Detours ... but not really

We've been on some detours lately. Although, when I consider it, "detour" isn't really the right word. A detour implies that we've veered off the main road, whereas I really think of these detours as intriguing parts of the whole journey.

First up: Greek mythology in fiction.

A few years ago, when we first approached some ancient history, we read the opening chapters of the D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths. Perhaps I shouldn't have read over lunch (as is often our habit) because the girls said the story of Cronos made them sick. They wanted nothing to do with those disgusting creatures, so I decided that the timing wasn't right.

Last year, a friend recommended the Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan. The premise: 21st century children find out that they are actually demi-gods (one mortal parent, one who's a Greek god or goddess. Hijinks ensue.) Both my friend and her children were enjoying the books immensely, and she thought we might, too.

We finally got The Lightning Thief from the library, and the girls loved it. They went on to devour Sea of Monsters and The Titan's Curse, and they are eagerly awaiting the fourth book in the series. What's been fun to see is the way the girls have gotten interested in Greek mythology now. They want to know more so that they get all the allusions and can guess at plot twists. Anne-with-an-e has scoured our shelves looking for anything she can find on the subject (but, alas, I gave away that D'Aulaire back after so many scowls.)

This isn't an in-depth review (I've only read the first in the series, so I can't give a full review) but more of a reaction and an observation. The books are fun, and contain some clever humor, plenty of action and a couple of surprises (and plenty of "Ewwww!" moments, too.) I found myself wanting to rewrite bits here and there, though. Percy's mother, in particular, makes a choice that I found really unpalatable and even out of character. But, I talked with the girls about all that, and that, I think is the beauty of either previewing books, or reading along with your children (though it's not possible these days for me to read everything along with them. But, we still share a lot.)

The discussion that results from sharing books is invaluable.

If I had to record it for the homeschooling records, I could call it "Intro to Greek mythology" and "Plot and character analysis" and "Morality 101: Is revenge ever justified?"

And, all of the above is why this kind of reading isn't really ever a "detour" but is part of the whole, delightful journey of homeschooling and life.

Next up:

Ramona's detour into the ocean with sea turtles.

Saturday linkage

Take a look at the new blog First Heralds. From their first post:

The aim of this blog is to help you to be the "first heralds" for your toddlers and preschoolers. The contributors are all Catholic mothers with young children of their own, and we will be sharing ideas and experiences from our own families. We hope you will enjoy the journey with us.

