Sounds of Summer Ending

Meditation empties me, but prayer makes me full. 

~ Krista Bremer, My Accidental Jihad

    Noticing life is slowing, slowing, slowing in preparation for school. Fall soon upon us. The leaves on the trees will die and drop. Energy will amass in the trunk, the very core, of the vine, tree, perennial. Plants seeking to add strength and growth in inward most parts.

    Our family is quieting now in preparation for school, even as the busyness of another season nears. School backpacks are not yet ready. A desk awaits paint. Chairs have yet to be found. A bedroom paint job begs to be finished. I haven't ordered books quite yet. When I do, I will not hit rush. I will not be rushed.

    It the past, a new school year has always felt like a new year. All the preparation, planning, and idea pondering marking a major shift of time, but not this year.

 

   Much of this year has been focused on health issues, and what we've gained from these circumstances. I refuse to say lost. I refuse. We have gained much, and we are hard at work healing. A story for another day? Because I dream of writing how we navigated in and through an ulcerative colitis diagnosis. God. How we walked through strong. Came out well. But, that's not today's story. Seeking stillness is my story.

    Slowing down time. Learning to let some things die and some things drop, in order to work on our core as a family. Our inner core as a child of God, with a soul that needs to breathe, think, ponder, learn, love, and listen. This requires stillness. We work hard at intentionally living slow. Sometimes that slowness looks busy: friends, play dates, sword fights, but is not real face time with others slowing down life? Let us slow, soften, be a silhoutte for true beauty in the world. 

Circadian rhythms call and change. Me.

Star gaze under black opalescent sky. 

Campfires.

Books.

Adventures. 

Slow. Time.

  Something to Ponder?

No Time to Think at the New York Times

Willamette Shakespeare's: Twelfth Night

  I want to shine the light on Willamette Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. There's still a few performances to be had this weekend. Don't miss it! J and I headed to Montinore last Sunday night and thoroughly enjoyed the performance, company, and quiet date night. Just in from the Owyhee Canyonlands, I didn't want to drive for over an hour for Shakespeare (or anything), but it was well worth the time as this company always does a great job.

   I've had How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare on the coffee table for a few weeks, but I've only cracked it open for a cursory glance or two, because Shakespeare can be intimidating. No? Today, I found Sarah's interview with Ken Ludwig and he makes Shakespeare accessible for the likes of me. I rowed, listened, and learned a lot. I will definitely be returning my library copy and buying this book.  I won't bother to list other Shakespearean resources, as her blog lists the really good ones for you.

   Having honeymooned in Ashland, Oregon, home to the Oregon Shakespearean Festival, I'm slowly growing more acquainted with the Bard as we add years to our marriage. J has a much greater appreciation and comprehension of Shakespeare than I, but I'm working on it. We try to return every year or two to enjoy a play, a nice dinner, and the lovely parks. Last year, the kids took in their first play at OSF. We all had a blast.

   We haven't visited on one of their Family Days, but you don't have to visit OSF on a Family Day to get decent play pricing. Section C tickets are reasonable all season round, but must be purchased early in the season. They sell out quickly. 

   As for Shakespeare and kids, we've learned to call ahead and find out more about the play and the company before taking the kids along for the ride. We took them to Comedy of Errors last summer at Oregon State University and that didn't go well. The production was Comedy of Errors meets Jersey Shore. Literally. It was too bawdy for us! It was of little comfort, that it was flying over brother's head, because sister didn't miss a line. We ended up leaving early. Something about the balloon boobs and bums was a bit too much for this forty year old. Checking ahead is good. Very good. Don't say, I didn't tell ya!

  Want to see Twelfth Night? Head over to Ponzi this weekend. Shakespeare is a lot of fun, and free is fabulous. More resources are available on Ken's website. I can't wait to listen with the kids and discuss this book, and yes, maybe even memorize!

How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare

Realized I do want to add these resources: 

The Folger Shakespeare Library

The Complete Works Project in Portland

Staring Ahead: A Classical School Year for 6th Grade

   I will post pictures of rover excursions. But first, I must wrap my mind around the vast expanse of pictures from our trip. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.  That's its own mountain to climb!

   Meanwhile, planning for school seems much easier! Below is the school year plan for sister and I. The year ahead is finally starting to gel. There will be some give and take, and we won't get it all done, but we'll work hard and have fun. The goal is for rest. Yep, rest. Lively and engaged rest. 

