Year Five ~ Jigger
Faith and Life 5
My Path to Heaven by Geoffrey Bliss
Our Lady's Book by Lauren Ford
Stories of the Child Jesus from Many Lands by A. Fowler Lutz
CHC's Saint Comprehension Book
Exploring the Mass from Catholic Heritage Curricula (CHC)
Life of Fred: Fractions by Dr. Stanley Schmidt
Calculadder 2
What's Your Angle, Pythagoras? by Julie Ellis and Phyllis Hornung
The Harp and Laurel Wreath by Laura M. Berquist
My Catholic Speller: Level D, by Catholic Heritage Curricula
Language of God: Level D, by Catholic Heritage Curricula
CHC Handwriting Book
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
The Tale of Troy by Roger Lancelyn Green
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo and Timothy Basil Ering
Story of the World I by Susan Wise Bauer
Kingfisher History Encyclopedia
Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster
Of Courage Undaunted by James Daugherty
Catholic Geography Bee by Catholic Heritage Curricula
Map Skills: Level D, by Catholic Heritage Curricula
Latina Christiana I by Cheryl Lowe
Rummy Roots
English from the Roots Up
Le Francais Facile (The Easy French) by Marie Fillon
Art Through Faith
A Catholic Garden of Puzzles by Catholic Heritage Curricula
Black Holes and Uncle Albert by Russell Stannard
The Universe in my Hands by Catholic Heritage Curricula
Pilgrim's of the Holy Family by Catholic Heritage Curricula
Year Nine ~ Piper
Introduction to Catholicism: A Complete Course (the Didache Series) by James Socias
Beginning Apologetics 1: How to Explain and Defend the Catholic Faith by Frank Chacon and Jim Burnham
The Meaning of Vocation by Pope John Paul II
Life of Fred: Advanced Algebra by Dr. Stanley Schmidt
Calculadder 6
Mindbenders
Typing Instructor CD-ROM
The Harp and Laurel Wreath by Laura M. Berquist
Assorted Classical Literature Selections (one per week)
Warriner's Grammar, Third Course
Vocabulary
Christ and the Americas, from Catholic Heritage Curricula
History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer
Catholic Geography Bee by Catholic Heritage Curricula
Rummy Roots
English from the Roots Up
Henle Latin, Year One by Fr. Henle
Le Francais Facile (The Easy French) by Marie Fillon
Edible Wild Plants
Fur Trapping in North America
Ecology and Field Biology (text)
Assorted library and internet resources
National Geographic Magazine
Popular Mechanics Magazine
Smithosonian Magazine
Today is Sunday. I have run from making a large Sunday-morning-breakfast (which I love to bless my family with every few weeks or so) to cleaning up the kitchen to planning dinner to lesson planning for the boys for the week. It's Sunday. The supposed Day of Rest. Where's mine? In a fit of pique, I pushed away from my desk, turned off the lights, and trod down the stairs muttering "I quit" under my breath. My husband looked at me only half interested, moved a pillow away from his side, and patted the couch. I stalked over to the sofa, plopped down, and wondered at the fact that life doesn't seem to have any natural down time any longer. Where did it go?
For years, we have been hopping from one check-list item to another, with a seemingly never-ending supply of items at hand. Where is our time for leisure, for holding hands on the front porch while watching the boys play with the neighborhood children? Where is our time for snuggling in to watch a good movie with our sweetie, lying under a quilt in each other's arms? Where is our time to pick up a book and laze away an afternoon in a hammock, lightly swinging our feet off the side as the minutes slide away in a hum of birds and wind? Are those days glory days of the past? Are they dreams of what-might-have-beens? Memories of an ancient time where the clock simply gave information instead of counting out loud in its condemning tick-tock fashion?
Do you ever sit and wonder if we're too busy living to experience life? Too busy rushing to work, to school, to practice, to meetings, to social obligations, to extended family obligations, to everything and anything we 'ought probably' attend to? What about the ebb and flow of our days, where what gets done in a day isn't held in measure against each precious, poisonous second, but instead what crosses our path? What if we had a life? What would it be like to rise according to our body's schedule, break our fast, plan our dinner, and then plan our day, with the knowledge that at any time it could be interrupted by our husband, our children, our Life, and seamlessly flow from one project to another as it presents itself to us, instead of racing the clock to fit everything in today, because tomorrow has its own problems that won't give way for today's spillover. What if we could breathe?
I vow to try to breathe. I don't know how, but there must be a way. I want to have a life, not a living.
Very well said. I only wish I were not too tired to make an intelligent comment on this. I too sometimes wonder what it would have been like to live way back when, in those tougher but simpler days of yore when people lived by "the ebb & flow" of their days, as you noted, rather than by all the artificial activities we concoct to keep ourselves busy and productive and (supposedly) happy. And I find myself longing even for the simpler days in my own family's life, when the children were small and life was less demanding.
I actually came over here to thank you for your comment on my block. Sorry, you don't win anything; I don't do prizes. Besides, you didn't tell me which lake it was and what historical sites we went to.
Yes, you can still be my friend, even though you are really on top of things and manage to run your home & school with a smooth precision that i could only dream of. I admire both your discipline & your giftings. Besides, I have found a kindred spirit in our mutual friend "Kate", so I need not feel quite so inadequate in your presence. :-) I'm not sure I want you to read what i posted today, but ...oh, go ahead. It is good for you to see how "the other half" lives. :-D (And yes, in my 1st paragraph I probably AM referring, at least in part, to your blog !)
I am glad you are posting more often these days (even as I am posting less). And thanks to that little "/friends" trick you alerted us to, it is easier than ever to keep up with your blog!
Your latest post has given me alot to ponder. Life does go by so fast,but as for living, real living I don't think I do enough of that.
Problems easily creep in to steal our joy.
I receive Jesus life in abundance!
I am glad I came over here to see you. I know what you mean about life on the go. I work REALLY hard to keep life simple. Not to busy outside of the home. With all that said. A simple life doesn't mean non busy life. I do believe in savoring the moment. Make time for family games, reading aloud and to ones self. But I have chosen to hs and to do what ever I can to save money by doing it myself. Soooooooooo that means at certain times I am VERY busy, like now. [0; Canning, canning, and MORE canning. lol In the old days people worked really hard to get ready for winter. That is why the Bible talks about us being like a little ant. That is what it is for a period THEN winter does come and we cozy up and have our time together and enjoying ourselves. Just take time and weed out things and pick what is MOST important to you and your family. I am sorry if I practically wrote a post your your comment area. (((blush))) I want to encourage you my SSiC. (((((HUGS)))))
Welcome to our home! Within you will find an assortment of ramblings having to do with home educating, books, homemaking, being a wife and mother, crafts, Catholicism ~ in general, our life at home, where our hearts truly lie.
Happy at Home
Mo Chroi~ Wonderful Husband who makes me laugh and is crazy about me and our kids
Me (Celtic Mom)~ Happily married to My Heart, mother of two wonderful sons, and passionate about many things, among them being teaching, making our house a home, and exploring my Creative Well
Piper~ Eldest son who loves being home educated and playing the bagpipes with the local Scottish Pipe Band
Jigger~ Youngest son who loves keeping up with his brother, and going further with his Irish Step Dancing
The Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs
For the Love of Literature by Maureen Whittmann
The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer
Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can do About It by Jane Healy
Catholic Homeschooling Companion by Maureen Whittmann and Rachel Mackson
Surprised by Truth by Patrick Madrid
Please Don't Drink the Holy Water! by Susie Lloyd
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