With a great list of contributors, First Heralds promises to offer countless useful and beautiful ideas.

~~~~~~~~~~

Great post from Maureen Wittmann on reading books with middle-school aged kids. (I almost typed "middle-aged kids" ... maybe that's because my kids sometimes sound middle-aged before their time ....)

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Looking for your date-night or family night movie? Visit Love2Learn at the Movies!

Poetry Friday: Why do we do it?

I really shouldn't spend too much time on this post. I promised myself I'd be writing this morning. (Yes, I know that this is a kind of writing, but blogging doesn't buy the chocolate.)

But, I can't seem to stay away from Poetry Friday. I love that such diverse people choose to come together once a week and share a love of words, a passion for pronunciation, and awe at a phrase well-turned.

I love that some Poetry Friday-ites (that is not a phrase well-turned, but I'm on only my second cup of coffee) are funny and flippant, others are serious and classical, and still others are delightfully uncategorizable (and, yes, I knew spell-check wouldn't like that word. Pass the coffeepot.) I love that we love all kinds of poetry. I love that there's something out there for me every, single Friday.

I love that what we all share is the desire to dig into the human condition through the economy of words that is poetry.

So, this post is about several things:

* Why I love Poetry Friday -- see above.

* Why poets do what they do -- short answer: Because they have to.

Long answers: See Late Echo, by John Ashbery, in which he both has fun with the tedium of poets and their subjects, and gets to the bottom of it all. And see When I have fears that I may cease to be, by John Keats, to get a glimpse of the driving force that propels a poet forward, and its dwarfing in the face of the universe. Or, read The Flight of the Reader, by Billy Collins, for insight into the mutual crush, or, his Dear Reader, in which he acknowledges that he and we cannot help ourselves.

* And, this post is about the wordy goodness of Poetry Foundation , which is where I often go to find the poems I want to post, and is just as often where I discover new gems.

And, speaking of gems, go to Poetry Foundation's "Fridge Archive" page (both Late Echo and When I have fears are there.) Just like a poet, they've read your mind and have answered a need you hadn't articulated: you wanted your poems to have a lovely look, an artistic edge, a whimsical presentation, and they've given them to you on a platter (or, more accurately, in a pdf file that you can print, and later point at as you say, somewhat inarticulately to your children, "Look! Look! Look what I found today!")

Today's post is ultimately about this compulsion I have. It's about wanting to draw others into it. And so, this post is for Sarah, who thinks she was not born with the gene, but is allowing it to mutate and grow within her.

The entire Poetry Friday round-up can be found today at Cuentecitos.

If only I had time to join in this conversation today

But, alas, it will have to wait.

I have so many thoughts on both the parenting and schooling aspects of Lissa's recent posts on Bonny Glen. Such great discussions, and no time today! Arrggh.

Start with this one, and work your way back. Or, start with this one and work your way forward.

And, I hope to be back soon and join in the talk over there.

New magazine for Catholic kids?

St. Mary's Messenger is looking for your feedback.

Visit their site for a sample issue (pdf file) and to fill out a form letting them know if this "Catholic version of Highlights" is something you might subscribe to.

Ramona, living on the Far Side

Ramona: Here he is! Rex, the Reusable Chicken!

Me: What?

Ramona: Oh, nothing. I just like to make up my own Far Side captions.

Ramona (and the rest of us) at the Easter Vigil

I was holding Ramona (who is getting too big for me to hold through Mass, but I'll take as much of it as I can get before it's gone) and,
just after the "Alleluia," she leaned in close to me and sighed, "It's good to sing the Alleluia again. I've missed it!"

**********

Four years ago, for the first time, I took Anne-with-an-e and Betsy to the Vigil. Atticus stayed home with Ramona, who was not quite two (and we all went to Mass together again in the morning.) I wanted to take just the older girls, for their first experience with the Vigil, so that I could talk, point, and explain. And, it "worked." The girls were awed by the Vigil's beauty. They did fidget a bit (they were 10 and 7 at the time) and occasionally asked, "How much longer?" But they were happy they went, and they've asked to go every year since then.

This was the third year our whole family has attended the Vigil together. The first time we tried it, Ramona was three years old, and she slept through most of it. That was good/bad: good, because we made it through. Bad because it took a loooong time to get her to sleep that night, thus delaying the Easter Bunny's arrival and making for a very tired Mommy Bunny in the morning.

Last year, it went much better because she stayed awake, and this year went well, too. We arrived about 45 minutes early to get a pew (we like to sit close, so the kids can see everything), and that meant planning to keep a little one in her seat for about three hours.

My strategy was to bring along a variety of books: picture books of saints, Treasure Box books, and a coloring or activity book. And, I always tuck something new into her bag. It doesn't have to be expensive, just novel. This year, it wasn't even from me: friends recently sent Ramona a mini sticker album, and she hadn't cracked it open yet. She didn't know it was in her church bag, so when she started fidgeting (we were somewhere into the readings by that time), I pulled it out and it occupied her for quite awhile. Sparkly hearts and stars, foil purses and shoes may not have the Christian significance of her earlier distractions, but they worked.

The other strategy is to really involve kids as much as possible. We ended up in a front row this year, so we had "great seats" for viewing the baptisms. I sometimes talk, point, and explain all through the Easter Vigil. Ramona remembered the "holy fire" from last year, and was disappointed that we didn't have it outside this year (too windy and cold) but she couldn't wait to have her candle lit.

