the drum beats are getting louder...

Breaking news: Bertone confirms motu proprio

In an interview for the cover story (pages 56-60) of Le Figaro Magazine (weekly magazine of the French national daily Le Figaro), published today (not yet available on the newspaper's website); excerpt:

Is a Decree widening the possibility of celebrating the Latin Mass according to the rite from before Vatican II (the so-called Mass of Saint Pius V) still expected?

[Secretary of State] Cardinal Bertone: The merit of the conciliar liturgical reform is intact. But both [for reasons of] not losing the great liturgical heritage left by Saint Pius V and for granting the wish of those faithful who desire to attend Masses according to this rite, within the framework of the Missal published in 1962 by Pope John XXIII, with its own calendar, there is no valid reason not to grant to priests in the entire world the right to celebrate according to this form. The authorization of the Supreme Pontiff would evidently preserve the validity of the rite of Paul VI. The publication of the motu proprio which specifies this authorisation will take place, but it will be the pope himself who will explain his motivations and the framework of his decision. The Sovereign Pontiff will personally explain his vision for the use of the ancient Missal to the Christian people, and particularly to the Bishops.

For the Record: American Episcopal Conference (USCCB) news agency: motu proprio "expected soon"

Article by John Thavis, Rome correspondent of the Catholic News Service, the news agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
By John ThavisCatholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY (CNS) --

Sometime soon, Pope Benedict XVI is expected to broaden permission to use the Tridentine Mass, a long-standing request of traditionalists who favor the rite used before the Second Vatican Council.

h/t to Rorate Caeli

When did I go from Mommy to Mom?

A few months ago I was overwhelmed with the amount of paper bits accumulated from 3 children's art projects, first scribblings, awards, and such. After several were destroyed by baby Timmy I bought cardboard boxes, wrote their names on them and put them up high for safety. With limited space only the most precious papers go in the boxes, but these notes written by Will are certainly worthy. The children made a tree fort yesterday in the crape myrtle out front, dragging every toy, boot, helmet, and chair to furnish it. I was upstairs reading and these messages were delivered to me.

To MOM From will We have a new house, in Main. And It is nice out here. Will

To MOM The nabor chidren are comeing ni our house. It is anoiing, and I would like to have you come over to our house to chat and talk aboute it. 3719 Tree rd. 23329

(the neighbor children were their younger brother and sister) Did you notice all the commas? Just covered that in English, as well as addresses.

Catholic schools

My brother attended a Catholic high school for a few years before it closed due to increased costs and dwindling enrollment. The order of nuns that taught for over 100 years had disappeared due to an embrace of liberalism in the 1960's. Interestingly, the newer, outer shell of the building was dismantled, leaving the small original structure intact. It was rehabbed, per the historic committee's orders and is currently for sale. Perhaps someone could buy it, charge a fortune for tuition, and call it an academy. Instant success, according to this article in the New York Post.

The New York Archdiocese is inviting youngsters back to a Greenwich Village parish schoolhouse it shuttered last year - at $25,000 a pop.
Now, working-class parents who had paid about $2,500 to send their children to the former St. Joseph's School on Washington Place are calling its conversion to a private academy targeting well-heeled New Yorkers this fall the height of hypocrisy.

We had a similar transformation this past year at the local Episcopal school when they upped the price of tuition and started calling themselves Christopher Academy, rather than St. Christopher's.

I can't justify spending several thousands per child for tuition to a "Catholic in-name-only" school, much less a six-figured sum for an "academy" education. The only way to return to a solid system of parochial education is for many more families to be open to life and encourage vocations in their children. Rather than close schools, parishes could open their doors to parents who want special classes for their home and public schooled children. Priests and bishops could promote authentic Catholic education and vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Bishops could set high standards of orthodoxy and punish dissenting priests. Catholics could be taught the basics of the Faith, instead of wishy-washy garbage and then be more likely to follow Church teaching. Perhaps if all these come to pass, there will be oodles of nuns to teach our grandchildren and scads of priests to administer the sacraments.

field trips

Nose in a Book has a good post about a recent trip to a science museum.

