Latin & Math, fun buddies to help form the mind

I just love how this apologetic article on Latin (and math) is expressed.  Our teaching Latin throughout our home schooling often meets with a furled brow, "why ever for?"   There are SO many good reasons other than it is part of classical studies.  And I can not tell you how enjoyable it is to do Latin with my children.  From the primary grades to the high school ones.  It is probably one of my greatest joys of home schooling.  And I am no Latin expert; (but good materials/resources help take care of that), but my love for substance, depth, analysis, decoding, and good formation, seem to come to fruition in Latin. It just makes sense!  I encourage every one to consider Latin.  There are so many good beginning programs available.  You can start out easy and basic, and and continue to gently build each year. Continuing Latin study throughout the regular course of schooling for many years, creates and forms an informs the mind like nothing else.  A very noble pursuit.

--excerpt from: An Apology for Latin and Math

"Latin develops and enlarges the mind to a far greater degree than math and brings the necessary balance to the curriculum. The study of Latin is a complete education in that it develops the intellectual powers of the mind and, at the same time, develops English language skills far more effectively than English grammar, thus achieving the two most important goals of education at the same time.

Latin, like math, gives the student the experience of studying one subject to a mastery level. This is what is missing in modern education, where we try to teach everything and we cover too many subjects too superficially. The student is always on the surface, always a beginner, just stuffing in a lot of unrelated facts. There are few opportunities to use higher order thinking skills when you are merely a novice. It is only when the student has studied a subject enough to have some depth that his mind can be stretched and challenged with higher order thinking skills. Latin and math give students the invaluable experience of studying one systematic subject to a mastery level over a long period of time, K-12 and beyond. This is a key to mental and character development and is the most valuable academic experience a child can have in school.

Latin and math, when taught to a mastery level, teach the student how to climb the mountain of learning. And if a student climbs one mountain, he knows what it takes to get to the top, and he will be prepared to climb all of the mountains that he will meet in life."

Grateful Hat-tip to classical studies

Some things are worth repeating :)  A post from early January...

I’ve been watching the TV series FRINGE, and I’m already in the final series (Season 5)….but before I got to it, I’ve hung with the four other seasons.  In Season Four, Leonard Nimoy makes his appearance (again), and in one scene he is reciting this:

"I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there,
a hive for the honey-bee;
And live alone in the bee-loud glade." 
(Lake Isle of Innisfree, W.B. Yeats)

It reminded me of how my children have memorized that poem through the years ….a favorite here in our home education, and even with my father (God rest his soul). Classical poetry memorization is part of our classical studies.

It reminds me of how grateful I am for classical education; education that is true and stands the tests of time.  It is not trendy or progressive.  It does not change with each passing decade. It does not spoon feed information for the time being, but forms the mind to receive and retain, and enables it to learn to learn.

In this day and age, when people make no sense…when arguments are not valid or sound, when consequences are not thought out….I am very grateful to be forming my children’s minds, hearts and souls to be receptive to the Truth.

If you would like to read more about something mind bending and forming….just follow this link to: An Apology for Math & Latin

Irish folk tune (Slane)

Lord of All Hopefulness
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

March Madness….

…really and truly, I feel I am afflicted with it!

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered quite as long and hard of a winter as this one we are inching our way out of.  I can’t imagine how our pioneer and pilgrim ancestors managed!  I just know God knows I am a wimp!…and allowed my life span to exist on this chronological time line of some technology and machinery that helps assist to bring some comforts during terrible incredible weather events.

To say the least, hauling up at home has helped us be productive in our school work.  Mark has already finished up history and soon, Latin and science.  Michael is nearing the end with Algebra and Latin; still at least 10 weeks to go for a truly spectacular year for these guys.  I am so pleased with their progress and how much they’ve accomplished and learned this year.

Both boys have also made great progress with their varying challenges; between autism spectrum disorder and anxiety disorder, we have done so much and both sons have made their own personal leaps.

On another note, life just doesn’t stop giving and taking away.   My husband’s employer of the last 35 years passed away earlier this week after a year long battle with stomach and liver cancer.  She was an only child, adopted, and the burial vault family business fell to her when her father, the founder, passed away many years ago.  She left her other job position and took on the business.  My husband and all his brothers and father worked for this company throughout it’s entire existence so far; my father-in-law being a foreman and retiring from the business.  So my husband has put in about 38 years there.  The business can continue, but there are many changes to take place as his employer was the last in line to run the business.  She has left the company to my husband, one of his brothers that works there, and two other employees, to do with it as they see fit. So lots of meetings, and  lots of life changing events.

In the meantime, we await the funeral.  What a special and wonderful person in general, and spectacular business woman we must say good-bye to.  She was an excellent employer and really looked out for her employees supplying them with good medical insurance and profit sharing and was always fair and supportive…..we are so grateful that for 25 years of our married lives with four children, my husband worked under these wonderful conditions.  May this admirable person rest in the peace of Christ and comfort of heaven.  I will personally never forget how good she was to those in her charge. 

Pi or Pie ;) day

I came across this image years ago when first blogging.  It always makes me smile :)   To be honest, this is obviously luscious rich cheese cake – not sure it qualifies as “pie”, but you know it will do!   Enjoy a lovely day!

