House Blessing Here

It's been busy at Chez Henhouse. We are having a house blessing tonight! Never mind that it will be two years in May that we have lived here. Epiphany is the traditional season for house blessings, and we missed it last year, okay? We were still unpacking.

This year, I won't say we're done unpacking--there are still boxes in the storage room, plus new accumulations--but we are settled in enough. Plus, it's time.

The trick, of course, is getting every room in the house presentable simultaneously. That has been the challenge before us this past week! We invited the whole church and it sounds like at least 30 people are coming, over half of them kids. The plan is to start in the basement and bless the family room (home theater area) first, then put on a movie for the younger kids. We'll finish the basement rooms and work our way up through the house, and any kids who drop out can return to the basement till we're done. We'll finish with dessert and fellowship, one of my favorite combinations.

Should be a blessing indeed!

Fifteen Minutes to Sainthood

A friend emailed me this quote from Teresa of Avila: (Thanks, Matt!)

"Give me a person who has fifteen minutes of mental (interior) prayer daily, and I will give you a saint."

"For mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us."

This is from the same saint who gave us the quote in my sidebar, to the effect that married people, because of their vocation, must understand that their spiritual progress will be slow. But they shouldn't beat themselves up; they should be "cheerful and free and not neglect recreation."

I get upset with myself and my life when I don't spend the time I should in Bible study, prayer and ministry. But I have gotten better at drawing near to God in my spare moments, in directing my thoughts and interior words toward Him who I know loves me, especially when I feel unloved and unlovable, or depressed and overwhelmed. Don't think I'm up to 15 minutes a day total yet! But I have been surprised at how sustaining those mental "glances" or moments of listening or just being with Him, even for a few seconds, can be. And five minutes of resting body and mind, "floating" in God's presence, has helped me get through more than one tough afternoon.

She continues, "The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything."

I do desire to please God in everything, but fall so short so often. Too frequently, I aim to please myself in my activities. I think much instead of loving much. So I am pondering on doing "that which best stirs you to love," because honestly, I need to give more thought to this question.

But I love the 15 minutes as a goal. Fifteen minutes of "intimate sharing" with the One who knows me best and loves me anyway. I can try for that!

Teen Report

Writing about B19's birthday made me realize how long it's been since I've updated on the teens in our home!

With his graduation from high school looming, there is so much to be done. The first thing, we hope, is getting his driver's license. He's been putting in the hours and probably has logged enough, but passing his driving test may be a bigger hurdle than we thought, as he is just not very comfortable behind the wheel and may have trouble processing the instructor's auditory instructions, especially in a stressful situation like a test. But he really needs to be able to get himself to work and classes, so we are praying and trying to give him lots of opportunities behind the wheel.

The next domino will be getting a job, so he can help pay for car insurance, gas and the computer classes he'd like to take beginning next fall. We need to investigate his local options: there is UW-Parkside, which has both 2- and 4-year degrees, College of Lake County (IL), a community college, and Gateway Tech, which offers various certifications and degrees. He's planning to live at home while working and taking classes, and we'll appreciate his continued help with chores, babysitting and errands, once he gets his license. Lots of transitions ahead for him and us--prayer appreciated!

Now, Blondechick17. You may recall that she half-reluctantly agreed to transfer to a Christian school this year, as a junior. Well, she ended up being SO grateful and SO thankful that we urged her to switch! She's made many new friends. She likes her teachers. She especially enjoys being in concert choir, but her favorite thing about her new school is CHAPEL. "Why is it only once a week?" she complains every Thursday, after telling me about the amazing speaker or the awesome worship or whatever it was that God used to speak to her during that time. Her faith is growing stronger and more solid every week, and we feel so grateful to God for the way He is answering our anxious prayers of over a year ago. Those concerns couldn't be aired on this blog, of course, but they were very real, and she is as grateful as we are for how God has turned her life toward a better path. But it was she who submitted to Him and to us, and we are so encouraged and proud of her!

She is keeping busy with homework--LOTS of it--more like what we'd expect of a college prep course of study, and then some! Outside of school hours, last fall she rehearsed every weekend for her part as the Sour Kangaroo in Seussical, and also helped out as an aide in the Beginning Musical Theater class. She choreographed both numbers that the class performed in their final Showcase, which was a new and great experience for her. She's aiding again this winter session in the same class but opted not to audition for Mulan, so she could join Show Choir and Student Government at her school. She's been taking guitar lessons too, all year, and she just finished Driver's Ed classes, although she's had her permit since November. She should be getting her license in April--look out!