Back when we were first homeschooling we took a trip to the opening of a big exhibit at the local zoo. The flyer said that the opening day would be reserved for members only, so I figured we would have exclusive time with the animals, especially the elephants. However, when we arrived I knew it was going to be a zoo, literally. There were dozens of city schoolbuses in the parking lot, all filled with chattering, screaming, and out-of-control children. The morning was a disaster with my biggest concern not losing one of the kids in the chaos. After an hour I gathered my crew to hit the road and the local diner for lunch. We came back a few days later when there was peace and quiet.

My recommendations for field trips include, getting to the museum as early as possible, sit down and wait for the crowd to pass by (they only stay at each place for 5 minutes), and figuring out which direction the biggest groups are going and go the opposite direction. Schelduling trip at the very beginning and end of the school year usually results in only encountering other families. If crowds in general are not your thing then outdoor exhibits like Jamestown and Williamsburg are best enjoyed in the late fall and winter, not in the steamy summer months.

Also, if a museum is a big hit with your kids, like the Virginia Living Museum was with ours, buy a family membership. It usually is only slightly more money than one admission, and you can get newsletters announcing special perks and classes, as well as the freedom to visit anytime for an entire year. Some of our member specials included seeing special planetarium shows, gazing at the biggest snapping turtle in captivity, touching a blue tongued skink, crawling inside a LEGO sub, and patting pythons. Some were not my cup of tea, but the kids loved it and learned so much more than they would have if they had come in a big yellow bus.

happy 9 month birthday

to my little blue eyed Gerber baby. Timmy has been on the speed track developmentally, trying to keep up with his siblings. He has already crawled up the stairs several times in the past week. Do you know how hard it is to deal with baby gates with 4 other children in the house? He is also the most delightful baby, going down for naps without a fuss, smiling with that still toothless grin, and giggling uncontrollably when tickled.

As much as I dislike changing nappies and spooning mush into mouths I hope he is not our last. For someone who didn't plan to have any babies, I certainly think they are marvelous now!

Speaking of Gerber babies, if you go to their web site, you can order these really cool and cheap frames. I have one for each of the children engraved with their name and birthday on our mantel. The short handled spoons are great too, just the right size for little mouths.

a general daily scheldule

My husband considers me an extraordinary woman, juggling homeschooling and keeping up the house. I run a tight ship, that's for sure, and if you walked in the door right now you would find a clean house, laundry folded and put away, bread baking in the machine, the babies napping, and the older ones watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Okay, some days I don't think about what we are having for supper until 5pm and then weakly say, "How about Chinese takeout?" but most days I am on top of things. How? By having a routine, sticking to it and at the same time being flexible.

Our general daily routine begins with wake up about 7am, followed by breakfast, dressing, brushing teeth and tidying rooms. School starts at 9 and we are usually finished by 12. During school I am up and down getting juice, keeping the little ones busy, and nursing the baby. I also bring down the laundry and clean up the kitchen. After lunch I put the babies down for a nap and get a lie down to read while the older ones play quietly. Afternoon is filled with reading books, playing, and games for the kids and I tidy up and vacuum. Supper is usually early and followed by baths, stories, prayers and bed. I usually fold the laundry and put it on dresser tops during bathtime. Another help is our cleaning lady who scrubs everything once a week.

I have read Holly Pierot's Mother's Rule of Life and was inspired, but then got bogged down in her scheldule broken down into 15 min increments. My life changes every day with one in preschool and riding and piano lessons for the others that I need something much more flexible. I think I have hit on the answer and am amazed that my home is much more organized with 5 children than it ever was when I only had 1 or 2.

Baby #6

Congratulations to Michelle on the announcement of her pregnancy. God bless all unborn babies, but especially those whose mommies have to undergo the, "Don't you know what causes that?" question 8 times a day for the entire pregnancy. She wrote a great post that I want to xerox and give out to busybodies in the grocery everytime I am asked dumb and rude questions.

