths.
It has been a long haul recovering from this accident. Much time was diverted from other areas of our family life to deal with the fallout. Although our family was not at fault, we needed to spend a lot of energy standing up for ourselves and making sure that we were restored to as close to our life before the accident as possible.
In the midst of this drawn out affair, I kept thinking...wishing...hoping...that it would be over soon. I wanted my life back quickly. I wanted normalcy. I wanted...I wanted...
Well, God didn't want us to go back to normal. He wanted us to hang out on our knees for awhile. He wanted us to take a good, hard look at ourselves. I was reminded of a metaphor for the development of children. Children develop like a house of cards. Two cards are propped together and stand...for awhile. Then something causes the primitive house of cards to collapse. The two cards are picked up and restructured, using two more cards. This house stands for a longer time. Yet, the house eventually collapses again. This collapse and rebuild happens over and over as the child develops and matures, integrating new and old.
Once I stopped wanting "life as I knew it" back, I was able to say "yes" to God in a more complete way. Our family has been able to grow and mature. We crashed and with God's grace, we are rebuilding something more durable, stable, flexible, and beautiful.
It has been a long haul recovering from this accident. Much time was diverted from other areas of our family life to deal with the fallout. Although our family was not at fault, we needed to spend a lot of energy standing up for ourselves and making sure that we were restored to as close to our life before the accident as possible.
In the midst of this drawn out affair, I kept thinking...wishing...hoping...that it would be over soon. I wanted my life back quickly. I wanted normalcy. I wanted...I wanted...
Well, God didn't want us to go back to normal. He wanted us to hang out on our knees for awhile. He wanted us to take a good, hard look at ourselves. I was reminded of a metaphor for the development of children. Children develop like a house of cards. Two cards are propped together and stand...for awhile. Then something causes the primitive house of cards to collapse. The two cards are picked up and restructured, using two more cards. This house stands for a longer time. Yet, the house eventually collapses again. This collapse and rebuild happens over and over as the child develops and matures, integrating new and old.
Once I stopped wanting "life as I knew it" back, I was able to say "yes" to God in a more complete way. Our family has been able to grow and mature. We crashed and with God's grace, we are rebuilding something more durable, stable, flexible, and beautiful.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Young Man and All Star
In my last post, I wrote vaguely about the family transitions we are experiencing. Today, I'll write about one involving Little League All Stars and the metamorphosis of my ten year old son.
My son made the All Star team this season and was the starting catcher for the nine and ten year olds. He had a great season, loves the game, and respects his coach. The All Star team brought together new team mates, some of whom up front were strutting their stuff in a way that is typical but inappropriate. My son was challenged in a way that he hasn't been in the past. He had to stand up for his values, home schooling, and faith in a more mature way.
Going into the world as a young man is no easy ride. My husband has been steadfast in his support. But dad hasn't had to do it alone. My son wrote another athlete, a seventeen year old Catholic home-educated young man, asking him for advice. The reply he received was priceless. Good man to good man support is priceless. My son handled the challenges well, better than his mother, and before my eyes I saw glimpses of the man God is calling him to be.
After sticking to his guns, much practice as a team, and an earned respect and friendship among the players, my son was confident and eager to begin tournament play. I sat on the sidelines, both literally and figuratively. I cheered, reassured, purchased enough sports drink for a small army, and stomped on the ground when the ump made a bad call.
Two moments from the tournament stand out most in my mind. The first happened when four teams lined up on the first and third base lines, eagerly awaiting the tournament to begin. Introductions were made, fans clapped, then we were asked to stand for the National Anthem. My son, in his catcher gear, put his hand to his heart, gave full attention to the flag, and sang. No fidgeting. No looking at his feet. No waving at his family. Time stopped for me. My eyes welled with pride and a bittersweet realization that this was no longer a little boy.
The second moment came when my son's team lost in the semi-finals when in the bottom of the last inning, the other team came up with a run to squeak past us for the win. I never thought I would feel so broken-hearted. My mind knows "this is just a Little League game," but my heart had grown to care for all the players and their families. Even more, my heart was growing in deeper love with the young man catching. I watched him hold his head high, congratulate the other team, and reassure his team mates. He thanked his coaches, thanked his family, and thanked God for the opportunity. He choked back tears, a young man, a true All Star. He choked the tears back much better than his mom.