6th Grade Curricula

To Do
Notify State.
Buy Saxon Math book.
Determine Grammar.
Buy Philosophy books.
Buy Singapore Practice Books 6.
Buy bigger white board.


Art
2 hours a week at art class (Someone else teaches.)*
Work on Beautiful to Me graphic design
More sewing / quilting classes?
Fall theatre camp - one week

Bible
History Lives fiction series on church history
Daily devotions

Field Trips
The Hult for ballet and music
OBT education shows
Oregon Symphony education shows
Corban Theatre/Plays
PAM
Oregon History Museum
Teen Pact
See Science Classes

Math
Saxon Math 8/7*
Singapore 6 Practice Books*
Khan Academy Online 

Writing
IEW Continuation  (someone else teaches), one paper every 3 weeks.*
Submissions to Pockets and/or Stone Soup, Readers Digest, Letters for Literature
One essay a week from 642 Things to Write About.*
One book report a month.*
One piece at the end of the year on a subject from history. Three pages?
One written piece on Jane Austen. Two pages?
Classical Composition, Writing Fables from Memoria Press (Just for fun, when we have time or need a break from other writing. Keep in mind this kid likes to write!)

Grammar
Rod and Staff 5 or 6*

Science
First Lego League Robotics 2 hours each week*
Outdoor School
OSU science classes
Evergreen Aviation classes
Immune system, cells, neurons
Diagram and outline pond life with microscope.
GF Science classes
OMSI classes
She'd like to do 3-D design
Maker Faire
Life of Fred Physics*
Life of Fred Biology*
Visit Energy Lab
Volcanoes study
Hatfield Marine Biology Classes

Language
First Form Latin (someone else teaches)*
Mango Languages or Rosetta Stone at home or library?
Meet and Greet Spanish Group (once or twice a month)?

Spelling
10 words a week. She teaches us. Material: English 1 Vocabulary Cards*

History Readings and Discussion
A Little History of the World by Grombrich*
Hillyer's History of the World for Children*
Middle Ages review (We've previously done Story of the World Middle Ages)
Begin Story of the World Early Modern Times, will listen to the CD's.*

Geography
Begin with review of states, continents, oceans, latitude, longitude
Mapping and tracing of Europe and locations of books we are reading onto smaller maps, then putting on a large world map that hangs in the school room.*

Philosophy
Philosophy for Kids*
The Art of the Argument*

Phys. Education
Irish dance drop-ins
Swim lessons continued
Rock climbing class
One hike a week, when weather good.
Birding

Student Reading Lists
Veritas School*
SonLight Core F Books*
Classical Conversations Cycle 3 Books

   We will aim for 1-3 chapter books a week, family reading time in history, and 3-5 picture books a week, all from the various lists. Some we'll discuss such as history or philosophy, but many books will simply be for focused pleasure reading. They know I'm intentional about keeping good books in the house for them, and that I've a bit of an agenda for their reading. They don't care. They just like access to good books! Sometimes they will not pick up a book I want them to read. We let it go at that.

   You might be tempted to believe I'm type A and just a tad detail oriented. No kidding! For us, I've found it's better to aim high rather than low in education. It creates more stress for me not to plan, than to plan and have goals that we intentionally work to achieve. We won't get through it all, but the goal is to complete the main curricula packages and then everything else is a perk! Because life is for learning, and learning is for life.

* Main Curricula to be completed

   Brother will be pulled from school for various excursions, but the plan is for him to be in a chair elsewhere this year. We are excited for him. He's going to have a great teacher and he will be working hard and playing hard. Soccer has begun and school is just around the corner!

"Now Lord, we ask that you bless this year. Because the plans of man amount to nothing without your grace and goodness blessing it all. Your world is intricate and beautiful and we desire to learn more about you and your children through our studies this year. We desire to think about, what it is we think about. We seek to honor you with our studies. Please bless this year. We can do nothing apart from you, but through you we can do all things."

Rovering Home

    Rover adventure stories and pics soon. We're busy washing the dirt off!

Soaking up Summer

First time using a skim board...he loved it.

The Oregon Regency Society Pittock Mansion Party, an afternoon of loveliness.

Taking a turn...

Blind Man's Bluff

Smoke bomb protection.