I was blessed yesterday during a long expedition at the commissary to have 5 well behaved children. Two people even told me how beautiful they were (of course they are, they are MY children). An older gentleman asked, "How do you keep them so quiet and good?" I responded, "I bribe them, plain and simple!" The grocery and Mass are the only places I do this, the first with candy at the checkout if they are good and doughnuts for children that I don't have to take out for the second. It only took a few times without for even a 2 year old to understand.

We have been asked numerous times in the past few weeks if we want to have more children (do they know something I don't?) and have taken the cheater's way out by saying, "I would like another girl to even things up." Sunday I was asked by an older lady, "Why you have so many children? Why you not normal?" She was Japanese so I didn't take offense at her word usage and tried to explain that we follow Church teaching regarding contraception and how much we love our children. What makes a family with 2 children "normal" and a family with 5+ children not? I so wish that more Catholic families would be open to life and welcome more babies, even if the culture at large does not. I expect many more rude comments and questions, but I am grateful for the internet, connecting friends who help celebrate and commiserate about our large broods!

65th Carnival of Homeschooling

Is up at Alasandra. There are some great post titles that sound like they will be great to read!

oh, what a beautiful morning

One of the greatest pleasures is waking refreshed, listening to the birds singing, feeling the spring breeze, and seeing the blooms of flowering trees. It gives me hope in the future and peace in my soul. I recall feeling this same way as a child when I went walking in the woods hearing the call of mourning doves and seeing the sun rise over the river. The magnificence of God's love is so apparent to those who look and listen carefully.

I promise to help my children learn to sit quietly to see and hear God in prayer and in the beauty of the world around us.

I love these little quizzes!

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have medium neuroticism. You're generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic. Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy. Your life is pretty smooth, but there's a few emotional bumps you'd like to get rid of. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is low. You're a pretty conservative person, and you favor what's socially acceptable. You think that change for novelty's sake is a very bad idea. While some may see this as boring, many see you as dependable and wise.

The Five Factor Personality Test

house still for sale

After 3 weeks, over a dozen showings, and one offer, our house is still on the market. I eagerly read articles titled "How to Sell Your Home" and listen to the real estate show on the radio for secrets in this slow market. Last week the gal on the radio said that what every home needs is outside sprucing up so the warm weather found me weeding and sweeping the street in front of the house. Yesterday I got a new magazine that featured an article about staging a home for sale, promising a speedy and lucrative closing.

Staging is a step beyond cleaning and de-cluttering a home- it is de-personalizing it so it resembles a model. Apparently if a buyer sees pristine, sparse, and neutral decor then they are more likely to purchase. The suggestions include taking down personal items, taking out toys and photos, keeping garbage cans out of sight, removing everything from the front of the fridge, putting away small appliances from the counter, and removing rugs. So I immediately got to work, even though I really needed to do a bit of school with the kids, make dinner, and visit my mother in the hospital. I did clean out the hall closet, then reality hit. There are 7 people living in this house and we aren't gone all day at work or school- we live here, this staging thing is impossible. Where am I supposed to put the trash can? Do I want the children to think I am ashamed of our Catholic faith by taking down icons and statues? Do I want to fight with everyone else every day about having games and stuffed animals on their beds rather than hidden in the attic? Why should I take down photos of family and friends? Do I want to have to lug the toaster out every time I want to make toast?

The house itself is beautiful and is clean and tidy. It will sell and I don't need to stage it or bury St. Joseph in the yard to have it happen.

I won!