My son made the All Star team this season and was the starting catcher for the nine and ten year olds. He had a great season, loves the game, and respects his coach. The All Star team brought together new team mates, some of whom up front were strutting their stuff in a way that is typical but inappropriate. My son was challenged in a way that he hasn't been in the past. He had to stand up for his values, home schooling, and faith in a more mature way.
Going into the world as a young man is no easy ride. My husband has been steadfast in his support. But dad hasn't had to do it alone. My son wrote another athlete, a seventeen year old Catholic home-educated young man, asking him for advice. The reply he received was priceless. Good man to good man support is priceless. My son handled the challenges well, better than his mother, and before my eyes I saw glimpses of the man God is calling him to be.
After sticking to his guns, much practice as a team, and an earned respect and friendship among the players, my son was confident and eager to begin tournament play. I sat on the sidelines, both literally and figuratively. I cheered, reassured, purchased enough sports drink for a small army, and stomped on the ground when the ump made a bad call.
Two moments from the tournament stand out most in my mind. The first happened when four teams lined up on the first and third base lines, eagerly awaiting the tournament to begin. Introductions were made, fans clapped, then we were asked to stand for the National Anthem. My son, in his catcher gear, put his hand to his heart, gave full attention to the flag, and sang. No fidgeting. No looking at his feet. No waving at his family. Time stopped for me. My eyes welled with pride and a bittersweet realization that this was no longer a little boy.
The second moment came when my son's team lost in the semi-finals when in the bottom of the last inning, the other team came up with a run to squeak past us for the win. I never thought I would feel so broken-hearted. My mind knows "this is just a Little League game," but my heart had grown to care for all the players and their families. Even more, my heart was growing in deeper love with the young man catching. I watched him hold his head high, congratulate the other team, and reassure his team mates. He thanked his coaches, thanked his family, and thanked God for the opportunity. He choked back tears, a young man, a true All Star. He choked the tears back much better than his mom.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Time Squared
Wow can time rev up and move on leaving me in its wake! The only explanation I have for being away from my blog is that our family is going through several big transitions that I’ll be writing about in future posts. This is all exciting yet head-spinning. A few days ago my heart cried out, “Stop this thing! I want to get off!”
I read years ago in a business publication, that there are two different types of time, chronos and mythos. Chronos time is linear, definable, and countable. Here are some examples. “Meet me at 9:00.” “We eat dinner at 6:00.” “On June 7th we’re having friends to visit.” Mythos time is something else entirely. Mythos time is non-linear, hard to define, and hard to grasp. Mythos time explains why a vacation week sweeps by so much more quickly than a week having the flu. The gist of the article was that excellent executives know, or learn, how to move smoothly between and take advantage of the two.
When I read the article, I was a public administrator. Shortly after reading the article I became a mother. When I was a public administrator, I power walked the straight path of chronos time. Oh what discipline, pride, and comfort! When I became a mommy, I plunged into the swirling sea of mythos time. I left my false discipline, pride, and comfort behind. For example, I learned that to succeed in breastfeeding, I needed to not look at the clock. I learned that to gain rest, I needed to be resourceful and not count on eight hours straight between ten and six. I learned that time can stop when my daughter stared into my eyes.
Mythos time became Mommy time. I didn’t keep a calendar. I didn’t wear a watch. I didn’t plan much at all. I nursed my baby. I slept with my baby. I savored my time with her. Floating in pure mythos time doesn’t happen often in life, I’ve learned. It is a gift. Mythos time is God’s time.
How was my time spent these past few weeks? I was wrestling with chronos time, meeting unusual time commitments, and mythos time, meeting unusual people needs and happenstances. I was called to trust that my well-planned days and weeks needed to be put aside to swim in the uncertainty of God’s will for me. The rush is over...I think. I’m tentatively planning to get back to our usual routine, full of chronos time aides. We’ll see what God has planned for me.
I read years ago in a business publication, that there are two different types of time, chronos and mythos. Chronos time is linear, definable, and countable. Here are some examples. “Meet me at 9:00.” “We eat dinner at 6:00.” “On June 7th we’re having friends to visit.” Mythos time is something else entirely. Mythos time is non-linear, hard to define, and hard to grasp. Mythos time explains why a vacation week sweeps by so much more quickly than a week having the flu. The gist of the article was that excellent executives know, or learn, how to move smoothly between and take advantage of the two.