I dearly love the Easter Vigil. It holds sublime memories, of the night I was received into the Church, of course, and when Atticus was as well.

But, it also reminds me of the other Easter Vigils I participated in as part of the RCIA team, preparing and welcoming new members into our Faith. A friend once teased me that I looked like a little mother hen at confessions the day before the Vigil, shuffling my babes to and fro, making sure everyone knew what to do and where to go ... I have to admit that I came to feel a maternal love for each and every catechumen and candidate coming into the Church.

This year was no different. The Vigil moved me.

After what had felt like a fairly "level" and "comfortable" Lent (no huge, new revelations ... no enormous spiritual growth to speak of) I was thinking that, some years, my relationship with God feels like a settled, comfortable phase of marriage. Life proceeds pleasantly, predictably. Without the thrills of the early chase, perhaps, but with the comforting assurance of deep love and complete commitment.

And, I was thinking, "Comfortable is good. Pleasant is good. An 'even' Lent is good."

And then, without warning, they hit me. Tears. Lots of them. Blissful tears, tears of gratitude, of holy exhilaration and indebtedness for the mercy of a God who alters lives. I fell in love all over again.

And, quite suddenly, there seems to have been nothing ordinary or predictable about this Lent at all.

**********

Alleluia, alleluia!
He is risen!

**********

Behold Your Mother

Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert, is Heidi Hess-Saxton's second, expanded edition of her previously published book, With Mary in Prayer.

The book opens with three short, lovely essays detailing how Mary came into Heidi's life and how the Blessed Mother has since interceded for her. Following that are 48 brief reflections, each of which includes a Scripture reading, an imagined scene from the "everyday lives" of Mary and Jesus, and a prayer for Mary's intercession. Each prayer begins with one of Mary's many titles, such as "Seat of Wisdom," "Lady of Sorrows," and "Star of the Sea."

It's fitting that Heidi used so many of Mary's alternate names, illustrating that Mary will help and lead us in so many different ways. Mary offers us her wisdom, prays for our comfort, and is the shining star we turn to when we need an example of the perfect disciple.

And we need examples. Heidi knows it isn't always easy to be a mom -- witness the title of her mommy blog, Mommy Monsters, Inc. We've all felt that way, haven't we? When we're tired, frustrated, and worn out -- when we feel like that monster instead of a mommy -- we need some inspiration. Behold Your Mother offers maternal motivation, from the blunt, nitty-gritty to the soft embrace of one who wants to lift us from discouragement.

In one of my favorite prayers in the book, Heidi notes that Mary had the privilege of seeing Jesus use pieces of her ordinary life to teach his disciples about the Father. Heidi invites us to pray that we, too, might see and live out the same thing -- that we might know that our vocation is a holy and heavenly thing:

Seat of Wisdom: You had the mind-boggling task of turning the Word Incarnate into a man. You must have smiled as you heard His parables formed from the stuff of everyday life. Pray for us, that we might see God's love notes for us in the ordinary details of life. Amen.

As a fellow convert (Heidi came into the Catholic Church in '94; I came in the following year) , I can identify with Heidi's initially cautious approach to the Blessed Mother. But, as a Catholic who has also felt the miraculous, maternal love that Mary wants to pour out on all of us, I applaud this book's encouragement to turn to Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of us all.

Why do you look for the Living among the dead?

"He is not here ...
He is risen."
~~ Luke 24:5-6

Alleluia!
He is risen indeed!
Alleluia, alleluia!

The Triduum ... Kidterrupted

I started this post yesterday, and then had no time to finish it.

I must've been kidterrupted in the middle of it.

I scrapped what I started yesterday, because today I see that Alicia noticed the same thing I was pondering, and in this post at Studeo, she shares some beautifully apt quotes from St. Francis de Sales on patience. And, really, I should just send you over there and leave it at that, because Alicia's post sums that up so nicely.

But, I'll take up my own musing again anyway.

I keep thinking about the idea that we envision a certain thing -- in this case, a certain thing about Holy Week and how it will, or should, play out -- and then we don't get what we wanted. We either don't get it at all, or we get some altered version of it, or we get frustrated with the final result.

Now that I've been through 13 Holy Weeks as a Catholic mom, I'm going to pretend that I'm an expert. And here's what I've learned over the last 13 Holy Weeks with kids:

* Very small children don't have to attend every liturgy of the Triduum. We have done it various ways, and each way we tried was simply what we needed to do that particular year. (The last two years it has actually worked for us to attend all of it, including the Vigil, and we've loved that. But that wasn't always the case.)

If the whole gang attending works well for your family, that's great. If it doesn't work for your family, for whatever reason (and please, people, let's not judge what the valid reasons are) then that's okay, too. Holy Thursday and Good Friday are sublime observances that can enhance one's celebration of Easter tremendously. But, the Church doesn't require you to be there. If you can't make it for some reason, don't be harder on yourself than the Church is. Do what works best for you and your domestic church.

* Very small children do not have to understand everything about Good Friday and all of its implications. They just can't always separate the solemnity of Holy Thursday/Good Friday from the approaching joy of Easter, and that's okay. They will learn to "get it" as they get older, with your teaching and guidance. That's why they're called children. They aren't grown up yet, and they don't get everything.