This morning was a combination of perfect race weather and the perfect setting. The Botanical Garden's azaleas and camellias fragrance filled the air as we looped through the woods. It was chilly enough for a sweatshirt, but warm enough for a tshirt during the race itself. I ran a adult best time of 23:08 and placed 1st in my age group. I had planned to take off a few months from any races, but now I'm going to see if I can find another easy 5K in a few weeks. Running helps me mentally and physically and I need the carrot at the end of the stick to get me motivated.

story of the world

Will and I just finished reading together Story of the World Vol 2, The Middle Ages. While we didn't use the study guide and just read a few chapters every week, we really enjoyed Susan Wise Bauer's storytelling style to give us an overview of history. The globe sure got a workout as I pulled it out every time to help him understand the context and geography. I have to decide soon if we are going to begin Vol 3 now or wait until the fall, but I have a feeling that Will is going to ask me to start reading the next one pretty soon, "Please can we read more Mommy?"

I have noticed that when I start a new project like this one, learning Latin, or the piano I just tell Will to, "suck it up and learn it," while with Mary I tend to back off if she is not interested. They have different learning styles and different interests and Mary's might already be pushed to her limit being a year ahead in school. Perhaps I have been too soft, not forcing her to listen to extra history or learn Latin vocabulary. However, it is not like she is spending all her free time goofing off, but but hiding in corners of the house to read her "horsey" books.

conservative, not republican

This story out of the LA Times struck me, but did not give explain well why so many people are no longer defining themselves as members of the GOP. My take is that the party now has shifted so far to the left that they no longer represent conservative views. They are certainly not pro-life and are increasingly liberal in terms of border security and spending our tax money on socialist programs and pork-barrel political garbage. Unless someone like Fred Thompson becomes the Republican's nominee for President in '08, I will end up voting for the Constitutional Party's candidate.

"Public allegiance to the Republican Party has plunged since the second year of George W. Bush's presidency, as attitudes have edged away from some of the conservative values that fueled GOP political dominance for more than a decade, a major new survey has found.

...other Republicans believe such poll results signal a clear end to the era of GOP domination that began with President Reagan's election, continued when the party took control of Capitol Hill in 1994, and helped elect Bush twice to the White House."There are cycles in history where one party or one movement ascends for a while and then it sews the seeds of its own self-destruction," said Bruce Bartlett, a conservative analyst and author of a 2006 book "Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted American and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy.""It's clear we have come to an end of a Republican conservative era," he said.

Republicans seem to be paying a price for a growing sense of dissatisfaction with the state of the country during the Bush years. Three out of 10 people said they were satisfied with the way things are going in the country--a 25-point drop in the last seven years."

room to read

I just finished reading a exhilarating book by John Wood, called Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children. On a backpacking trip to Nepal John was asked to bring back some books for the local school, since they only had 5 books (and these were locked up). Over the next 10 years he founded an non-profit organization, Room to Read, to build and fill libraries and schools in Nepal, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Laos, and Cambodia. Over 2600 libraries have been built and filled with over 1.2 million books.

The book tells the inspiring story of how Mr. Wood created a low-overhead, tangible result model that all charities should emulate.

I love to read and spent many hours in my childhood in the basement of the local library. My first real job was as a page: re-shelving, checking out books for patrons, and helping people find specific titles or subjects. I have often bought children's stories to leave at the pediatric clinic at our hospital for parents to read to their bored kids (especially being military-socialized medicine routinely means very long waits). Books have meant such a lot to me, I can't imagine what it would be like to not have access to a library. While reading this book, I imagined the thrill of watching pack animals laboring up the mountain pass carrying hundreds of books. While I can't fly to Nepal to stock the local school library, I can pass on a love of reading to my 5 little chickadees. In fact, perhaps I'll start today with an afternoon trip to the library.

pray with me

We have found out that Mother's cancer has spread up to around her lungs and therefore, is stage 4. On the plus side, she is out of the ICU and could be sent home soon. She does needs to eat and regain some strength so she can start chemotherapy. She and I calmly talked the other evening about end of life issues and I told her that it would make me very happy if she would talk with our priest. He is a very kind and gentle man and will help immensely put her soul at ease. He met with her the next day and made her laugh. He had good things to say about her too, so I am encouraged and grateful. I am making a Novena to St. Joseph that she be healed and convert to the Catholic Faith.