When I read the article, I was a public administrator. Shortly after reading the article I became a mother. When I was a public administrator, I power walked the straight path of chronos time. Oh what discipline, pride, and comfort! When I became a mommy, I plunged into the swirling sea of mythos time. I left my false discipline, pride, and comfort behind. For example, I learned that to succeed in breastfeeding, I needed to not look at the clock. I learned that to gain rest, I needed to be resourceful and not count on eight hours straight between ten and six. I learned that time can stop when my daughter stared into my eyes.
Mythos time became Mommy time. I didn’t keep a calendar. I didn’t wear a watch. I didn’t plan much at all. I nursed my baby. I slept with my baby. I savored my time with her. Floating in pure mythos time doesn’t happen often in life, I’ve learned. It is a gift. Mythos time is God’s time.
How was my time spent these past few weeks? I was wrestling with chronos time, meeting unusual time commitments, and mythos time, meeting unusual people needs and happenstances. I was called to trust that my well-planned days and weeks needed to be put aside to swim in the uncertainty of God’s will for me. The rush is over...I think. I’m tentatively planning to get back to our usual routine, full of chronos time aides. We’ll see what God has planned for me.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Sweet Names
Little did I know when I started calling my husband, "Honey," in our early years of marriage that the name would stick. My first baby became "Sweetheart" early, and Sweetheart she remains. My second baby became "Babe," giving our family a glimpse into his baseball future. My third baby became "Spunky," then morphed into "Little Man" and now has reverted back to "Spunky." The name fits.
With our current baby, I call him "Chunky Monkey" and "Hunk a Chunk a Burnin' Love" and any combination of the two. I was tempted to call him "Fang" when his top teeth came in, not with the usual top two first but with the teeth on either side first. I thought better.
It's funny. These sweet names aren't interchangeable. I don't call my husband Sweetheart and definitely won't call my daughter Chunk. I wonder if the names will stick. I wonder what other names will arise and fit in the future. For more on terms of endearment, check out "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" by Elizabeth Foss.
Have a blessed Sunday.
With our current baby, I call him "Chunky Monkey" and "Hunk a Chunk a Burnin' Love" and any combination of the two. I was tempted to call him "Fang" when his top teeth came in, not with the usual top two first but with the teeth on either side first. I thought better.
It's funny. These sweet names aren't interchangeable. I don't call my husband Sweetheart and definitely won't call my daughter Chunk. I wonder if the names will stick. I wonder what other names will arise and fit in the future. For more on terms of endearment, check out "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" by Elizabeth Foss.
Have a blessed Sunday.
Friday, May 12, 2006
More on Pegs
Lissa has done a fabulous job of explaining family organizational pegs while also giving credit toLeonie for first sharing this concept with the CCM list. Thank you, Lissa and Leonie!
Here are two of my previous posts about how pegs work in our day and help us pray.
Here are two of my previous posts about how pegs work in our day and help us pray.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Sacrifice and May 19th Family Activity Suggestion
I've had a general post in my draft box about the othercott to The Da Vinci Code for two weeks. Now I know why I didn't post it earlier. I just heard that one of my dearly loved ones is tempted to see TDVC. My general post has just gotten personal.
Sacrifice it. Yes, "Curious," sacrifice seeing TDVC. Why? Because it is the right thing to do. It really is that simple.
I'll let others explain the nitty gritty of why TDVC is a "frontal assault on Jesus Christ and all of Christianity" according to Teresa Tomeo, Host of Catholic Connection. You'll appreciate their thorough and intelligent research. I'll speak to you. I know you love movies. I also know that you enjoy being in the know and in the now. But I also know that you have worked so hard to straighten your path and seek the truth. This is a perfect opportunity for you to sacrifice.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Not only is this an opportunity to sacrifice, it is an opportunity to trust the Catholic Church and to trust fully evangelized Catholics to speak the truth about this movie.
Here's an idea. I know a way that you can see a good movie AND have fun with your family AND avoid having to discuss this topic with me ever again. The movie, Over the Hedge is getting good reviews and just so happens to be opening on the same day as TDVC.
