Mummy

This is our third trip through the ancients.  Mummifying a chicken has been on the activity list every time.  My older girls are more squeamish, and they vetoed it both times.  My younger three are more adventuresome, so we are mummifying a chicken.  I am thrilled because anything that brings history to life so vividly is my idea of good teaching.  This also is major bragging right as we'll be working on The Book of the Dead.  Learning the curse for the spirit that swallowed an ass is worth the price of admission right there.  Homeschooling is the best.

To Plight My Troth

All this work with ancient literature has reminded of another time I stood up for the seemingly antiquated when I insisted on the ancient language of the marriage ceremony.  I wanted to incorporate the courage and wisdom of those words into our new life.  Our pastor called us in for a special discussion about that, and his feeling that modern people understood ancient liturgy in ways that seemed to allow loop-holes in the marriage contract.  He started to deliver a lengthy explanation about why he was going to insist on the modern version when he began to notice the lock step my fiancée and I were in about the permanence of marriage.  Every question, he found not only our answers acceptable, but also our attitudes.  So with the occasional halt and stumble he married us, with as ancient a liturgy as was acceptable to our community.

Marriage is long.  Covenants stretch thin along with our resources, and there are moments when you look at each other and ask are you still in?  Like everybody we've been through a lot,and last year we both felt wobbly.  Fearfully, I looked to him and asked "Are you still up for this?"  His face furrowed as he asked, "Are you?"  I cannot describe the relief to both of us when the answer from both was yes.  We're still at it.  No one is looking for loopholes.  Things can be tough, but it's still better together.  I still love him best.  In some ways that moment was better than our wedding day.

Aural Sedative

I heard this wonderful song on The Folk Sampler last night.  It is by Leslie Eliel, and the title is If Nobody Sees.  It is beautiful to listen to, as well.

I saw you this morning though we did not speak
I watched you ride by looking tired and weak
Your body was saying Can I really go on
And I thought to myself, feeling sadly

I know nothing about you, if you're hungry or fed
If you're living alone or sharing your bed
But I saw that your beauty was hidden by pain
And that no one was there at your side

You thought you were alone as you struggled and tried
Pulling all of your strength from somewhere inside
Though I could not, I wanted to call you by name
And to sing to your heart and your sorrow.

May you always sleep well in a comfortable bed
May you have what you need of money and bread
And may you always have at least one loyal friend
Or a lover who knows when to hold you

May you always feel safe and at peace in your home
May the tears that you share be not always your own
And if you have young children may you always have time
To be with them, or alone, as you want to

And when your time is done on this earth here below
May your body and mind choose the same time to go
May you leave satisfied, knowing you did your best
And if nobody sees that, well I did.

Day and Night

Yesterday, I woke up late and had to start at a run.  It never stopped until I went back to bed.  Today will be just the same.  

This is the best homeschool year yet.  Three seems like a very balanced number of students.  We get so much done together that I won't be changing anything on our lesson plans.  The trouble is I don't even get lunch.  In previous years, there has been a half an hour or so when I supervised but didn't instruct.  This year I'm working with someone from 9:30-3:00.  To get a workout and the elevated endorphins that go with it, I treadmill over lunch. 

We have two major "social" activities each week.  Religious Education at St. Mary's is one of my favorites because it is so easy and the content elevates our hearts.  The LMHSC Muskegon Homeschooling Co-op is also terrific.  My kids enjoy the classes and have a chance to practice useful skills like raising their hand, walking in lines, and changing rooms.  I have the pleasure of teaching subjects I love. For us it is a win-win.  This year co-op has expanded into the afternoon with a 

stronger emphasis on academics, and all the classes co-ordinate around ancient history.  We have Aristotle Leads the Way about ancient scientists.  We have Ancient History-based Writing Lessons, and I am team teaching History through Art and Literature, taking the literature part.

I am up to my armpits in work and people that I love, but I'm going to have to hope I get through lesson prep, reading a Shakespeare play and the Lamb version every week.  I'm also going to be reading and rereading important works of the ancients.  I have to prepare good content after the reading, and there is the physical toll of being present everywhere I'm needed, never mind the housework.  I don't know if I can do all this, but I can try.  It's only everything I ever wanted to do. 

It's my cylinder seal. 

Ready or Not

Tomorrow I start teaching two classes for the LMHSC Muskegon Co-op--Shakespeare and Ancient Literature.  I'm excited and terrified.  I have a degree in English Education and a passion for both subjects, but things atrophy over time and I suspect that without three advanced degrees I would still feel uncomfortable.  The thing I keep reminding myself of is that this class doesn't have to be the last class before they earn a doctorate in the subject.  This class only has to be an enthusiastic introduction of some of my very old friends to some of my new ones.  Wish us luck!

A New Patience

Lord, you have renewed the face of the earth. Your Church throughout the world sings you a new song, announcing your wonders to all. Through a virgin, you have brought forth a new birth in our world; through your miracles, a new power; through your suffering, a new patience; in your resurrection, a new hope, and in your ascension, new majesty.

I found this prayer in the morning while reading of The Divine Office.  It is beautiful as a whole, but I was struck by the phrase "through your suffering, a new patience."  Paired with Grunewald's The Mocking of Christ, new vistas open on Syria, on my personal struggles, on the work of the church and how it is accomplished.  If you've never heard of The Divine Office, you should give it a look.  Here!

The Other Christmas

If you homeschool, preparing for school is a lot like getting ready for Christmas.  Secrets abound, rooms are off limits, lengthy discussions occur about what's festive and what's crazy.  I love it every year.  This year is the best year.

Studying the ancients takes one on a whirlwind tour through cultures and places.  Last year all we needed was a ship for the Age of Exploration, but for the ancients, we needed a Tardis.  Kurt and I had such a good time putting this together for the kids.  It's a huge hit with my most reluctant student asking me to start school half an hour early.

They had 3D Tardis, but it wasn't bigger on the inside. :)

The Dalek is there for motivation.  Motivation he happily supplies

These are the Tardis controls.  We collected them from thrift stores, antique stores, and whatever wasn't currently in use around the house.  Most items are non-functioning.  The drum set works.  Simon works.  We bought a weather station because we are studying weather first trimester.  We attached a holder for the iPad too.

My friend Janet Tyson helped create our Tardis interior.  I told her I wanted it to look like a theremin sounds.  She certainly succeeded.  We attached inflatable planets to the ceiling, but we can't keep the sun inflated.

This is the back of the Tardis controls.  It is also an arts and crafts depot.  My kids are growing up and can be trusted with paint and markers.  Hallelujah!

The time out chair and the Dalek's original home, but I thought it might be overkill.

The bulletin boards/portholes are supposed to have Mesopotamian items on them, but I can't find the timeline I was going to cut them from.  I guess the Tardis portholes are on the fritz until Egypt.

Video equipment for The Great Courses, the kid's books, binders and supplies, white board and storage,  drawers for copies and completed work in need of grading.

We bought this table when our oldest seemed too short for it.  We were right to buy it.  We'd never have seen it again and it cost us next-to-nothing.  We're doing Flannelgraph this year.  The Bible is ancient literature too.

All those book over all those years, they add up.  The planets continue across the ceiling.  My workstation is there in the corner.

Mea made this for the kids to get them to do their work within the time allotted. Everyone who does so gets a sticker to get them closer to the top.  With our fancy Tardis interior we are running out of wall space.

This is the most fun I've had in years.  The Tardis theme makes everything play and exploration.  What a wonderful gift from this other Christmas.