Ownership and Stewardship

I was thinking about the right to ownership and the right to usage this weekend. It started with an article I'd read on a Catholic blog, but I peruse so many that I cannot recall which one or who to quote... I knew that it was time to stop owning so many homeschool books. I have the right to own them, but I figure it is also wise to exercise stewardship and allow them to be used by other people now. Of course, I have shelves and shelves (and more shelves) about the house. Sheepishly I must admit that I still possess all the preschool and kindergarten books I started with on Meggar's path from 1996 onward. (Sentimental me.) I tried to part with them once the twins were done with kindergarten. Seemed logical. But was impossible because I was too busy with teenagers. Anyone with multiple teenagers knows what I mean. They require a Mom to lose as much sleep as a nursing toddler does, and they have the same endless stream of energy.
So I looked at my house for sale, and I saw with new eyes the stacks of books actually overflowing the shelving units in several rooms. There are books for every grade on up through high school. Plus my college level reading on Third World women, Catholic spirituality, and then all the books from monthly book clubs.
I've started parsing. There will be a book sale this week. At homeschool co-op and likely any other used book event I can find in the Kansas City area. It will be a good thing. Kind of like the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge. I'm up to my 12th box so far (sorted by subject, historical time period, or grade level).

Lenten Theology is Family Project

Our family is doing "The Great Adventure: A Journey Through the Bible" with Jeff Cavins as a theology project. I did this series with Meggar (maybe in junior high) so I knew it was worthwhile. As a convert, Jeff Cavins is excited to explain the chronology of all the books of the Bible and I think that is a valuable lesson for Catholics too. He leads students to create their own 4-page timeline along the way. It is a stunning example of God's working all things together for good. And it visually shows the importance of each character in the story of salvation history. I'm happy that Captain is here for these lessons!

Shakespeare Play at Belmont

We are back in Nashville, and the three of us went to Belmont University for their production of "Othello" on stage (joining the Catholic homeschoolers for this field trip). The Shakespeare expert at the theatre department adapted the script and was able to hire Eddie George as the Black Moor and main character. (He is a Heisman trophy winner from Ohio State who went on to play for the Titans.) Although the plot focuses on a soldier returning to ordinary life, it is his falling into jealousy that ultimately dooms this tragedy. It was great to have a Q&A session afterward and hear how an athlete combines strength of body and mind into his career now. Besides the great acting, I thought the costume designer used a sense of period modesty which made this even more authentic and enjoyable.

Using the Oxford Comma

I didn't know that it was called the Oxford Comma, but I've been in love with it since Dr. O's Editing II class for The Collegian. It is the second comma used in a series of three items. And it helps clarify writing. I require it for my middle school, high school, and college students (see there). So does the Associated Press (not that I write for newspapers anymore).
But two years ago, an ironic twist came when the University of Oxford PR Dept. changed its style guide to eliminate the Oxford Comma! Many opinionated Tweets ensued. Oxford itself kept the Oxford Comma.

Getting Through Exams

Half our family was taking a final exam yesterday, and the other half was reviewing for one.
Captain took his final book exam on the Global Express. It lasted four hours! He scored 97/100, allowing that he didn't know one question for certain, he made a bone-head calculation on the wrong chart for a second question, and the third one marked wrong was actually correct. Captain convinced the Flight Safety examiner that he was right, and now they will have to change their grading and study sheet to reflect their own error!! (kinda cool.) We are proud of the intense studying he has done these past two weeks. Here is his stack of the manuals about the airplane.

Next, Meggar had a Voice Jury today and aced it with her French song: "If You Wish, My Love" (Si Vous le Souhaitez, Mon Amour). She is also writing a 10-page paper about why girls get married, not the fairytale girls, but those like Charlotte Lucas who actually wanted to marry Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice. In between finals, she travels house-to-house and dorm-to-dorm buying back books for her part-time job.
Dorito has done his papers really EARLY. Last week, he had already finished his 4th paper for History, and his 3rd paper for Leadership Studies, and his 2nd paper for University Experience. They weren't even due until THIS week. What a good kid! (I am the freelance proofreader in the family.) We are so impressed how hard Dorito is working at university. He had a final today in Mechanical Engineering class. (Seems like a ton of work and money for a 1-credit course.) And their final project was completed in the afternoon--with racing their bicycles against the other 45 teams. The power had to come from a portable drill, and Dorito said the problem was getting enough torque.

Meanwhile, the twins and I reviewed Julius Caesar for a Literature 10 final tomorrow. And we started reading Dialogues of Plato for the car-ride home.

