Tag Archives: Catholicism

How are things ‘out there’ in your world?

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I apologize for my temporary absence and thank my good friends for complaining in a good-natured way that I am not blogging. It feeds the attention-whore side of my personality and helps me feel like I am contributing in a positive way to the world at large with my little ramblings here. I haven’t been neglecting this space out of any sort of negative feelings about it – we just became very busy with other things for a bit! Here is a sampling of our world the past couple of weeks:

We have been planting corn on our farm as well as spraying our wheat. We are experiencing disease pressures and some insect troubles because of the unseasonably warm and mild spring thus far.

School has been trucking along – we are reading our last two historical novels and in six weeks we will have completed 1st, 3rd and 5th grades. I am shuffling through curriculum choices for next year and plan to begin in July instead of August.

Random learning experience: The oven light wouldn’t shut off – the diagnosis and repair became an interesting lesson for all of us.

Watching the appliance repair man at work.

Showing the children where the shorted-out circuit can be seen.

The garden is growing great guns. My Farmer Boy has been so much help – he can hardly keep himself out of the dirt, especially now that he has THIS contraption (compliments of Grandpa):

No patch of bare earth is safe from these blades.

We have spinach and lettuce being served on our table, onions and peas growing like mad, the first strawberries are beginning to ripen. The potatoes Farmer Boy planted are up and thriving (though not where he marked them…) and my second planting of spuds are tucked in. We put in carrots, a leek-ish sort of vegetable, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and sweet peppers. Still to come are cucumbers, sweet corn, okra – and maybe we’ll be out of space by then but we shall see.

We had a lovely Easter – one which made me feel especially thankful for good friends.

Don't you just want to eat them up?

Still to come: Tales of an eleventh birthday, our first visit to the botanical gardens of our area, things I’ve been cooking, other cute oddities of spring. What’s been happening with all of you?

Music To My Ears

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Something that has been especially wonderful for me since I entered the blogging world are the friends I have made. These are people I never would have the opportunity to know without the community formed around blogging.

One of those friends is Christine. We think we are probably soul mates or perhaps we were separated at birth.

I was excited when she asked me to write a guest post, and even more excited when she asked me to write about music.

Please head over to Quasiagitato to read what I usually write about (me, my kids, me, me, sappiness, some funny stuff) from the viewpoint of what music means.

A Glimpse

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Yesterday was a beautiful day in our part of the world. It is NOT normal to have a 63 degree day on the first of February where I come from.

We began our day with school work.

One of my students was a part of Washington’s Continental Army, as you can see.

Shooter was signed up to bring snacks to PSR in the evening, so he made brownies. Lucky for us he made a double batch – which is handy because (a) now we can eat brownies and (b) it gave him extra practice on converting fractions in order to double the recipe.

I did some ‘helping’ after Little Cowgirl was finished ‘picking up’ her room.

On our way home from phonics lessons and tae kwan do, we paid a visit to a friend.

I said a prayer, telling God we were full of sorrow because we miss Grandma, but full of happiness because she is with him in heaven, and full of thanks because she is no longer in the hospital suffering but is surrounded by God’s love and smiling down on us. I asked him to hear the prayers we held in our hearts.

When we left, my Little Cowgirl asked if it was alright to make up words to prayers. (I grew up Methodist, so this question comes as a surprise every time a little one asks me.) I told her that God is our friend and loves us, so we can talk to him in any way we are most comfortable. I said that sometimes it is nice to use words we have memorized when we can’t describe how we are feeling or just want to spend time with him, but we can also tell God anything, talk to him about anything, and use any words to say it. OR we can just think it – and God will listen.

The kids soaked up the best parts of the sun for a couple of hours before we headed into town for PSR class – playing revolution and (of course) farm.

We left 45 minutes early so I could drop by the bank, cleaners and Goodwill (I’ve been doing Flylady flinging!) before PSR began. The kids ate sack lunches (ravenously, I might add) and drained their water bottles. It was surreal to watch them walk into the school wearing T-shirts!

Tomorrow is our ‘slowest’ day of the week – no activities besides band at noon – and I’m going to encourage as much outside time as possible. According to the weather forecast we are supposed to actually have some *winter* beginning tomorrow. But yesterday was a beautiful day – in every kind of way.

Keeping a Promise

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My friend Delena, over at It’s On My To-Do List, asked me several months ago where I fit religion into our homeschool.  I had been posting about curriculum choices, homeschooling stereotypes and what works for us.

 

So finally, after several false starts, here is the answer to the question!

 

We consider ourselves to be more of a secular homeschooling family.  Our reasons for choosing homeschooling had nothing to do with our faith.  I did not feel “called” or “led” to homeschool more than I do any other part of my life.  I have always felt my vocation was married life and mothering.  I lived that way when my children were in ‘regular’ school as well.