* Understanding that little children don't understand every nuance of Good Friday doesn't mean I'm sending you out to join in every local Easter egg hunt you can find. We happen to skip community Easter egg hunts that fall on a solemn day, but I don't keep Ramona from playing on Good Friday. As a matter of fact, I took incredible delight in her play this morning. We were outside on the swings, and talked about it being Good Friday and she belted out at the top of her lungs (to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It"): "If you love Jesus and you know it, shout Amen! Amen!"

She was pretty delightful yesterday, too, when, to celebrate Holy Thursday she drew a picture of Jesus and His apostles and then starting gift wrapping things she found around the house, because "people should have presents when we're happy." Did she understand all that we would feel and remember at last night's Mass? No. Did she understand that we were happy that Jesus gave us the Eucharist? Yes. The rest will come.

And that's what really got me started thinking about this post. I watched Ramona yesterday, when she drew her picture of Jesus. Her eyes were shining, and she was brimming with joy. And I thought, for a moment, that one of the reasons the Church wisely gave us Lent and penance, Holy Thursday and Good Friday, is that we grown-ups sometimes forget to shine.

We need reminders to shine properly. Lent is that reminder for me. The old cliche, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone?" It holds true for Lent. Loss brings renewal, and Ramona's shining eyes remind me that someday, God willing, I'll enter a paradise where I never again have to give something up in order to appreciate it. My eyes will shine all the time.

And I'll sing eternal praise that little children don't "get it" all the time, and that the many kidterruptions that happen in Mass, in Holy Week, and in life, were really small whispers from God, telling me how much He loves me.

She may not be Grail savvy, but she's funny

In follow-up to yesterday's Grail Code post, I just have to add this:

Anne-with-an-e may not have seen any of the Indiana Jones movies, but she knows Harrison Ford is in them. She was just asking me about the next movie, and was wondering who Shia LaBeouf will play. We Googled it and found out he's Indy's sidekick, so then she asked who will play Indiana Jones.

"Harrison Ford, I assume," I said.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake! He's 65! What is it? 'Indiana Jones and the Chiropractor of Death'?"

Things to do this Holy Week

• Wish your priest a Happy Anniversary on the commemoration of Christ's institution of the priesthood (Holy Thursday.) Thank God for the gift of the priesthood:

From John Paul the Great's Letter to Priests, Holy Thursday, 2004:

We were born from the Eucharist. If we can truly say that the whole Church lives from the Eucharist (“Ecclesia de Eucharistia vivit”), as I reaffirmed in my recent Encyclical, we can say the same thing about the ministerial priesthood: it is born, lives, works and bears fruit “de Eucharistia”(cf. Council of Trent, Sess. XXII, canon 2: DS 1752). “There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood, just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist."

• Pray.

• Make a Lenten Caterpillar/Easter Butterfly (This idea is from my dear friend, Holly, godmother to all of my children.)

Cut out 1/4 of a cardboard egg carton and paint it in a caterpillary manner. Glue on googly eyes (or paint the eyes on.) Use pipe cleaners for antennae and legs. On Holy Saturday, wrap the caterpillars in paper (their cocoons.) After the kids are in bed that night, tear open the cocoons and replace the caterpillars with butterflies.

[Your butterflies will depend on your artistic skills -- or lack thereof. Ours have ranged from drawings, to origami to a picture downloaded from the internet (that was a hectic year) to fun foam and sequins. Add to the symbolism of rebirth with a note proclaiming, “Jesus gives us New Life! Alleluia!”]

• Pray.

• Make sure you have waterproof mascara in the house. Make sure it's the one you wear on Good Friday. You know what "Were You There" always does to you.

• Pray.

• Boil the eggs now, so that on Saturday you do not fall into sins of anger when it's time to dye them.

• Pray.

• Check on all the usual suspects: clothing, shoes, tights, little gloves and hats, things for Ramona to do during the Easter Vigil, Easter baskets, Eastro-turf, candy, candy, candy and candy.
  

• Pray.

• There. You're done.

The Grail Code

Here's the problem with homeschooling:

I keep taking time away from school to learn things.

We're wandering through the Middle Ages this year, and I just finished reading The Grail Code, by Mike Aquilina and Christopher Bailey.

Last night I stayed up too late to finish wandering around their Grail Code website, which is full of fascinating stuff, such as these links on their Scriptorium page to the texts that are discussed and quoted in the book.

Did you know you can read the old French original of Chretien de Troyes' Lancelot, or, The Knight of the Cart, if you so choose? (Alas, if only I were able to so choose. The only French I remember from high school is "Ou est la salle de bain?" A vital phrase, oui, but limited. But I digress.)

The Scriptorium page alone is worth a look, even if you skip the book. But, don't skip the book -- I learned volumes about the Grail, its origins and its chroniclers.

Their website whet my appetite for more Grail art (don't you dare skip that click -- it's only two pieces of art, and they're worth your clicking efforts) and they'll even tell you How to Pronounce Those Impossible Welsh Names.

I admit that my Grail-Lancelot-Arthur knowledge is fairly limited. I have a passing-to-average acquaintance with Camelot (enough to know that I don't picture Lancelot as Robert Goulet.) I knew about Malory, of course, and we have a few books that I rounded up for the kids this year. I first read T.H. White's The Once and Future King when I was in high school, and loved it dearly.

What The Grail Code offered me, on top of fascinating lore and legend, was an historical look at the rise and fall of the story and the world's enduring fascination with it. The authors' quest takes us through the Grail's sacred beginnings, into periods of secular, cultish appeal, traces why and how those changes happened, and finally, routes us back to what the Grail really means:

What (or Who) is our quest really about? What makes us thirst so, and how is that thirst quenched?

When Anne-with-an-e asked me what I was reading, I gave her a short teaser version, and she said, "Wow ... searching for the cup ... that would make a great story!"

Ahem. Clearly, I've not covered Arthur with her in any depth. And she's never seen the Indiana Jones movie, either.

I might just hand her The Grail Code and let her know that her quest is about to begin.

My role is clear

I told the girls to set the table for our lunch.

This is what I got.

And I love it.

Watch! Listen! Pay attention!

aka, Mr. Putter, Narnia and Prayer

aka, a Holy Week reflection

aka, a rerun from last year

aka, I know you understand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Putter is a social eater.

This cat doesn't like to dine alone. Every morning, though there are leftovers in his bowl, he talks to me until I indulge his breakfast habit. I must add fresh food (though I sometimes cheat: I pick up the bowl and shake it, as if something delectable somehow enters through the shaking.)

But, wait. Food isn't the only issue. If I do not sit with Mr. Putter for a moment and scratch his back, he will not eat. He will look at me expectantly, as if to say, "You know the routine ... why do you torture me so?" until I pet him, at which point he will finally, happily dig in to his meal.

On a related note, during Family Movie Time (Narnia) Atticus was trying to sneak in a little bit of grading. He's a teacher, you know, and it's a brutal time of year for an English teacher. I couldn't blame him for a little multitasking, but the kids, of course, noticed.

"Daddy, you're not really watching! Watch this! Watch this part!" And so he did. Because the kids know it's no fun to watch a movie with someone who isn't really there.

And, further related, how many times have I done this:

I'm typing furiously at the computer when a child approaches me with a question.

"Yeah?" I ask, not looking away from the screen.

"Mom, you're not listening."

"Sure, I am ... just let me finish this sentence." And when I do finish that sentence, I turn to the child and must admit that she was right. I wasn't listening.

Mr. Putter at breakfast ...
Dads and movie time ...
a mother only half tuned in to her child ....

The common thread?

"Am I fully present? Am I really here? Am I listening? Do I care about what these people (and this cat) need from me?"

This led me to think of prayer, and of how easily I become distracted. How often do I sit down with God only to cheat, with a metaphorical shake of the bowl? To mentally multitask as I petition? How often do I fix my eyes on something other than Jesus? How often does Jesus have to say to me, "You're not listening.... "?

I know we moms don't always have the luxury of formal prayer time, but the reality of my life, right now, is that I do sometimes have that luxury. I try to use it wisely, but I often fail. I'm sometimes only half-there, not fully present, not truly centered on the Lord and Savior of my life, but rather allow my mind to wander to things that have nothing to do with my eternal salvation.

God, like Mr. Putter, doesn't like to be alone.

That's why He made us. He loves our company, and wants our genuine interaction. He wants to share the movie with us, get us to turn our faces from the screen, and He wants us to listen.

This week, as Holy Week continues, I pray for the grace to pay attention.

I pray that when God says, "Watch this part! Listen! Be with Me," that I will do just that.

Holy Week trumps all

Because the Monday of Holy Week takes precedence over the feast of St. Patrick, we had our green milk over the weekend. (What? You didn't know that green milk was part of the official liturgical celebration of St. Patrick? Well, then, perhaps you also skipped cutting your bread into shamrock-shaped pieces this weekend. Tsk, tsk.)

Although we're not officially celebrating Patrick today, there's never a bad time to pray this sublime prayer, St. Patrick's Breastplate.

And, listen to a sample of "The Deer's Cry" (St. Patrick's Breastplate set to music, hauntingly sung by Rita Connolly) here on Amazon. Rita Connolly is the wife of Shaun Davey, who composed the piece.

St. Patrick's Breastplate

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the deck,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

Celebrating the Solemnity of St. Joseph

Because Lent and Easter are so early this year, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, which is normally on March 19th, is celebrated today, so as not to interfere with the observance of Holy Week.

The intercession of St. Joseph for our family has been an enormous blessing.

I believe he has prayed for us through Atticus's conversion, through miscarriages, through doubts and fears about more miscarriages (which can lead to fears of being open to life) and for the spiritual growth of our domestic church.

My beloved St. Joseph is the model husband and father ... giving of himself completely, pouring himself out in body and spirit, offering a total self-donation for his wife and foster-son. May he hear our prayers and cries for intercession, and may he intercede before the throne of God for our family, for all fathers, and for all who call on him with love and faith in the Savior whom he raised.

One of my favorite prayers for the intercession of St. Joseph:

Oh, Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great,
so strong, so prompt, before the Throne of God,
I place before you, all my interest and desires.

Oh, Saint Joseph, do assist me by your powerful
intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son,
all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So having engaged here below your heavenly power,
I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most
loving of Fathers.

Oh, Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you,
and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach
while he reposes near your heart. Press Him in my
name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him
to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.
Saint Joseph, Patron of departing souls - Pray for us.