Sony and Dan Brown urge us to SEEK THE TRUTH! I wholeheartedly agree. Let's seek...
Sacrifice it. Yes, "Curious," sacrifice seeing TDVC. Why? Because it is the right thing to do. It really is that simple.
I'll let others explain the nitty gritty of why TDVC is a "frontal assault on Jesus Christ and all of Christianity" according to Teresa Tomeo, Host of Catholic Connection. You'll appreciate their thorough and intelligent research. I'll speak to you. I know you love movies. I also know that you enjoy being in the know and in the now. But I also know that you have worked so hard to straighten your path and seek the truth. This is a perfect opportunity for you to sacrifice.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
2099
It is right to offer sacrifice to God as a sign of adoration and gratitude, supplication and communion: "Every action done so as to cling to God in communion of holiness, and thus achieve blessedness, is a true sacrifice."16
Not only is this an opportunity to sacrifice, it is an opportunity to trust the Catholic Church and to trust fully evangelized Catholics to speak the truth about this movie.
Here's an idea. I know a way that you can see a good movie AND have fun with your family AND avoid having to discuss this topic with me ever again. The movie, Over the Hedge is getting good reviews and just so happens to be opening on the same day as TDVC.
Sony and Dan Brown urge us to SEEK THE TRUTH! I wholeheartedly agree. Let's seek...
...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.Seek...and find...the Truth. You bet!
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Open to Life
The area of the heart where I have grown most in clarity since my reversion to the Catholic Church is in openness to life. This is largely due to the wonderful families that I have come to know through online friendships and local Catholic homeschooling families. In Elizabeth Foss' article, In Praise of Big Families, you can see an example of the loving hearts and clear minds that have highly influenced me. Lovingly said and lived, Elizabeth.
In her article, Elizabeth quotes another friend, Bridget,
Last week I had a follow-up conversation with a new friend at a local Catholic homeschooling event. Previously, Christy had told me that her family was caring for her husband's grandmother at home. The grandmother was in hospice care, facing the end of her life. Now Christy informed me that grandma had responded so well to being in their loving home care that grandma is no longer with hospice, which according to these experts means she is no longer looking at near death. Christy went on to tell me that she quit her part-time job to be more available to grandma. She talked about the privilege of caring for grandma and shared with me tender and funny ways that the family helped grandma to receive their care and keep her pride in tact. With a pretty smile, she told me that caring for grandma fits right in with being the mother of four young children. Then she quipped, "You could say that we're open to the END of life, and what that brings to a family." Lovingly said and lived, Christy.
In her article, Elizabeth quotes another friend, Bridget,
It is hard to explain to a young couple just starting out or even to an older couple who has not had this openness how married love can grow from the challenges of many children. Indeed, the openness may be key here, rather than the actual numbers of children. The openness is up to us, the number is up to God.Lovingly said and lived, Bridget.
Last week I had a follow-up conversation with a new friend at a local Catholic homeschooling event. Previously, Christy had told me that her family was caring for her husband's grandmother at home. The grandmother was in hospice care, facing the end of her life. Now Christy informed me that grandma had responded so well to being in their loving home care that grandma is no longer with hospice, which according to these experts means she is no longer looking at near death. Christy went on to tell me that she quit her part-time job to be more available to grandma. She talked about the privilege of caring for grandma and shared with me tender and funny ways that the family helped grandma to receive their care and keep her pride in tact. With a pretty smile, she told me that caring for grandma fits right in with being the mother of four young children. Then she quipped, "You could say that we're open to the END of life, and what that brings to a family." Lovingly said and lived, Christy.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Lack of Love
Or Pope says low birth rate is due mainly to lack of love.
It is children and young people who are often the first to experience the consequences of this eclipse of love and hope. Often, instead of feeling loved and cherished, they appear to be merely tolerated. In "an age of turbulence" they frequently lack adequate moral guidance from the adult world, to the serious detriment of their intellectual and spiritual development. Many children now grow up in a society which is forgetful of God and of the innate dignity of the human person made in God’s image. In a world shaped by the accelerating processes of globalization, they are often exposed solely to materialistic visions of the universe, of life and human fulfillment.Amen.