 

We do include our faith in our daily life – but not really in our curriculum.  Why?  Because our faith is already a part of our every day life.  The things I do that are in line with teaching my children about Catholocism are the same things I was doing before we started educating at home.  I was satisfied with them before and continue to feel that way now.

Here are some of the materials we will use this year that are related to my personal beliefs:

 

The kids also attend our Church’s Parish School of Religion once a week.  For you protestant friends of mine, this means the same thing as Sunday School, just not on Sundays.  For my friends who aren’t Christian, this means they attend a class where they learn more about Church teachings and traditions, sing songs, and talk about the Gospel reading (a segment of the story of Jesus from a specific section of the Bible) for the coming Sunday.  They work on things like this:

I do not “plan” any of these as part of our homeschool curriculum.  I do choose curriculum that I feel is wholesome, age-appropriate and teaches values and virtues that are important to me.  I may sometimes tweak an assignment to include a Catholic element (for example, write about your favorite Saint instead of the generic ‘someone you look up to’).

The way that I live and the example I give – this is how I taught my children about our beliefs before we brought them home to learn, and how I will continue to show them now that we spend all our days together.  No matter what a person professes as their faith, the way they live will truly show where their priorities lay.

 

And on a side note:

This was a hard post to write because, despite the constant editing, I still feel I’m surely going to offend someone.  I want to clearly say that I am NOT advocating that anyone should be doing things this way other than my own family.  You see, I truly believe that each family is so different that there is certainly not a right way to do things…just the right way for each specific family.  I’m also not criticizing anyone who is more or less inclusive of their beliefs, or who educates in a different way that we do.  I encourage everyone to find their own way and I offer respect and props to all the peeps who are thoughtfully and intentionally making their choices.  Life is SO short and you have only a tiny fraction of it with your children.  Here’s to making it count!

Vocation

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I was truly a frazzled nub by the end of the day yesterday.  We’ve all had days like that, where everything becomes overwhelming all at once and you feel like you are walking around with a piano on your chest and you know regardless of how awesome you are (humility is not my greatest virtue)…something is going to be forgotten and a ball (or two or three) will drop out of the lineup.

 

And I’m so thankful that, in the midst of it, I can still see clearly.  I am so thankful that I grew up in a house where people always came before things (Hi, Mom! *waving* Thank you!).  I’m so thankful that, in spite of exhaustion, it was actually the best thing for me to have children waking and needing me in the middle of the night.  It is my calling, God’s purpose for me on this earth, to love them.  My days of night-waking are, for the most part, over. (I know! I did say that out loud and I realize that every reader with a child under three just screamed silently in their head that I’m jinxing myself.) It was bittersweet to answer that call last night, and it fed my need to fill need.

 

It was being needed and able to give in such a simple way that has allowed me to wake today with fresh purpose and resolve.

The Rosary, Illustrated

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By Little Cowgirl:

 

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

 

Holy Mary, Mother Of God,

PRAY for

 

US sinners

 

NOW and at the HOUR

 

of our DEATH.

 

Amen.

 

PS – when I showed her these pictures, she told me her eyes are supposed to be closed when she does “death.”

 

LOLOLOLOL.

Knowledge Is Power

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My Farmer and I have been amazed at the change in Farmer Boy since explaining to him that he is dyslexic/dysgraphic and what that has meant for him.   It is the only thing that is different in the last two months and he is like a new person when it comes to reading.  He is spontaneously reading things all the time now, which NEVER happened before.  I can’t tell you what it does to my heart to see him during these moments.  It reminds me of the first week we homeschooled, and I was literally nauseated all day hoping I hadn’t made a horrible mistake until Shooter told me as he threw his arms into the air, “I LOVE homeschooling!  NO MORE SAD DAYS!”

 

For his First Communion, we gave Farmer Boy a prayer book and rosary set.  It was, evidently, just what he had been hoping for.  When he got sick on Wednesday, we missed the last night of our Parish School of Religion.  This was the end-of-year party where Farmer Boy would have worn his fancy suit, received Eucharist with his classmates, had photos and a reception, followed by a barbeque at the park.  But do you know what he was sad about?  Missing the opportunity to have the gifts he received for First Communion blessed by our parish priest.  Even though I reassured him that Father Wayne would be happy to bless them for him at another time, I got out my prayer book and read a blessing of religious articles and he seemed satisfied.

 

Then the most suprising and wonderful thing happened.  Farmer Boy opened his prayer book and read this spontaneously:

 

Evening Prayer

 

Lord Jesus,

thank you for today.

It was your gift to me.