Master Consumer of Frosting

 

 

   I've been pondering Psalm 78 with a renewed awareness that if I do not learn to praise God in the gloaming, I will never know the spirit of gratitude when things are going great. I will only wake to a world filled with the wonder of gratitude, if I've intentionally created the habit of gratitude. There's a Light that shines the way through dark places and it's accessed with a spirit of gratitude through the sufficiency of His grace. This I am learning. This I am trying to live.

Birthday Girl!

In her new dress for a special party! More pictures to come...

At Sylvia Beach Hotel

Reading the book/card her dad made for her.

Guided in the Dark

    A final reflection on Learning to Walk in the Dark.

   We are birthed in the darkness and brought forth into an even harsher darkness, but one day the darkness will give way to the Light. 

   I set my feet in a dark world, often not of my choosing. I was born here, but without a choice of my landing pad. Yet the direction I embark upon, is entirely of my own choosing. Or is it? Search and Rescue Coordinators inform me, that years ago people always headed down when lost. They descended in search of water. But today, when lost, we are likely to scramble up, seeking a cell signal. When I'm lost, what direction do I point my compass? I'm an up kind of girl, when I'm not down, that is. When lost, many questions are posed: should I look inward, outward, or upward? What's my bearing: men, me, or the Messiah? What do I listen and look for, when lost in the woods? It's tempting to sit and scream into a dark wood. But maybe, being lost is the way to finding found.

    They will not hunger or thirst, neither will mirage [mislead] or scorching wind or sun smite them; for He Who has mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will He guide them. Isaiah 49:10 (AMP)

   Maybe the paths I wander, searching for (living) water, remind me of other yearnings within that require filling. I am thirsty for connection with God and others. Maybe the thirst, if I listen, will point to a spring in the wilderness. A wild spring, hidden and discovered, only when I am thirsty enough to stumble down paths not normally taken. Desperate thirst causes me to look and listen for the Light in the woods that shows the way through, and desperate thirst enables deep filling. Be still. But, there's always something rattling around in the woods that scares me stiff. Maybe what threatens is simply an illusion or an impostor?

   I meander up to the house, lost in thought. The call of a hawk, down low and near, startles me. Is he there, in the fir? Looking through the dim light, reveals a pesky and mischievous blue jay. He is a threat to no one: not mouse, kitten, chicken, and of course not men. But for one moment, I'm sure the sound of this presence is ominous for a beloved pet; it's simply an illusion. Much of what is spoken over you and I in this life feels like a curse, or even worse, is a curse. Words. They rattle us in the dark. But, these words will not alight. What rests upon us will be words of Life. Breathing and living. Creating and caring. Safe in the woods.

    You have as little to fear from an undeserved curse as from the dart of a wren or the swoop of a swallow. Proverbs 26:2 (MSG)

Prayers muttered in the darkness of procedure rooms and answers...

   I abide in the darkness. You can too. Peace is possible in the unknown, which is pregnant with possibilities. You know fear in the darkness, but I know only light. In the darkness, let my light lead you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. My plans are perfect for you – you are being perfected in my plans for you. Though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fear no evil, for I am with you. Your darkness is not dark to me, it is an opening into the ways of Life. Reality is not as it always seems. Sometimes there is more to darkness than meets the eye. You have to look with the eyes of your heart in order to see what is Real. My paths of darkness lead to ever greater Light. I am healing inner places. They are not dark to me. I will do exceedingly beyond all that you ask or imagine if you will trust me. Walk confidently into the darkness. I AM there.

   Thankful...a young girl on the eve of her 11th birthday who handled an MRI with IV and barium and contrast well. For the dove that met us on the wire at the car shop before the MRI, for the loaner Rover to take up to the hospital, for the gal in the waiting area who taught C another crochet stitch as she waited for procedures, for the dove that flew right in front of us three times in the cafeteria window, for a finished and ready Rover upon return to the shop, for being able to stop at almost 70 mph when the guy in front of me slammed on his brakes (For who knows what, I wasn't tailgating.), for the sky that opened up and gave us a glimpse of divine light and shining blue on an otherwise pouring day, for a watered garden, so I didn't have to water or think of plants, for the rainbow over the line of firs last night, for the deer in the yard, and for a birthday. So very blessed.

They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength. Isaiah 45:24