A Narnian in Poets' Corner

Everyone knows about the day when C.S. Lewis died. (It was the same day that JFK was assassinated 50 years ago.) Yet just as significant as the admired president was this beloved member of the "Inklings" from Oxford. His literary legacy was enshrined this year by a Time magazine cover the placement of a marker in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.
The South Transept of this royal church (originally a Benedictine monastery) has long been referred to as Poets' Corner where graves, markers, and memorial plaques are placed for writers such as: Chaucer (the first one), Shakespeare, Milton, Brontë sisters, Dickens, Keats, Tennyson, Browning, and that famous poet Fr. Gerard Manley Hopkins. Now wedged between Betjeman and Blake, a stone for Clive Staples Lewis has been laid.
It was commemorated in London with a 2-day conference on apologetics, a choral evensong, and a service of Thanksgiving preached by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, with one of Lewis' poems "Love's as Warm as Tears" being performed as an anthem.
The British author is known to have been an admirer of Yeats and started trying to compose verse at age 19 under the name Clive Hamilton, from his mother's maiden name. His poems were largely written in the trenches during WWI, when he was an avowed atheist. Neither volume of his poetry had any success. Nor did his unbelief last very long either. He came to Christianity through the works of authors George MacDonald, J.R.R. Tolkien, and G.K. Chesterton. He joined the Church of England in 1931, much to the dismay of Tolkien, who had hoped he would become a Catholic. Lewis first met Tolkien in 1926 and later wrote:
"Friendship with the latter marked the breakdown of two old prejudices. At my first coming into the world, I had been (implicitly) warned never to trust a Papist, and at my first coming into the English Faculty (explicitly) never to trust a philologist. Tolkien was both."
Throughout the past 50 years, C.S. Lewis has touched all believers with his orthodox writing. I find his style approachable and enjoyable, intelligent but not high-handed. He started with "Mere Christianity," and so did I. Since then I have also read:
The Four Loves
The Great Divorce
The Screwtape Letters
Surprised by Joy
Reflections on the Psalms
The Chronicles of Narnia

Speaking of which, did you know where he got the name for Narnia?
The name comes from a little town in Italy (halfway between Rome and Assisi) called Narni --or Narnia in Latin. He liked the sound of it and underlined in an atlas he acquired while reading the classics with his tutor, Mr. Kirkpatrick. Its reference comes from Pliny the Younger's letter to his mother-in-law, in which he mentions the excellence of the accomodations of her villa at Narnia, especially the beautiful baths. Undoubtedly, his education laid the foundation for producing such epic and imaginative stories later on. And his life's experiences led him to be able to authentically relate his faith in God and thus become one of the leading Christian apologists of his time.

A Verse about Autumn

I liked poetry as a little girl (A.A. Milne book wtih green binding), and I recall first memorizing a verse in order to recite it at Grandmother's house for Thanksgiving Day. Ever since, I sprinkle poems into the margins of our school and family days. Imagine my joy at finding the perfect autumnal poem over the weekend. I was at Sally Clarkson's blog, and then read her daughter's blog, and found that she admires C.S. Lewis and all the Inklings… until I arrived at my favorite page about the author which tells the historic bits and how his life intersected and overlapped with Jack Lewis.

(By Owen Barfield)

An Autumn Bicycle-Ride

The leaves, grown rusty overhead,
Dropped on the road and made it red.
The air that coldly wrapped me round,
Stained by the glowing of the ground,
Had bathed the world in the cosy gloom
Of a great, red-carpeted, firelit room;
It filled my lungs, as I rode along,
Till they overflowed in a flood of song,
And joy grew truculent in my throat,
Uttering a pompous trombone-note;
For this elegant modern soul of mine
Was warm with old Autumn’s rich red wine.

Veteran's Day During Civil War

We honored Veteran's Day by teaching an all-day program for homeschoolers at the One-Room Schoolhouse. Of course, we used the 34-star flag of 1861 for flag-raising.

Polar Bear and Winger were great helpers: they braved the chilly weather to help boys saw logs for firewood and played games at recess despite the spitting rain. Indoors, we girls worked on embroidery and learned about quilts. We did ciphering, recitations, butter churning, and finished up with a couple of fiddle tunes.

First Field Trip

Erin is a great Catholic homeschool mom who juggles seven kids and a husband with his own business. She heard that the local branch of the Russian Orthodox Church had flown in professional icon painters to adorn their new sanctuary. So she organized a field trip (she is such a natural leader who wants the best for everybody). We went for a peek before we started our drive back to Missouri! Beautiful imagery, going as far back at the Roman Catholic Church too.