 

I tried to do the best I could,

please accept it as my gift back to you.

 

If I slipped away from your loving

arms, I ask your forgiveness.

 

Please, Lord Jesus, grant me a

peaceful night and restful sleep.

 

Bless my family and all those

who are close and good to me.

 

Give them your love and

protection.  May we all ever

stay faitherul to you.

 

Amen.

 

Then he looked at me and said “WOW!  I can’t believe I read all that!  I just opened it right up and read it!”

 

Amen indeed.

 

 

Another Milestone

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Aside from his diagnosis as dyslexic and dysgraphic, There have been big changes afoot this year for Farmer Boy.  His First Communion was this weekend, which he has spent the school year preparing for.  He was very nervous – not about receiving Eucharist, but about “all those people” looking at him.  Classic stage fright.  I was so proud of him for managing it and pulling through.  He was very pleased with himself as well.  We are truly fortunate to have wonderful friends who came for his reception afterwards – he was very specific about who he wanted to invite, and I am so warmed by their efforts to make his day even more special.

 

This is a layer cake - the layers fell - and are cleverly held up by saucers under each layer. He made the frosting himself.

 

He told me during school this morning that he just can’t wait to go to Mass again.

 

Here we are: Grandma, Grandpa, myself & My Farmer, Farmer Boy, Little Cowgirl, Shooter.

 

It was a wonderful day and I’m so thankful for this boy, his brother and sister, our Church family and friends.

For your pleasure

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We are getting ready for Farmer Boy’s First Communion tomorrow.

 

Little Cowgirl: Mom, how do you spell congratulations?

 

Me:  (after spelling it out)  Good idea, honey.  That is a very appropriate thing to say to someone on their First Communion.

 

Little Cowgirl:  Not bottom.  That would not be appropriate.

Why I guess gardening is something we love more as we age…and that it somehow makes me more religious

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I’ve darn near given up on having a garden this year.  It is themiddleofApril for the love of Maude (as they say over at rants from mommyland).

 

The latest I’ve ever put in peas and spinach was April 5th.  We are well past that, in case you had not noticed.

 

This may turn out to be a tomato-okra-bean-only kind of summer.

 

And honestly, it’s a crying shame, because Farmer Boy spent the end of the fall and the entire winter, any time it was dry enough (and even if it was mostly frozen) working that garden with the push-plow just because he loves the dirt SO much.  My garden has never been better prepared or looked as well-cared-for as it does this spring.

 

I don’t even have any pansies in my flower pots yet!  For SHAME!

 

However, this sinus infection (yes, it has been officially determined as the cause of my recent lost week) is not very helpful in terms of motivation for outdoor work.  In fact, I shut the house and turned the AC on this week in order to keep the pollen out of the immediate vicinity (I forget this every spring and remember after my allergies make me completely miserable).  It has helped (along with the drugs).

 

But, in order to remind myself that I am farther ahead than last year, the flower beds I expanded and transplanted bulbs to look great, the kids have spent several days picking up all the stray sticks in the yard and hauling them to the burn pile with their cool riding mower/yard wagon, so things are mowable. (YES goshdarnit, spellcheck, I *know* that “mowable” is not a word!!!)

 

I’ll get to the outside work when I can get to it.  In the meantime the inside of my house is working pretty well, and though I dropped the ball on my Lenten cleaning as far as the garage, I have nearly completed the filing/office work I’d hoped to work on a little here and there through the season.  As Easter gets closer, I’m really looking forward to Farmer Boy’s first Communion on May Day.  He has been practicing in his religious ed. classes with the host and wine.  He told me the wine tastes (insert disgusted face) and the host is (insert so-so hand gesture).  Then he said it would taste different on his first Eucharist because it would really be Jesus then.

 

I explained that, actually, it would not.  He said, “well, it will *feel* different then, right?”  I told him that maybe it would, that for some people it feels different right away, but for others (like me) it took a while to really feel the Grace that entered my life because of eucharist.

 

It’s like planting bulbs.  After the initial work, you have only bare earth.  The next year, if you wait and keep the weeds out, you have green.  The next year, if you’ve been patient and taken care to pay attention to that place, you will have a flower.  Each year the bulb will propogate and fill more space with color and joy.  Things that are inherently good usually require an investment of time and attention and are often something we might overlook unless we are tuned in.  And, as always, the more work we put into it ourselves, the more we get from it.  The older I get, the more I find this to be true in so many ways.  It applies to my relationships (especially within my marriage), my home, cooking, exercising, taking a trip, reading a book, writing this blog.

 

It makes me feel old, yet satisfied and appreciative to see that I’m growing in wisdom and maturity. (Also I may have thrown up a little in my mouth when I said that.)