For more ideas and information, visit Women for Faith and Family.

(The above image is Georges de La Tour's "Christ in the Carpenter's Shop", 1645)

Poetry Friday

Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup is celebrating Bob Dylan today. Visit Jama and the whole Poetry Friday round-up here.

I couldn't resist trying to string together a bunch of Dylan song titles to see if I could turn them into a poem. I failed, but it was fun.


It Ain't Me, Bob

Just like a woman
the times they are a-changin'
and like a rolling stone
the answer's blowin'
in the wind.
A hard rain's gonna fall
but don't think twice,
it's alright.
It's not dark yet.
Mr. Tambourine Man
is knockin' on heaven's door
He's got the Highway 51 Blues
but
All he really wants to do
is have
one more cup of coffee
and shelter from the storm.

How Learning Happens Here

It happens in so many different ways, of course, but one of the most delightful ways is when it happens spontaneously, as "just a part of life."

Here's a recent example:

Last month, I posted this YouTube video, of a dad singing his bedtime version of Pachelbel's Canon. The kids found it as funny and endearing as I did, and it prompted me to make sure they knew what the original piece was. I didn't call this "music class" or, gather them in and quiz them on anything. We just investigated.

First, we found several different versions of Pachelbel's Canon in D on YouTube, everything from professional video to high school kids in a basement. Then, we found a cd of our own and played that, too.

A couple of days later, when we were in for check-ups, I heard the canon playing over the dentist's radio. Anne-with-an-e later remarked, "Mom! Did you hear Pachelbel's Canon while you were getting your teeth cleaned?"

And, last night, while Atticus sat in the living room grading papers, he was listening to a classical music station on the radio. Something (I have no idea what the piece actually was) floated sweetly through the air while I combed Ramona's wet hair. She was reading Winter Days in the Big Woods and suddenly looked up, and said, "What is this?"

Atticus asked, "You mean this music?"

I knew what she was thinking. I'd been thinking that the piece, some sort of chamber music, reminded me of something, too. So, I asked her, "What does it sound like to you?"

She listened for a moment, and then said, "Pachelbel."

Atticus and I agreed that it had the same sweet, layered sound, but told her we didn't know the name of the piece.

When she left the room, Atticus said, "I know nature plays a part, but nurture has an awful lot to do with it."

And, it does. Living in an inquisitive atmosphere allows spontaneous learning to happen. Paying attention to details that surround us, taking time to investigate and wander down a side path, listening to what really captivates the kids, or sharing my own enthusiasm for something -- all of these things allow for spontaneous and flexible learning.

Charlotte Mason said that education is "an atmosphere, a discipline, a life."

I believe that. I can't say that every night sees our living room awash in atmosphere of calm culture. It doesn't.

Some nights, the kids are playing a game that is anything but cultured. Some nights I'm tired or crabby, and other nights we just laugh together with Alton Brown. But, I don't measure life or education one day at a time. I look at a bigger picture, and measure both progress and happiness on a larger scale: What kind of month did we have? What kind of winter? What kind of year? What kind of life are we having?

And we adjust accordingly.

On a practical note, if you want to bring a little more Pachelbel, or other classical music, into your life, there are myriad ways to do it:

• Start with my favorite place: the library. Check out cds, try various composers. See what you like. Play it in the background, listen while you cook or clean. Don't force it on your children and insist they be educated by it. Let them absorb it.

• Tune into internet radio. Lots of great, free stuff there, too
  

• Wander through a classical music site such as Naxos.com to learn more or to subscribe to a year's worth of music, podcasts and more
  

Guest Blogger: Anne-with-an-e

Anne-with-an-e discovered Madeleine L'Engle last year, and has been hooked.

Yesterday, she wrote up this brief review of A Ring of Endless Light, so she's stepping in to blog today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A Ring of Endless Light" is one of my favorite books!

I've read it five times since I first found it at the library last summer, and since then, I have also read A Wrinkle in Time, The Moon by Night, and An Acceptable Time.

What I really like about it is the characters. They are so interesting!

The movie, on the other hand, was nowhere near as good as the book. (Characters they left out: John, Leo, Grace, Binnie, Nancy Rodney, Jeb Nuttley, and probably somebody else, too...) And after I read the book, I was rather upset with the Disney Channel.

Although this is a wonderful novel, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of thirteen because of some mature content.

Lastly, I want to include my frequent rant ( more of a whine, really) about that Zachary Gray person: I never understood why Ms. L'Engle kept putting him in her books. He never changes, and he's just as much of a jerk in "An Acceptable Time" as he was in this book. I don't know what Vicky sees in him. He kept saying that he "needed her" but she can't be his psychologist.

Earth to Vicky, Earth to Vicky! Not a good reason to go out with him!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, Anne! You can blog for me anytime.

Happy (Baptismal) Birthday to me!

March 11, 1990:

The Event:

Karen baptized by Episcopal priest (a perfectly lovely man who in no way pressured her to join the Episcopal church, which she was not ready to do. She knew just this one thing: "I must be baptized." Happily, Fr. Spencer obliged.)

The Guests:

Atticus, of course (though he reiterated that this Christian stuff was fine with him, as long as it didn't affect our lives.)

Friend Jack, who drove five hundred miles to be there (and was later present for my reception into the Catholic Church, and even later, present with his wife at Atticus's reception into the Church.)

The Results:

Joy.
Awe.
Everlasting life.