Bantam14, you remember, pushed us to let him go full-time, not just part-time, in the 8th grade at the same Christian school as Blondechick. Our biggest concern was the adjustment to the homework load, and sure enough, that has been a struggle for one who isn't the fastest at handwriting or keyboarding or skimming textbooks or catching on to math concepts. But we have seen such perseverance and diligence in this young man! Even when he is feeling overwhelmed, he plugs doggedly away.

He's doing very well in his classes, considering, and he really likes the school--the kids, the teachers, chapel, and especially gym. They've been playing one team sport after another, and his height and maturity, age-wise, have given him an enjoyable advantage. He's also taking choir, at our urging and with the strong encouragement of his older sister, and at the Fall Concert, he looked so handsome in his white shirt, black vest and black bow tie. He sounded good too!

He's also attending theater classes and rehearsals, taking guitar lessons with Blondechick, and in his spare time, he likes to listen to music and trade albums and band recommendations with friends--mostly Christian bands, but other worthwhile ones too. At least, the ones he shares with us are worthwhile, and we have to try to stay on top of the rest.

Ah, the joys of having teenagers! They are a daily challenge (nightly too--as when they ask you to help them study for a test at 11 p.m. on Sunday night), but it is rewarding and exciting to see them progressing spiritually, academically, and relationally, becoming their own persons more and more every day. I thank God for them and pray for the wisdom and the patience I need to get through each day with them. And I praise God for how He is able to fill in for my lacks!

The Best Number

Bantam10: "I love this soup the most!"

Chicklet7: "I love it a million, thousand times the most!"

Bantam10: "Well, I love it to infinity! That's the biggest number there is."

Bantam4: "I love it FOUR!"

Happy Birthday, Bantam19!

Only one more year as a teenager! I can't believe it.

The coming year holds many momentous events: graduation from high school, getting a driver's license (hopefully), getting a job (hopefully), starting college classes (hopefully). You will need God's wisdom and direction for your life more than you ever have!

My birthday wish for you is that you will become a man of the Word, and a man of prayer. There is no other way to learn to hear God's voice or to sense the Holy's Spirit's gentle nudges. You're going to need these abilities as you head toward independence and a life of your own.

I can't wait to see how God will answer our prayers for you for all these big changes. "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)

God has begun a good work in you, son. You have a deep faith and trust in God. Now it's up to you to "work out" what God has "worked in." (Phil. 2:12-13) You are beginning to work out physically; may you strengthen and train your spiritual muscles this year too!

We love you and thank God for you!!

Thankful--For Every, Every Minute

So I had a pretty bad medical scare here lately.

The day before my 45th birthday, I got the results of an echocardiogram that had been done to check out a heart murmur. I'd been told that the murmur was probably not significant, but still, if I'd never had an echo, I should, they said.

So I had the echo, or ultrasound of the heart, and sure enough, the murmur is insignificant. However (they said), we want you to come back in for a CT scan of your chest, because it appears that your aorta is mildly enlarged.

As I hung up the phone, concern began to gradually spread through my brain. I googled, I tried to recall from my life insurance underwriting days...I just knew this was not good. An enlarged aorta means, basically, that it's a weak vessel that could blow at any time. In other words, an aneurysm, which I always thought was what it was called when it blew, but I guess you can walk around with an aneurysm--or enlarged, weakened vessel--for years, too. Sort of a time bomb.

I woke up the next morning, on my birthday, with a page from the Lincoln Manual--the life insurance underwriter's bible--burned into my consciousness. "Enlarged Aorta" was the title, and there was a chart underneath. I couldn't "see" or recall everything on the chart entirely, but I remembered now, that it was a very bad page. The chart went from mildly enlarged to severely enlarged, and there was a section on those who'd been treated by surgery too--and most of the categories were either uninsurable (too great a risk) or very, very expensive to buy life insurance for. Although it seemed that the first category, mild enlargement, was surprisingly only a Table B (the minimum upcharge on a normal rate, without the nonsmoker discount).