Megachurch pastor stuns congregation by announcing he’s converting to Catholicism

Megachurch pastor stuns congregation by announcing he’s converting to Catholicism



Good for you Pastor Ekman - welcome!

Sea of His mercy..

The mercy that we must give to others includes that of standing up for the poor, the lonely, those who have no education and cannot stand up for themselves. It means to engage in what we call social justice on behalf of our brother. That involves opening ourselves to being pushed around and crucified. This always happens to those who stand up for others…

Lent is here to remind us that the mercy of God is ours provided we embrace his law of love; provided we realize that it’s going to hurt, and hurt plenty, but that the very hurting will be a healing. That’s the paradox of God, that while you hurt, you heal. That’s true healing.

The sea of his mercy is open before us. Lent definitely and inexorably leads us to it and makes us think about what it takes to swim in it.

~ Catherine Doherty, foundress of the Madonna House Apostolate

Explaining Autism to Children: ASD and Me

New Hope & 40 Bags away from new life...

New hope, new hope,
is what we have been given by the Lord,
New hope, new hope,
is what we have been given by the Lord.

Alleluia! Alleluia!  Alleluia...Lord!
Alleluia! Alleluia!  Alleluia...Lord!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I have been teaching this song to our church youth as we travel into the Lenten season with the memory and hope of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.....in preparation for Easter, and the remembrance of his glorious resurrection!  Life over death... his promise of salvation to all.  This song, along with a Sing Hosanna! song, will crown the end of our Lenten journey.

I give my students many ways, young ways, to prepare themselves spiritually for that experience.  It is so wonderful to belong to a church that gives so much spiritual assistance, and offers so many helps to grow in holiness, and encourages our faith-building journeys. It is so wonderful to be fostering a depth of salvation and spirituality in the young;  I see so many who lack that soul deep grounding and flitter every which way the secular world takes them, where all is shallow and fleeting. Sure, they even call themselves Christian, and read their bibles.  But their actions and words often say otherwise.  One such reason for our home schooling.  We are called to be set aside, light and salt among the others; I am especially disheartened when I see public school ways and practices introduced to our home schooling groups -- I know our family home schools to be free of those kinds of practices and falsehoods that the young are so saturated with these days.

But I digress....and my track is to embrace Lent with HOPE and gratefulness for all Christ has done for us, and to continue to instill in my own children and those I teach, that hope in Christ, that grounding and depth of spiritual nourishment and enrichment that only comes from our great Almighty God.

This year, my own personal challenge includes the 40 bags declutter challenge -- one bag a day for 40 days, beginning on March 5th (Ash Wednesday) and ending on April 19th (Sundays off).  You can read all about the 40 Bags in 40 Days 2014 Decluttering Challenge by clicking on the title in this sentence.  It will take you to:  White House Black Shutters and the adorable Ann Marie.

Whatever you do over the next 40 days as we make way for the celebration of Christian Easters around the globe.....I hope it brings you a change of heart, a change of spirit, the truth, the hope, the love and the salvation that is yours for the asking.

May God Bless You ~

The Art of Natural Family Planning

….the real deal.  Not the propped up façade of organizations like Planned Parenthood that would lead you to believe they help you “family plan” by their title. HA.  They are anything but family friendly or family building, or health oriented on behalf of women. BUT,this blog post isn’t going there with that,….this is meant to inform and refresh your thoughts on body biology, the way it really works, or doesn’t work in accord with nature and how you can get pregnant!

I’m writing this to help a few lovely couples I know currently – to give them hope and ultimately give them a share in creation through the graces of God.  I believe our great Creator gifted us with all we need to procreate and bare children in his image and likeness.  I think we tinker too much with the natural and normal processes that allow us to conceive and enjoy the fruits of God’s blessings upon us.  This may not be all the reason why a couple can not seem to conceive. But, this is a run-down, not at all comprehensive, but what you need to think about, consider, and take action toward to get results.

The details:  it’s always in the details!

You may be having infertility problems, it may be just you, or both you and your spouse.  Maybe you’ve had some diagnostic testing done, maybe you know a little about what’s going on – unless there is something serious in the way of your conceiving, like a disease, a blockage, etc., then really there is a lot you can do for yourselves to improve your fertility.

Because I helped coach alongside our natural family planning teachers at our church for twelve years, and have been a registered promoter of Couple to Couple League for many years, and because I had infertility issues myself, I do know some sound practices to begin with.  (The Art of Natural Family Planning course)

FIRST: Please get and read the book, Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon.  I have personally spoke to Marilyn and she is a wonderful counselor.  I know how frustrating it can be to be disappointed cycle after cycle with no pregnancy.  Your first line of defense is NUTRITION, and Supplements. 

If you have been on birth control pills your female body biology needs rehabilitated…the longer…the more rehabilitation.  Going against nature is never a good thing…and masking your natural cycle with monthly hormones makes it very difficult for your female organs to respond to nature.  You have either a) suppressed ovulation altogether, preventing the release of the ova for fertilization, or b) the ova has been successfully fertilized but the lining of the uterus has been so altered by hormones it is a hostile environment for the newly conceived life to embed and be nourished…and thus dies off. [there are moral implications here as you can see as a Christian].