An overwhelming urge to tell people about God.
The desire for children.
The birth of children.
Catholicism all around.
Presents.

Hmmm ....

I guess it affected our lives.

Of new Christians, Narnia and lukewarmness

Visit Jen at Et Tu again ... this post is terrific.

It's Daylight Savings Time

So, I need another cup of this:

and some of this:

and more of this:

And a few more of these:

And, I have no idea why someone would take one of these when you could enjoy another cup of this:



I hate despise do not care for Daylight Savings Time. It is stupid asinine not really necessary in these modern, well-lit times.

Not to mention debilitating. Did I mention it's debilitating? Do we need this self-inflicted torture? Do any of us need less sleep?

Oh, don't get me started, because after that many cups of coffee, I may never stop spouting my opinion.

Pass the coffeepot.

3/11/08 Edited to add:

You must visit Jen, and read her thoughts on DST here and here.

Anne-with-an-e, looking over my shoulder just now, said, "Mom, is Jen always this amusing?"
"Yes!" I said emphatically. She is. Amusing, intelligent, informative and moving. And I'm not being paid a thing to say any of that. She just is.

Ramona sent Daddy an e-mail

hi

how ar you i am fin anne is wochng emerginsee vets what ar you dong

love
ramona

A post-Communion meditation, Ramona style

At Mass today, just moments before Holy Communion, Ramona whispered, "I have to go to the bathroom."

I whispered back, "Can you hold it just a couple more minutes? Just 'til after we go up for Communion?"

I was thinking that since we were in the fourth row, I'd receive very soon and then we could head to the bathroom without missing the pinnacle of my day.

Ramona solemnly nodded.

And so, with the Body of Christ in my mouth and my daughter's hand in mine, we headed up the aisle, down the stairs and into the tiny bathroom of our 125-year-old church. There, instead of praying my favorite post-Communion prayer, the Anima Christi:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malignant enemy defend me
At the hour of my death call me
And bid me come to Thee
That with thy saints I may praise Thee
Forever and ever.
Amen.

I listened to Ramona chatter about how cold the toilet seat was, and wasn't it nice to sit by Grandma Mary today, and what does that sign say? Does that say there's a diaper table in the other bathroom? ("Yes, sweetie, a diaper-changing table,") and, oh, wow, that water is cold, too. Why is that water so cold? Let's go sit down. And you can warm me up.

And that's what we did. We made our way back upstairs (passing, on our way, a teenage girl slipping out the side door ... sigh ....), back to our pew and we knelt together for the few seconds that were left of my post-Communion prayer time.

I had missed saying my Anima Christi, but I knew something vital:

The soul of Christ is sanctifying me. Every day. Little by little, one bathroom and one chatter session at a time.

The soul of Christ: through my children and my vocation.

Movie night

It never fails.

Just when I'm feeling pretty good about the world in general, I walk into a video store and -- based on the covers alone -- despair over the state of humanity. Egads, there are some true horrors among those new releases.

But, still, there are shards of hope, lovely things to pull from the shelves and take home (yes, we're the last known humans not ordering videos from the comfort of our home, via Netflix) and gaze upon, worlds in which to immerse ourselves for the evening, helping us to forget that the cover of "Saw, Part Whatever" is lurking out there.

Becoming Jane was sweet, lovely and quite romantic, if perhaps historically inaccurate and very sad. But, the best part is, I have a husband who said, "Do you want to watch Becoming Jane?"

Oh, yes, my dear. I did.

And, if only Jane Austen had found her own Atticus, who knows what might have become of her? She might have been too continually charmed to write all those books.

Poetry Friday

I stumbled accidentally onto this site, the Wessels Living History Farm, and felt like I'd found a delicious little secret on their podcast page. It includes a gathering of 15 videos -- Ted Kooser reading his poetry and giving us insight and sneak peeks into its making.

So This is Nebraska made me smile because there was a time that I, too, felt "snotty ... about Nebraska" and yet I have come to love this place as my home. I didn't move here until I was eleven years old (after living in Massachusetts, Washington, Alaska and Florida) and I still remember my 11-year-old shock at seeing pigs on TV during the evening news (it took me a long time to get used to seeing all those commercials peddling fertilizer.)

I still remember being dismayed at how small the towns can be and how wide open the spaces.

Kooser expresses it all so charmingly:

...
So this is Nebraska. A Sunday

afternoon; July. Driving along

with your hand out squeezing the air,

a meadowlark waiting on every post.

Behind a shelterbelt of cedars,

top-deep in hollyhocks, pollen and bees,

a pickup kicks its fenders off

and settles back to read the clouds.

You feel like that; you feel like letting

your tires go flat, like letting the mice

build a nest in your muffler, like being

no more than a truck in the weeds
...

Listen to the whole poem here.

Read more of my bloggish musing about Ted Kooser here, here, here and here.

Visit Ted Kooser's website here.

Poetry Friday is being hosted today by Christine, at The Simple and the Ordinary.

Catholic Blog Awards

I'm thinking one of my friends has been busy plotting, typing and clicking, because I'm nominated for the following in the Catholic Blog Awards:

Best Individual Catholic blog (Oh, kind-friend-who-nominated me ... you're stretching the limits of reality here.)

Best Written Catholic blog (I'm honored but, uh ... um ... hmmm ... I suddenly feel completely unable to articulate my thoughts.)

Funniest Catholic blog (I can't think of a single funny thing to say. I'm dead serious.)

Most Informative and Insightful Catholic blog (Whew! Good thing I did that linkful post awhile ago and informed you of a bunch of good and insightful stuff.)

There are so many terrific blogs out there (both among and beyond the nominees) which is really the point of these things: getting to know new bloggers and sharing the wealth of funny, informative, insightful stuff that is available in cyberspace.