O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. 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 that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the most Loving of Fathers. O St. 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. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen

female drivers

I overheard Maggie trying to explain stop lights to her little brother Charlie, "red means stop, green means go, yellow means go really fast!"

64th homeschool carnival

is up at Principled Discovery.

Spring has sprung

The past two days I have gone running in a t-shirt and shorts. The forsythia, quince, tulip and star magnolias, and daffodils are all beginning to bloom. Warmth has filled the air. I love this time of year when the plants outside are calling me to come walk among them admiring their fuzzy buds getting ready to unfurl. I even mowed the grass for the first time this year yesterday.

The children are also eager about playing outside as well. They pulled out soccer balls and wagons and even the umbrella to play our Winnie the Pooh "tut-tut, it looks like rain" game. I quickly had to go through the kid's clothing bins and pull out short sleeve shirts and shorts. Last week we had to bundle the children up in blankets and gloves, hats and coats, now they can play outside without me having to say, "Put on your socks and shoes, it's cold outside!"

the daily battle

This article in Brain, Child magazine has provoked a few homeschooling mothers to write posts about the author's use of the term "excessive mothering." I wanted to write more about the very real daily battles that occur over schooling.

No, I don't have to wake my children up at the crack of dawn to get dressed, eat, gather their backpacks, and be standing at the curb at 7:30am for the bus. No, I don't have to spend all evening cramming in hours of homework while simultaneously cleaning the supper dishes and giving baths to babies. I don't have to argue, "I'm not buying you the latest IPod or sneakers, or whatever, so you can 'fit in'."

But I do have to cajole them endlessly to perform the same 5 tasks every morning before we even begin our work: eat, get dressed, brush hair and teeth, and make the bed. School seems to drag on forever and it always seems to be a different subject that needs extra encouragement and more motivation. Today it was Mary's handwriting- she recently started cursive and can't seem to find the beauty in the curves and swoops that Will loves. Often I have to stand over Will listening to him practice his piano pieces, "Play it again, and again, and again until it is perfect." There is also the daily grind of how to keep three little ones quiet long enough to get some education accomplished. And with 5 little ones in the house who can't help but whine, fuss, bicker,and fight I often feel like needing a time-out, perhaps on a deserted island.

All homeschooling moms have their strengths and weaknesses. I really admire moms who organize unit studies and actually pull it off. I ask prayers from those moms who can manage to get all 8 of their kids praying the rosary every night after dinner. I laugh aloud everytime I hear some mother say, "I could never homeschool, I don't have the patience." Neither do I. My only strengths are organization and pure perseverance, I won't let us fall behind or give up. I will fight the battle to give my children the best education I can give them because their souls and minds are worth it.

"Most homeschooling books never speak of these tensions--the power struggles and resentments and irrational moments of fury that emerge in any family, however loving. ...Reading them, one would think that homeschooling is an endlessly rosy enterprise, filled with brilliant, cooperative children well on their way to the Ivy League. In all my reading I never found a book that addressed what I feared most--the battles. ...whether the subject was dragons or fractions, the result was always the same. If I was not nearby to push and prod and cheer, Julia would muddle through her tasks at the pace of an aging sloth.

One afternoon at our public library I described my concerns to a seasoned homeschooler, a teacher-certified mother with an advanced degree in early education. I expected her to tell me what I was doing wrong. Instead, she sadly shook her head: "That's the story of my life."

The more mothers I queried, the more confessions I heard. Many moms had similar trouble keeping their young learners on track, and the relentless foot-dragging sometimes drove the parents crazy...

In my darkest moments I was glad that my homeschooling was limited to one year. That light at the end of the tunnel served as my guiding star. But when the light expanded into the sunshine of mid-June, I felt surprisingly sad.

Julia and I had grown closer through our moments of triumph and anger. She had read and written and calculated more than ever before in the public schools. And now that she has entered a conventional middle school, and is once again oppressed by the combination of piles of homework, little fresh air (no recess in middle school) and endless multiple choice tests (multiple choice is the greatest sign of the failure of American education), she often grows nostalgic."