Yet children and young people are by nature receptive, generous, idealistic and open to transcendence. They need above all else to be exposed to love and to develop in a healthy human ecology, where they can come to realize that they have not been cast into the world by chance, but through a gift that is part of God’s loving plan. Parents, educators and community leaders, if they are to be faithful to their own calling, can never renounce their duty to set before children and young people the task of choosing a life project directed towards authentic happiness, one capable of distinguishing between truth and falsehood, good and evil, justice and injustice, the real world and the world of "virtual reality".
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Girlfriend Call
I was blessed today to have a long phone conversation with a girlfriend. It is rare for me to have a leisurely phone conversation and yet when I do, I am reminded how important talking girl talk with a friend is to me...and my family. It is obvious why this is important to me. I'm very fortunate to have intense women friends who challenge, reassure, and encourage me. They also make me laugh. All of this helps me to strive to fulfill my vocation wholeheartedly. Why is a girlfriend chat important to my family? You guessed it; when I'm happy, the family is happy. Or at least they don't have to deal with my foreign-to-them-woman-need that is being met quite nicely without them.
Have you talked on the phone with a girlfriend lately? Consider giving a call. Especially consider giving a call to the friend you are sure is to busy to talk. She might be just the friend who needs to hear from you most.
Have a blessed Sunday!
Have you talked on the phone with a girlfriend lately? Consider giving a call. Especially consider giving a call to the friend you are sure is to busy to talk. She might be just the friend who needs to hear from you most.
Have a blessed Sunday!
Friday, April 28, 2006
Together in Prayer
I just received word that my sweet eight year old niece, who lives thousands of miles away in Pennsylvania, was hospitalized with severe abdominal pain and other serious symptoms. She is being observed and waiting for test results.
It is so hard to be separated from my brother and his family, especially when his daughter is in the hospital. I gain great comfort from knowing that our family is together in prayer.
From St. Frances De Sales,
It is so hard to be separated from my brother and his family, especially when his daughter is in the hospital. I gain great comfort from knowing that our family is together in prayer.
From St. Frances De Sales,
Never think that geographical distance can ever separate souls whom God has united by the ties of His love. The children of the world are separated one from another because their hearts are in different places; but the children of God, having their hearts where their treasure is, and sharing only one treasure - which is the same God - are consequently always united and joined together.Please join me in prayer for my niece. If you feel so called, join our family in a novena to St. Gianna Molla. I have gained much peace from praying to this lovely Saint, knowing how much she loves children and wants the medical profession to be a conduit for God's grace. Thank you.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Arizona hEATS
My daughter and I have a new blog, Arizona hEATS. We're having a lot of fun working together in the kitchen and at the computer. As the temperature heats up, come and pull up a seat on our virtual covered patio and we'll serve you up some iced tea and good hEATS.
Apology to Commenters
I just learned from my blogging friend extraordinaire, stef, that it is proper etiquette to comment on comments left at my blog. Fortunately for me, comments have been left by dear friends and family who will not be surprised that it was my ignorance, not my lack of gratitude, that kept me from commenting. I honestly thought that if I commented on a comment it was like sending a thank you for a thank you OR that I was already saying too much and taking up even MORE of your time! Now I see that I am free to send my thank you, one that is truly heartfelt.
To make up for my past errors, I want to say thank you all for visiting me here. I know how valuable your time is and I am grateful that you choose to spend some with me. I try to make it worth your while! From now on, I'll also do my best to respond to comments.
To make up for my past errors, I want to say thank you all for visiting me here. I know how valuable your time is and I am grateful that you choose to spend some with me. I try to make it worth your while! From now on, I'll also do my best to respond to comments.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Little League Glue
Little League is in high gear right now and will keep me well occupied through May. Our 10 year old is in the Majors and our 7 year old is in Coach Pitch. We are at a game up to four nights a week!
We have had our Little League lumps over the past two years. Fortunately, this season is fantastic. At the Major level, the play is very skilled and exciting. The 10-12 year olds play their hearts out! Our family also enjoys the company of the other players' families, a mixed lot which makes for many an interesting encounter.
I sometimes wonder what our family did before Little League. We hang out at the games together, cheering. Our daughter is learning how to keep score for her brother's team. We talk about the games over and over and over. Throw into the mix that we are having fun with our neighbors...take me out to the ballgame!