And, to the elves who slipped into the workshop and threw my name into the mix:

Thank you.

Stuff you might want to know

~ Melissa Wiley's Here in the Bonny Glen, has a new look (though it retains that same bonny atmosphere.) It's now a website/blog/all-in-one stop on the web. If you haven't clicked through from your feed reader lately, click today. It's a beautiful new design!

~ Love2Learn is now posting all reviews at the Love2Learn.net site, rather than at the old blog. There's also a new RSS feed for the redesigned site. If you haven't visited Love2Learn.net lately, please take a minute to check it out. It's so easy to navigate, and equally easy to do searches. And, as always, it's loaded with reviews of your favorite Catholic and educational resources.

~ Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle has a new book entitled Catholic Saints Prayer Book (and a new blog for the new book, as well as a contest.) I had the opportunity to read this book the other day, and it is really lovely. Anne-with-an-e was looking over my shoulder and eagerly taking in the stories. We all agree around here that one can never have too many books about the saints.

~ Heidi Hess-Saxton, the editor of Canticle magazine, has two new books out: Behold Your Mother: Mary Stories and Reflections from a Catholic Convert (which I'll be reading and reviewing later this month), and Raising Up Mommy: Virtues for Difficult Mothering Moments.

~ Jennifer directed me to site full of free knitting patterns.

~ Melanie had her baby!

~ And, Melanie continues to stun, amaze and inspire admiration because she was blogging (thoughtfully, seriously, intelligently) from the hospital. Her reflections on the story that Danielle Bean mentioned are excellent. I agree with Danielle and Melanie that our world is seriously unbalanced when it sees the desire to love and mother as unbalanced and "compulsive." Puh-leeeze.

Dr. Ramona's assessment of Mommy

Gee, and I thought I was doing so much better.

Why John makes me cry

Or, "The Story of Atticus and the Man Born Blind."

Yesterday's Gospel reading:

John, chapter 9.

Verse 25: "One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see."

From a spring morning, eight years ago:

The Saturday before Lent, when we awoke Atticus told me he wanted to know the name of the man born blind in the Gospel of John ... He said that man’s name would be his confirmation name. If he joined the Church, he added.

Fr. Joe came to dinner that night, and asked the question Atticus must have been tired of: "So, where are you? What, if anything, is holding you back?"

Atticus replied, "Nothing. I’m ready. Can we schedule something?"

The day before Lent began, we had a private "Rite of Welcoming" at daily Mass, with Fr. Joe presiding. I was Atticus’s sponsor, and as we went through the rite, and the beautiful portion of it in which the sponsor "signs the senses" of the candidate, Atticus and I felt that we were experiencing a rebirth in our marriage. We really felt that we were getting married again, recommitting to one another and to God. Our marriage by a judge, sixteen years before, seemed as if it had happened in another lifetime.

Atticus proceeded through Lent participating in all that the other RCIA candidates did, and at the Easter Vigil in 2000 he was received into our one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church. My friend Jack, who had been so instrumental in my conversion, drove one hundred and twenty miles with his wife and children to be there, and we rejoiced that night with them and the many Catholic friends who had also finally become Atticus's friends. He hadn’t known about the host of prayers that had been sent forth on his behalf, but that night many of those who had prayed for him were present, sharing with us the unspeakable joy of the night.

Atticus and I have been given a second chance, like the man born blind. We neither deserved it nor saw it coming, but one thing we do know is that we were blind and now we see. For that, we are eternally—and that’s a phrase we no longer use lightly—grateful.

And so I cry.

And laugh.

And rejoice.

Thanks, John.

Laetare Sunday and These Forty Days

Rejoice!

We're more than halfway to Easter on this, the fourth Sunday of Lent.

For more on "Laetare Sunday," visit the Catholic Encyclopedia here, or Women for Faith and Family here, or Catholic Culture here.


And, I've been remiss in directing you toward the wonderful Lenten resource, These Forty Days. There are several contributors, lots of good ideas, and plenty of inspiration as we continue the march toward Easter. Don't forget to poke around in the archives!

One of Maureen's virtues is her generosity

Visit Maureen Wittmann here to see what I mean.

Maureen writes:

I'd like to talk about teaching virtues through literature. And I would like your input.

Here are the seven virtues:

Humility (modesty)
Kindness (admiration)
Forgiveness (composure)
Diligence (zeal/integrity/labor)
Charity (giving)
Temperance (self-restraint)
Chastity (purity)

What books would you recommend to go with one or more of these virtues? Let's get a list going for everyone in the family -- preschool, grade school, middle school, high school, and adult.

I'll take all of your suggestions and pull them together into one great list. I'll post it here and at the website for free download.

One suggestion from me? Visit Maureen's blog to see virtue in action.

Carnival of Children's Literature

The February Carnival of Children's Literature is here.

I may be happy to see the back of February, but am sorry I missed this yesterday. I have a lot of great links to dig into.

Michele Quigley is accepting earlybird registrations for the Family-Centered Learning Conference!

The price is fantastic. The keynote speaker is Alice Gunther, and her talks include:

A Garden Well Tended: Living the Liturgical Year in the Catholic Home

and

What about Socialization?

Other speakers are:

Margot Davidson: Purposeful Literature Study: Making Good Readers Great Thinkers

Mary Ellen Barrett: Tending the Wildflowers in Your Garden

Meredith Henning: Bringing Sweetness to Early Childhood Education: The Preschool Learning Corner

I'm off to print off my registration form!