Change course.  You will want to take a powerful supplement, or two or three.  Your spouse will want to take a few supplements as well.  Here are some excellent choices:

For women you are looking for nourishing the female organs – so Optivite is a great overall powerful vitamin.  Flax Seed oil capsules are good for women also (as long as you are not allergic to flax).  [1]

For men, you need Vitamin C guys!  How about a great supplement like Androvite to get you  started. It has 400 mg of Vit C, although you could even go a bit higher (500)  Adequate Vit C will help with sperm production and sperm that clumps together. Androvite contains the combination of vitamin and minerals needed to combat low fertility in men.  [1]

So, you are reading your book on fertility & nutrition, you are taking your supplements.  You are also now taking your BASAL temp, You will need an awesome Basal Temp Thermometer.  if you are the woman, every waking morning at the same time before you get out of bed.  You are charting that temp, on the special Nfp charts [2] (or basal chart that may come with the thermometer) …..and you are learning the pattern of your cycle….is it 21 days?  27 28 days?  Is it 30 days?  45 ?  You are learning that 28-31 is normal, and somewhere toward the middle of that you are likely seeing a slight rise upward pattern that indicates ovulation --

You are not only charting your daily morning basal temperatures…you are watching for and charting different qualities of womanly mucus discharge also….there is fertile mucus that is very copious and stretchy and there is dried up to none at all, infertile mucus.  Mucus can really tell you a lot about when you can get pregnant. 

Per infertility instructions, you are not having relations every day, or even every other day…but you are waiting at least 4-5 days, if not 7-9 building up good sperm production and quality, and trying to coincide your relations with your charting of optimum basal temps and fertile mucus signs.

You are praying.  You are waiting.  You are not losing hope because God has a plan for you and has led you to this information to help you continue on your journey as a couple that wishes and yearns to become parents. Romans 5: 1-5   1 Samuel 1:26-28   Romans 12:12

If you are Catholic, and believe that the eternal soul of others are still friends to those of us on our earthly journey, and as friends ask other friends to pray for them – we ask our heavenly friends that have gone before us to pray for us on earth….then, you may want to ask for the prayers of St. Gerard Majella on behalf of your desire to conceive:

A Prayer to St. Gerard for Motherhood

O glorious Saint Gerard, powerful intercessor before God, and wonder worker of our day, I call upon you and seek your help. You who always fulfilled God's will on earth, help me to do God's holy will. Intercede with the Giver of life, from whom all parenthood proceeds, that I may conceive and raise children who will please God in this life, and be heirs to the kingdom of heaven, I ask for your prayers and God’s will to be done. Amen.

And truly may God bless you with all you need ~

----------------------------------------------------

[1] Optimox company

[2] Basal Temp Chart, Baby Center (This is not a CCL Nfp official chart, but it will do in a pinch)

Once upon a time in February

It was Valentine’s Day, 1991, and I was very, very pregnant.  My due date was Feb 16th.  There was a horrible blizzard going on as the door bell rang…it was a floral delivery!….a beautiful flower arrangement in a ceramic Valentine planter…from my parents.  They were excitedly awaiting any news that I might be labor…..I was about to inform them…it was happening!

An hour and 19 minutes past midnight now on the fifteenth, our firstborn son arrived.  Not many came to visit at the hospital because of the 8 inches of snow!…but my parents definitely made it as my dad with his SUV four-wheel drive would of and could of gone anywhere to visit this new grandchild!….and we were kept an extra day because of the snow – everything was taking longer as double-shifts were being worked.  Eventually we were discharged and drove ever so slowly home with our new blessed gift …

…there were literally walls of snow on either side of us.  I do not think I had ever seen so much snow living in this location before.  I was SO grateful we made it to the hospital okay and back home again safely.

Our new life began with a first child. 

Every Valentine’s Day I recall how I went into labor on that day….how the snow was overwhelming and amazing….how the doctor asked before the day was up, if I’d “like to have assistance", “can we help you have the baby on Valentine’s Day?”…..I said, no, let’s just let this happen on it’s own. 

And tomorrow, 23 years later….it’s a new in my mind as if it had just happened.  The anticipation, the pain, the smells, the sights…..incredible events will do that to you, burrow deep inside your memory for safe-keeping.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all – and Happy Birthday to my oldest amazing artistic son…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

February: Deathcicles & TARDISes

Oh February, how you annoy me :)   If it weren’t for the fact you contain my oldest son’s birthday, I would mark you off my calendar forever…..

This is what I behold in February:

So, in the meantime…I helped my sons construct their Valentine’s Boxes for our home school co-op’s party this week.  Among them, we have a TARDIS..because you know, one can not have enough TARDISes in their lives :

 

I will be ever so delighted to get out of the house tomorrow in the afternoon with at least two of my sons, maybe three….to head out and see the new Lego movie….And forget about winter for just a while before we tackle it again.

Is the plural of TARDIS,  TARDI????  Just a Latin query …..