Temporary Housing

The Morel family is loaning us their guest cottage for a couple of weeks. They live on their family's farm just 10 miles outside of Nashville. They converted a detached garage making one bedroom, one bathroom, kitchenette, and living room. Small but perfect for the twins and I. We have started 10th grade homeschooling on the card table and drive in for daily practice and workouts. Plus a visit to the library and grocery store... We hope God will bring more answers in the NEAR future. This is certainly a time of patience and seeking His will.

Whole-hearted Approach

When I was a young mom and just starting to homeschool, I chose a fully-literature-based curriculum because it fit my personality and my style of mothering. It was definitely intentional. One of those early curriculum writers that I loved was Sally Clarkson, whose company is even named Whole Heart Ministries. Through the years, I have read and embraced most of Sally's books starting with "Educating the Whole Hearted Child." Imagine my surprise at the readings during today's morning mass. There was that word: wholehearted. The Responsorial Psalm told me that I can trust in Lord to be sheltered and fed (even in times of distress). I can rely on Him for salvation. The Lord will help us and deliver us from the wicked. The Lord will watch over the lives of the wholehearted. Halleluia!

Psalms 37 (36): 3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40 ~ 
  
Trust in the Lord and do good, 
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. 
Take delight in the Lord, 
and he will grant you your heart's requests. 

The Lord watches over the lives of the wholehearted; 
their inheritance lasts forever. 
They are not put to shame in an evil time; 
In days of famine they have plenty. 

Turn from evil and do good, 
that you may abide forever;
For the Lord loves what is right, 
And forsakes not his faithful ones. 

The salvation of the just is from the Lord; 
He is their refuge in time of distress. 
And the Lord helps them and delivers them;  
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,  
because they take refuge in him. 

More Dissections

We love the kits we ordered!

Winger was excited about wielding a scapel on a cow eye. He easily could reproduce the dissection video and label all the parts.

Polar Bear found the frog dissection to be a little tougher. He became more enthusiastic after he got safely through the skin and the tough layer of fat. Now he can pick out the tiny organs!

Dorito is lagging on his fetal pig project because of quizzes this week in College Algebra, College Trig, and College Speech classes.

"Poetry Out Loud" Contest

Like last year, I am forcing my sons to enter the "Poetry Out Loud" contest. Today is the local qualifier only, but we study poetry anyway for our homeschool curriculum and so we've memorized these below. It is a great teacher for enunciation and finding meaning in lines we don't initially understand and maintaining eye contact, etc.
Winger's selection: Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,

   Thou art not so unkind

      As man’s ingratitude;

   Thy tooth is not so keen,

Because thou art not seen,

      Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:

Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:

   Then, heigh-ho, the holly!

      This life is most jolly.

   Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,

   That dost not bite so nigh

      As benefits forgot:

   Though thou the waters warp,

      Thy sting is not so sharp

      As friend remembered not.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:

Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:

   Then, heigh-ho, the holly!

      This life is most jolly.

(William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII)

Polar Bear's selection: Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

(Robert Frost)

Dorito's selection: Eagle Plain

The American eagle is not aware he is

the American eagle. He is never tempted

to look modest.

When orators advertise the American eagle’s

virtues, the American eagle is not listening.

This is his virtue.

He is somewhere else, he is mountains away

but even if he were near he would never

make an audience.

The American eagle never says he will serve

if drafted, will dutifully serve etc. He is

not at our service.

If we have honored him we have honored one

who unequivocally honors himself by

overlooking us.

He does not know the meaning of magnificent.

Perhaps we do not altogether either

who cannot touch him.

Life of a Senior

Dorito wore sweat pants to feel comfortable whle taking ACT test. He said his concussion headache did not show up like the last time. Afterward, he went to lunch with some friends who also took "the test" today.

Next he is off to attend a 2-day workshop for the "Make Talk Now" staff from Boy Scouts/Mic-o-Say. They will be staying near Legends Mall and enjoying the food and entertainment offerings, I'm sure. Makes a nice reward for him after the extra studying and prep work. He even shaved this morning!

Conception Abbey and Clyde Convent

I'm a real stickler about homeschooling my youngest two like I did the oldest two. No slacking on the classical curriculum and well-rounded calendar of enrichment. So I have been looking forward to the field trip today for many months! (I believe I took Meggar and Dorito both before and sometime after the twins were born...) Today I took Winger and Polar Bear to Conception Abbey and Clyde Convent with the Catholic homeschool group's field trip.

We had a chatty monk lead our tour group at the Abbey, and he was wonderful. He knew all the history and significance and talked so fast that it was very interesting. He helped my students try to translate the Latin on the icons. We stayed for 11:45 mass, which was attended by 30 of the monks. The murals are so beautiful, the chant echoed peacefully through the high-arches of the ceiling. (I won't even mention the remodeling in 1999 which took out the high altars, side altars, communion rail, and statues. sigh*)

Then we stayed for their hospitality and a lunch buffet before driving to the nearby convent in Clyde.