It's interesting how my brain, in sleep, was able to pull back and look at my case so objectively! But it did nothing to reassure the waking me, who was having a birthday, for Pete's sake. I'd been thinking that 45 was probably about the halfway point for me, since longevity runs in my family--and suddenly, I was worrying that I may have hit my halfway point a long time ago. It was quite sobering, and I felt suddenly afraid. It was a hard day, my birthday.

I shared the news with only a few people, since the CT scan would be the more definitive report and I wouldn't know those results for a week or so. I was hoping and praying that the enlargement would be very mild, indeed.

But I had one week, then, of not knowing and trying not to imagine and fear the worst. I found myself thinking often of Annie Martin and John Fawcett, both friends of ours who died in the last two years; both were in their forties, and both left children and spouses behind. That was the hard part--the thoughts of leaving my children, wondering if I'd be there to see them married, cuddle grandchildren, visit them in their homes, turn 18. How many more years would Papa Rooster and I have together? Would I never become old and gray? How would he function as a single parent? As much as I look forward to being with Jesus, I realized that I fiercely love my life and all the people God has placed in it.

I also had weird guilty feelings, wondering if it was significant that it was my heart that was affected. Was there a failure of my heart, to love, to give to others? If I had been a kinder, gentler person, would this not have happened? Could yelling at my kids in anger have caused this? Should I bargain with God and promise to become a new, better person if only He'd take this away? I didn't let myself go down any of these mental tracks, but they did occur.

Finally, I evaluated my activities. Would I change anything? I might have to quit my part-time job, but other than that, I couldn't think of much to let go of. Maybe I would finally hire a house cleaner....

You can imagine, then, the relief that rushed through me when the doctor's assistant said, "We have the results of your scan, and your aorta looks completely normal--no enlargement at all."

I am praising God and rejoicing in the gift of LIFE! I can't believe how much we take it for granted, as Thornton Wilder tries to show us in his brilliant play "Our Town," one of those literary works I'm glad I had to write a paper on in high school. "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?"

It's been three days since I got the good news. I thought it would shape me for the rest of my life, yet I am amazed at how my mind has moved on. I'll go for hours without recalling either the sense of dread or the relief that were so powerful just days ago; then I will remember and be surprised at how life goes on, evidently.

And I am so thankful that it does.

Ancient China, Here We Come!

So I forgot to pick up this thread until now, but in our upcoming production of Disney's Mulan, the Bantams both have fun roles!

B10 is Chi Fu.



If that visage rings no bells for you: He's the Emperor's consul, who alternates between being comic relief and the brunt of other soldier's jokes, and the bad guy who threatens the hero (Shang) with removal from his position as Captain of the regiment. He's exactly the sort of humorously evil character that B10 enjoys becoming!

B14 is Fa Zhou.



He's Mulan's gentle father, crippled from a previous war. When he is called into service again, to fight the invading Huns, Mulan goes in his place (sneaking away at night, without his permission; cutting her hair and pretending to be his son).

He also plays the Emperor of China.


In the exciting climax, there is an assassination attempt on his life! (Then, unbeknownst to the audience, there will be another exciting moment backstage as he'll have to quick-change back into his other role as Fa Zhou, for Mulan's return to her village.)

I just found out I'm chairing the makeup committee, and I'm full of questions. Are we dying hair, or just using spray-on color? Are we copying the hairstyles and facial hair from the movie, or not? What's the vision for the Ancestors, who are supposed to be statues? What do the costumes look like? Like I don't have enough to do already...but planning makeup and hair is such a fun, creative outlet for me!

Blondechick17 didn't audition for this one; instead, she's doing show choir at her school. (Although she almost changed her mind at the last minute!) It's hard when kids get to high school and have so many opportunities--and there just isn't time for them to do everything they would like to. She says she needs a break from theater, and B14 is planning to take one too, after this show. I'm just glad they've been able to help get this new chapter going--it's been so rewarding to be part of it and see God at work, growing and shaping it.

American Idol ID

So while the whole family was gathering in our basement movie theater preparing to watch Chuck (which we had recorded and which the little kids don't usually watch with us), my teenagers were playing Tuesday night's American Idol episode (also recorded). I was busy picking up toys and getting Chicklet to help me dump water out of the tea set, which had spilled on my hand-me-down vintage metal TV trays, no doubt encouraging rust.