We have had our Little League lumps over the past two years. Fortunately, this season is fantastic. At the Major level, the play is very skilled and exciting. The 10-12 year olds play their hearts out! Our family also enjoys the company of the other players' families, a mixed lot which makes for many an interesting encounter.
I sometimes wonder what our family did before Little League. We hang out at the games together, cheering. Our daughter is learning how to keep score for her brother's team. We talk about the games over and over and over. Throw into the mix that we are having fun with our neighbors...take me out to the ballgame!
Monday, April 24, 2006
Family Project
This past week was Easter vacation here, to include taking a break from blogging and much of our usual stuff. I'm convinced that a business as usual mentality the week after Easter robs us of Easter joy and distracts us from Christ.
So into the void we tackled a family project that has been gnawing at me for two years. We organized a small seating area on our patio. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, I should have thought again! The good news is that four trips to Home Depot and many hours of manual labor and we have a sweet place to kick back and enjoy our beautiful Arizona outdoor living.
We purchased a couch secondhand and a white woven throw slipcover. It fits perfectly up against the wall under our bedroom window. My daughter made sweet pillows for it out of blue material with a multi-colored bird print...too tweet (couldn't resist.) Across from the couch we purchased two all weather wicker type chairs in powder blue. This is a big step for me because I can be practical to a fault and feel compelled to purchase white. My frugal side won out because only the blue chairs were on sale:). My daughter is making coordinating seat pad covers using material that only has the branches and white blooms from the bird print. On the ground between the couch and chairs is a blue indoor/outdoor rug. NEVER did I think I would use a rug outside; my mind always thinks astroturf. With a baby and a desperate desire for color in the desert, a dark blue rug it is. Between the two chairs is a secondhand table on which the children and I placed multi-colored kitchen tiles (3X4) in the center, surrounded by mostly blue with some multi-colored glass gems. The grout is "almond sand" which gives it a rippling water over sand effect...if you have a really good imagination. Finally, behind the two chairs we put up (5) 4X8 panels of white privacy lattice between our covered patio posts. This has brought not only privacy, but shade which is a high commodity in the desert. Figuring out and implementing this part of the project was quite a team effort. Phew!
The planner that I am is chagrined to admit that this big project wasn't planned. To be honest, I woke up the day after Easter and "just couldn't take it anymore!" After sitting on my friend's sweet, shaded, patio the day before, I was compelled to shake my handywoman inhibitions and go for it! Shortly into the project I lost my temper because...well never mind. Once I apologized I was ready to not only produce a pleasant patio, I was going to avoid sinning as well! It was fantastic to work with the children. They carried, measured, painted, tiled, washed, cleared, mowed, and so much more. In fact, this family project was so successful, I have one planned for the Fall.
So into the void we tackled a family project that has been gnawing at me for two years. We organized a small seating area on our patio. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, I should have thought again! The good news is that four trips to Home Depot and many hours of manual labor and we have a sweet place to kick back and enjoy our beautiful Arizona outdoor living.
We purchased a couch secondhand and a white woven throw slipcover. It fits perfectly up against the wall under our bedroom window. My daughter made sweet pillows for it out of blue material with a multi-colored bird print...too tweet (couldn't resist.) Across from the couch we purchased two all weather wicker type chairs in powder blue. This is a big step for me because I can be practical to a fault and feel compelled to purchase white. My frugal side won out because only the blue chairs were on sale:). My daughter is making coordinating seat pad covers using material that only has the branches and white blooms from the bird print. On the ground between the couch and chairs is a blue indoor/outdoor rug. NEVER did I think I would use a rug outside; my mind always thinks astroturf. With a baby and a desperate desire for color in the desert, a dark blue rug it is. Between the two chairs is a secondhand table on which the children and I placed multi-colored kitchen tiles (3X4) in the center, surrounded by mostly blue with some multi-colored glass gems. The grout is "almond sand" which gives it a rippling water over sand effect...if you have a really good imagination. Finally, behind the two chairs we put up (5) 4X8 panels of white privacy lattice between our covered patio posts. This has brought not only privacy, but shade which is a high commodity in the desert. Figuring out and implementing this part of the project was quite a team effort. Phew!