The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have an INCREDIBLE chapel with mosaic murals and carvings and statues everywhere. (They no longer practice perpetual adoration, however.) But they are famous for their collection of relics (amassed between World War I and II) from hundreds of friends and benefactors. We looked for our patron saints and noted which reliquary held the most bone fragments. Then I explained the origin of the phrase "red tape" and we browsed the gift shop. This field trip certainly was the best way to reinforce our recent theology lesson of "oral Tradition" with a capital T.

First Time in Detroit

We drove all day yesterday to get to Detroit. I mean 12-hours-type-of-all-day. I brought two read-alouds and they boys bought a new PS3 game to help pass the time. Plus I packed good food and snacks.
First thing this morning, we met up with the Verbick familiy at the Henry Ford Museum. Mr. Verbick took a new job with Ford earlier this year, and we had Austin from the hockey team all weekend.

We only had a couple of hours, but you need a couple of days to go through it all properly (or a couple of weeks).

This is an amazing museum at every level: clean, interactive, educational.

Captain enjoyed the show-room floor of Presidential Cadillacs, racing cars, and all the old stuff in between.

Thomas Edison was a great innovator and friend of Henry Ford. He was here at the groundbreaking to put his signature in the cement.

I fell in love with the Greenfield Village (a multi-acre town with a one-room schoolhouse and actual homes of William McGuffey, Robert Frost, Thomas Edison, Wright Brothers, and others). The twins and Austin got a kick out of riding around in the Model Ts.

For Me and Pythagoras

I love Geometry. Maybe because Mrs. Ronnebaum was a wonderful teacher back in 10th grade. Probably it has something to do with the neat, tidy rows of the proofs on the page. She made us draw the lines with a ruler EVERY time. And use a compass and protractor. So when the twins began Geometry this year, I was pumped. And I have a TREASURE of my own.

Yes, a teacher-sized protractor and compass -- obtained free from St. Patrick's School at its give-away to homeschoolers. We drew perpendicular bisectors today.  (Note: I really should buy 2 new protractors for the twins since theirs are no longer stiff enough to work well.)  I'm a regular Pythagoras.

Fans of Churchill

This week's task for my high school students was writing a paper about our visit to the Winston Churchill Museum (where the Iron Curtain speech was delivered). This assignment keeps my students writing (which is good practice) and also counts for a Boy Scout patch (which is good motivation). They didn't complain and they did a fine job.  Note: I always start the year gunning for the required paper topics and essays due to turn into Kolbe Academy for report cards, but never make as strong of a finish toward the end of the year. Let's hope my determination and their enthusiasm continues!
Churchill is quite an amazing figure of fortitude, and one of my all-time favorites. A little books his quotes sits beside my computer monitor for inspiration and humor. "Prime Minister Chamberlain looked at foreign affairs through the wrong end of a municipal drainpipe."

We do not own a bust of Churchill, and if we did, I would not send it back. (Apparently this is only an urban legend as the British Embassy loaned the bust to Bush Jr. and it was sent back when he was not re-elected. What a pity.)

Enrichment Classes

Trust me, we get plenty of socialization enrichment while homeschooling. On Tuesdays, we meet up with the St. Joseph Homeschool Co-op for high school choir. It's being held in the "ancient" First Baptist Church in downtown St. Joseph this semester. It's a very pretty and remarkable 125-year- old building. Afterward the boys walked over to Taco Bell to hang out with some friends. Dorito can drive them, so I love Tuesday afternoon's schedule. Dorito has also joined the college orchestra (which meets on Monday evenings). And all three boys are playing in a Chamber Ensemble, which practices on Wednesday evenings. They teach a few violin students on Thursdays, plus attend dance practice and help with Scouting events. Seems like we are getting back in the full swing of our academic year.

Downsizing

I worked diligently on the high school transcript for Dorito this weekend. To start with, you must understand the source of paperwork. Over the years, I have saved every single piece of paper from homeschooling. Day by day, I shove it into a file folder with the child's name. At the end of May, I cram the four folders into a box that's labeled for that year. Since I have been homeschooling for 15 years, there could be 15 boxes in my attic. But once Meggar entered high school, I had to do a better job of sorting and storing my records. So I first collected the grade school years and compiled one box for each child that contained all their folders from K-8! That was a huge step of progress, made about four years ago, but I've done nothing since then. I was looking for some 8th grade math for Dorito (Algebra I is done a year early in our family) and couldn't find it where I suspected it to be. So I went up to the attic and stumbled upon one stray box from 2004. Plus I found another box full of artwork from all my children (lovely reminisces). These were duly sorted and I can move on to the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade papers..............