I just happened to look up as the names "Tripp and Barbara Curtis" flashed onto the screen, showing them being interviewed while the film frequently cut away to shots of a blonde teenager playing with several Down's syndrome boys, apparently her brothers.

"Hey, I know her!" I exclaimed. The teenage heads all swiveled toward me. "I mean--that family. The mom--she's a blogger! They had a bunch of their own kids and then they adopted all these Down's syndrome kids. And they weren't even Christians to begin with. She writes books, and speaks, and homeschools--she used to be a Montessori teacher--she's amazing!"

And as it turned out, so was her daughter! We were all delighted with her performance, and even more thrilled that the judges liked her too. Not only did they appreciate her soulful voice, but Simon told her that she was an unusual 16-year-old because she was not annoying. ("That's because she's been homeschooled," I hissed to my teenagers, not knowing if it was currently true, and it ends up: It's not. But she was unusually respectful, polite and free from "attitude.")

So we will be rooting for Maddy Curtis as the show progresses! I've never really cared who won or even watched much before.

For a YouTube video of Maddy's appearance, and the insider perspective from her mother Barbara, click here!

Movies Watched in 2009

These are the movies that I personally watched, with various combinations of our family members. That means, no, our younger children did not watch all of these with us!

Miss Potter--delightful movie about Beatrix Potter, the author/illustrator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and many others. Inspiring.

Behind the Mask-- At A Hen’s Pace review here.

The Merchant of Venice—we watched this because it’s Shakespeare, and we had just read Lamb’s version. The acting was good, but there was too much nudity and a homosexual subplot that isn’t in the Bard’s tale. Yech.

Mulan—had to watch this one, since our theater group is putting this on as our next show! She's not my favorite Disney princess. This one's more of a boy's movie, with soldiers, battles and comedy provided by a horse, a cricket, and a dragon (voiced by Eddie Murphy) that kept my younger two giggling all the way through.

Slumdog Millionaire--if you missed this one, you need to see it. There is a torture scene at the beginning that is hard to watch, but get past that, and this is a wonderful movie on so many levels. Blondechick17 claims it as her favorite ever.

Death at a Funeral—a British slapstick comedy, complete with mistaken identities, bathroom humor and naked male bottoms. Can't officially recommend it. But we laughed a lot!

Lars and the Real Girl—now this was an interesting movie that all my therapist friends need to see! Lars is a repressed Scandinavian (a household joke to start with, since Papa Rooster is 50% pure Norwegian) who has issues to work through, so naturally, he orders an inflatable woman friend to work through them with. Sounds perverted, of course, and that's what everyone thinks until they realize otherwise, and then this becomes the story of a small town that humors and loves Lars to health. I wouldn't mind seeing this one again.

Jerusalem—we watched this with friends who love and own this movie. It’s long, it’s slow, and it’s subtitled, but it is achingly beautiful. It is based on the true story of a group of Norwegians who sold everything and followed a compelling preacher to join a commune of American immigrants in Jerusalem. It examines aspects of faith in those who left everything, and in those who stayed behind. Beautiful and moving.

Mamma Mia--our kids liked this one better than we, the grownups, did. As musicals go, this one was cheesy, had very little plot and no really memorable numbers. WE thought.

Bullets Over Broadway--this is one of Woody Allen's best, I think. The first line is "I am a writer"; the last line is "I am not a writer." It explores the question of what it means to be an artist, and to what extent humans should sacrifice for the sake of art. Thought-provoking in many ways. However, a lot more language and innuendo than we remembered, and I don't think our teens got enough good out of it to offset the bad.

My Cousin Vinnie--I can't help it; I love this movie despite the language and a few other problems. It's about a couple of New Jersey boys who get arrested in the deep South and wind up accused of murder. They call in cousin Vinnie Gambini, who just passed the bar exam (finally) and has never tried a case before, to defend them. Marisa Tomei won an Oscar for her role as the gum-smacking, New Joisy girlfriend whose knowledge of auto mechanics wins the day; her 80's fashionista outfits are a hoot! She's the main reason I like to rewatch this.

Clockwise--this is another one we love to rewatch, and it's perfectly fine for the whole family. John Cleese plays the always-prompt, planned-to-the-minute headmaster of a British public school. He's been invited to a conference to receive an award and give a speech, and once he leaves his own school, everything goes horribly, hysterically wrong as he tries to get to the conference on time.