The planner that I am is chagrined to admit that this big project wasn't planned. To be honest, I woke up the day after Easter and "just couldn't take it anymore!" After sitting on my friend's sweet, shaded, patio the day before, I was compelled to shake my handywoman inhibitions and go for it! Shortly into the project I lost my temper because...well never mind. Once I apologized I was ready to not only produce a pleasant patio, I was going to avoid sinning as well! It was fantastic to work with the children. They carried, measured, painted, tiled, washed, cleared, mowed, and so much more. In fact, this family project was so successful, I have one planned for the Fall.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Holy Week and Sacred Triduum: Saturday
This is what I had in my draft box before I brought my husband to the hospital emergency room with severe abdominal pain and swelling...
I love this day! As our seven year old said while bouncing up and down, "Mom, I can hardly wait until Easter! I think I'm going to bust!" Today is all about waiting and preparing.
We'll shop for last minute Easter basket items and fresh food needs for tomorrow. We'll make some dishes that we are bring to our friends' home for our traditional Easter ham dinner tomorrow. Can't forget to get all the Easter clothes ready! We will dye Easter eggs and finish up a few craft loose ends.
We will miss the Easter Vigil Mass tonight, which is a sacrifice. Our daughter will lecture at the family Mass tomorrow, with our whole family present. Tonight after the sun set, we will decorate the front of our home. We hang plastic eggs that have been tied to multi-colored ribbons from our trees. We also hang our Easter flag. Colored wicker Easter baskets with tacky multi-colored Easter grass line the front of the house. For the grand finale, add a purple 6' Easter Bunny similar to this one and you have a can't miss explosion of Easter joy!
(Disclaimer: If I had my way, our front yard would look more, umm, sophisticated. Last year when I was hugely pregnant, the family took the decorating of our "new to the desert front yard" bull by the horns and that explains the purple bunny! So now I eat humble pie, again, because the yard is perfectly eye-catching. It is especially noticeable since we are the only family in the near neighborhood who decorates for Easter.)...
There is nothing like a health scare, and this one was one of the scariest, to put things into perspective. However many wonderful activities we had planned, they didn't have to happen for the risen Christ to come in Easter glory. In fact, Easter is even more delicious exactly because Easter is NOT dependent upon me or you or health or anything human. Easter comes. He is risen!
Thanks be to God and to all my prayerful friends, my husband was home and in bed by 2:00 am on Easter morning. He received the best case scenario results and is on oral antibiotics for an infection. Praise God and Happy Easter!
I love this day! As our seven year old said while bouncing up and down, "Mom, I can hardly wait until Easter! I think I'm going to bust!" Today is all about waiting and preparing.
We'll shop for last minute Easter basket items and fresh food needs for tomorrow. We'll make some dishes that we are bring to our friends' home for our traditional Easter ham dinner tomorrow. Can't forget to get all the Easter clothes ready! We will dye Easter eggs and finish up a few craft loose ends.
We will miss the Easter Vigil Mass tonight, which is a sacrifice. Our daughter will lecture at the family Mass tomorrow, with our whole family present. Tonight after the sun set, we will decorate the front of our home. We hang plastic eggs that have been tied to multi-colored ribbons from our trees. We also hang our Easter flag. Colored wicker Easter baskets with tacky multi-colored Easter grass line the front of the house. For the grand finale, add a purple 6' Easter Bunny similar to this one and you have a can't miss explosion of Easter joy!
(Disclaimer: If I had my way, our front yard would look more, umm, sophisticated. Last year when I was hugely pregnant, the family took the decorating of our "new to the desert front yard" bull by the horns and that explains the purple bunny! So now I eat humble pie, again, because the yard is perfectly eye-catching. It is especially noticeable since we are the only family in the near neighborhood who decorates for Easter.)...
There is nothing like a health scare, and this one was one of the scariest, to put things into perspective. However many wonderful activities we had planned, they didn't have to happen for the risen Christ to come in Easter glory. In fact, Easter is even more delicious exactly because Easter is NOT dependent upon me or you or health or anything human. Easter comes. He is risen!
Thanks be to God and to all my prayerful friends, my husband was home and in bed by 2:00 am on Easter morning. He received the best case scenario results and is on oral antibiotics for an infection. Praise God and Happy Easter!