The Curse of the Were Rabbit (Wallace and Gromit)--silly, clever, funny!!

Seven Pounds--Will Smith's character feels so guilty for causing 7 deaths in an auto accident, that he makes amends by killing himself, after selecting 7 deserving people who will be organ donor recipients. Well-done, but morbid and depressing. Christians know the message is wrong--there IS forgiveness available--but this movie is a powerful example of what happens when we set ourselves up as the arbiters of justice, instead of God.

The Importance of Being Earnest--oh, such a satisfying blend of wit, comedy and propriety. I could watch this over and over--and have! Oscar Wilde at his best.

A Christmas Carol--this was the most recent musical version, a Disney production with Kelsey Grammar as Scrooge. We love the old Scrooge, the Musical (with Albert Finney in the title role), but this one was really good too, a little lighter and happier.

Julie & Julia--At A Hen's Pace review here.

The Godfather--our teenage sons have asked so many question about the Mafia lately, that it seemed time to watch this with them. Bantam18 found it so disturbing he couldn't finish it; "this is evil!" he exclaimed vehemently. And it is, pure evil exposed for what it is. The chilling part is to see how one choice leads to another and another until a good man, determined to walk apart, becomes the murderous godfather of a mob family empire. (Here is a commentary on what Christians can gain from watching this movie.) I think it was good timing for B14.

GI Joe--Eh. Kinda fun, in a way, but too violent, with not just shooting and explosions, but multiple stabbings. And the violence was non-stop. I was disappointed that it wasn't more kid-friendly.

Cold Comfort Farm--this was the second time watching this one, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I did the first time, years ago, when I just didn't get it at first. But if you like off-beat comedies, this is a good one! It's about a young woman who goes to stay with relatives who are the weirdest bunch of country characters ever. The ending is unabashedly happy, and the comic moments are many, but strange. I'd watch it again--it's the kind of film that has more to notice each time.

And that's it! If you have movie recommendations for our 2010 list, let me know in the comments!!

A Birthday & a Blogiversary

Yes, today is my 45th birthday, and New Year's Eve marked 4 years of blogging! I was a little too busy hosting a soup supper and talent show, though, to notice.

I know my readership has dropped this fall, since I was only posting once a week or so, but to celebrate these auspicious anniversaries, it would be fun to hear from whomever is still out there! Even if it's a week late. Even if you've never left a comment before. Just say where you're from if you don't know what else to write.

Meanwhile, I'll be working on my annotated list of "Movies Watched in 2009," while I sip coffee here at Panera, waiting for Bantams 10 and 14 to be done at Mulan callbacks. (The cast list goes up tomorrow!)

So go ahead--make my day!

Annual Celebration

We had a great time at our annual celebration last night! We asked folks to stand up and share things they were grateful for about our church, and it was such a blessing to hear the things that had touched people.

--one little boy said he had never had any good friends before they came to Light of Christ.
--the parents of a boy with autism and Tourette's syndrome said they were grateful for our acceptance of their son--who can be disruptive at times--and for providing an outlet for service for him (he serves as an acolyte every few weeks).
--another child thanked God for our church and for gathering times like the meal we had just had together.
--Barbara was grateful for those who assisted her family while she was battling cancer this year.
--we are all so thankful to God for Barbara's healing, and for all that she does with our Sunday School and altar guild (she IS the altar guild!).
--one of our founders, Mrs. A, recalled the first few Sundays when it was just a couple families in attendance, and thanked God for all the people God has sent since. Such an answer to those early prayers!
--we thanked God for the many children He has sent us and for the joy of seeing them serve each week as acolytes.
--we thanked God for our three folks from the older, wiser generation as well!
--one of them shared how blessed she was by our church despite the fact that she has very few "age-mates" there; she feels placed here by God.
--our token college/career age gal said she grew up moving a lot, and there weren't always good churches to attend. She is grateful to be attending one now!
--and we are glad she's hung in there with us, and are grateful for her service with our worship team.
--I recalled how many folks have passed through our doors, who have moved away but who were truly blessed by their time with us (like this family and the Prathers--Joel is now a priest in Texas--and a couple that is now at seminary).
--a mom was thankful that we are a praying community, as she recalled their earliest months at the church and how we prayed her through a pregnancy that was difficult for mother and baby.
--she also was grateful for the group of "regulars" at the weekly ladies' gathering at a coffee shop, and spoke of the community that had grown there.
--we are all thankful for the youth group that has begun to grow, and for the two men who stepped up to lead their Sunday School class (despite the challenges of kids who just can't pay attention, even when they are being talked about--cough, cough [B14]--ahem!).
--a new family shared how difficult it has always been for them to find a church that contains the differing spiritual values of both husband and wife, and how grateful they are to have found us so quickly after moving here this summer.
--he and another man were also grateful for the intellectual camaraderie they have in the carpool they have formed with Papa Rooster, all going 45+ minutes away to Deerfield, IL--what are the odds?
--and one of them is grateful to God and Light of Christ for the job he found, working with Papa --another man shared how glad he was that friends had invited him to Light of Christ, stating simply, "I love this church." He said his time with us had been transforming. He and another family both mentioned how grateful they were for the healing they had received.
--another dad said this church has become like family. He and his family are so thankful for the community they have here.