Friday, April 14, 2006
Holy Week and Sacred Triduum: Friday
Good Friday is a full, slow moving, deliberate and somber day here. No music or entertainment. It is also a day when we need to be careful not to fall into traps of bickering, impatience, and sloth. It is as if the heaviness of the day weighs on us and in our weakness we want to take it out on each other. This article, The Holiday Halmark Can't Handle, touches upon the unique mix of feelings today.
Fortunately, we have several activities to help keep us out of trouble. We plan to make my friend Mary Ann's Hot Cross Buns. (Thanks again, Mary Ann!) We will clean the house. We'll begin the Divine Mercy Novena and will add prayer for troops. We will abstain from meat and fast.
Later today we will do the Stations of the Cross using these prints from Catholic Heritage Curriculum. We will attend Mass for The Lord's Passion, Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.
Finally, we get to call my Dad and sing Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! I and we love you.
Fortunately, we have several activities to help keep us out of trouble. We plan to make my friend Mary Ann's Hot Cross Buns. (Thanks again, Mary Ann!) We will clean the house. We'll begin the Divine Mercy Novena and will add prayer for troops. We will abstain from meat and fast.
Later today we will do the Stations of the Cross using these prints from Catholic Heritage Curriculum. We will attend Mass for The Lord's Passion, Liturgy of the Word, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.
Finally, we get to call my Dad and sing Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! I and we love you.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Holy Week and Sacred Triduum: Thursday
Holy Thursday is when Jesus ate the Last Supper with his apostles. Although not my tradition, I love the meaning behind calling today Maundy Thursday. Maundy Means "command," which refers to Jesus command to "love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34.)
Today we will make unleavened bread. Tonight my husband will lead us through our simplified version of a seder meal. Our evening will conclude with my husband washing our feet.
My heart is about to burst with gratitude.
Today we will make unleavened bread. Tonight my husband will lead us through our simplified version of a seder meal. Our evening will conclude with my husband washing our feet.
My heart is about to burst with gratitude.
Holy Week: Wednesday
Yesterday we planned to clean and shop. I don't mind cleaning but shopping is a whole other matter. Not being a gifted shopper, shopping falls into the category of sacrifice. I do what needs to be done to fulfill my vocation as wife and mother and holiday maker extraordinaire!
What God had planned for me yesterday was quite different. I had the privilege to talk to a dear friend about her family challenges and to suggest ways of helping that included a discussion about the sacramental grace found within the Catholic Church. My friend is a talented, funny woman, a beautiful seeker, a devoted wife and mother, and an inspiration. I prayed out loud to my friend for the ability to represent God and His Church well and with loving truth. It proved to be a challenging and beautiful conversation, one that brought these words to my mouth...
Yes, I managed to shop yesterday (with an extra bounce in my step) and the cleaning was rescheduled...gladly.
*Matt 16:18 - "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
What God had planned for me yesterday was quite different. I had the privilege to talk to a dear friend about her family challenges and to suggest ways of helping that included a discussion about the sacramental grace found within the Catholic Church. My friend is a talented, funny woman, a beautiful seeker, a devoted wife and mother, and an inspiration. I prayed out loud to my friend for the ability to represent God and His Church well and with loving truth. It proved to be a challenging and beautiful conversation, one that brought these words to my mouth...
I may not completely trust humans or human constructs, but I do trust God. I trust Jesus Christ and his perfect example and sacrifice for us. I trust the Holy Spirit to lead us Home. I trust the Holy Tradition (I'm not talking Bingo here) of the Catholic Church which Christ promised would never be overcome.* I trust this with my life.This was when I burst into tears! I'm not one to cry easily and I most certainly didn't want to turn emotional during this delicate conversation. Then I found myself apologizing for the tears, saying...
I've never said that before, in that way, to anyone. I'm crying because not only do I completely trust this for me, I completely trust this for those I love, for my children, for my husband, for you.My gracious friend blessed me yesterday. I hope and pray that I was a conduit of God's grace for her. We've been good friends to each other for years. God works in amazing and surprising ways.
Yes, I managed to shop yesterday (with an extra bounce in my step) and the cleaning was rescheduled...gladly.
*Matt 16:18 - "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
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