I know I'm missing more things that were said--but I'm glad my memory and this post can capture these, at least.

Praise be to God for all that He has done among us and through us at Light of Christ!!!!

Snow Day!

I found this actually educational, and thought my readers who don't have the privilege of living near one of the Great Lakes might be interested:

From WeatherChannel.com

LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING

A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF LAKE- EFFECT SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. LAKE-EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TYPICALLY ALIGN THEMSELVES IN BANDS AND WILL LIKELY BE INTENSE ENOUGH TO DROP SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW PER HOUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. VISIBILITIES VARY GREATLY AND CAN DROP TO ZERO WITHIN MINUTES. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED.
... LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND SET UP OVER FAR SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN TODAY... ... DANGEROUSLY COLD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING...

So those are our weather conditions here this morning, and all my kids are home from school. Papa Rooster, who works nearly an hour away in northeast Illinois, had to head out on the road, though, and it makes me think how grateful I am for him, his job, and his faithful efforts there that provide so well for our family. Thank you, PR!

I don't know if we'll do much homeschooling today, with all the big kids home, but I will take advantage of our unplowed street and take my two oldest--who both have their learner's permits--out to slip-slide around on it and get a feel for driving in snow. I'm sure this will do great things for my blood pressure!

It's Epiphany!

It's Epiphany today, the day we remember the Wise Men coming to the Christ Child with their gifts. They "saw the light" as it led them there, and they "saw the Light" when they looked into His face. Epiphany could be defined as the moment one "sees the light."

So when we started our church during the Epiphany season, we named it Light of Christ. That was three years ago this month, so we are having a church-wide celebration service tonight, in honor of this day of Epiphany and our three years together. We'll celebrate with a meal--one of our men is making lasagna for all, and another man offered his famous Caesar Salad--and our first-ever annual meeting.

Happy three years to us! And a blessed Epiphany to you all. May the light of Christ surround you this day and always!

Chicklet Comes Home

Chicklet7 decided that she was not going back to school after Christmas break.

Actually, it began before Thanksgiving break when she missed several days of school and didn’t want to go back. Then over Thanksgiving, she asked if she could be homeschooled again, and I said I would think about it, but she certainly would attend school at least until Christmas. (She didn’t want to miss the Christmas party, did she?)

Since then, I’ve been entertaining the idea of homeschooling her again at some point, but she seemed happy enough during December. I had a nice parent-teacher conference, too, which reassured me that she has a good teacher, a Christian, who has a low-pressure philosophy of education for first-graders. It seemed like confirmation to leave things alone.

On the last day of school before the break, she came home all excited about the party they had at school, the present she made for me (a picture frame with her school picture in it), her treat bag, and the gingerbread house she made as a craft. Then she pulled library books out of her backpack and her face fell. “Oh no!” she exclaimed. “I shouldn’t have brought these home!” I assured her it was fine for her to have them over break—the library and the school would be closed, and she could return them when she went back. “But I’m not going back, remember?” she insisted.

Oh. I didn’t know she was counting on it!

So. I have been praying in earnest about this. It’s not so much a question of giving in to her wishes or not. It’s more about my own sense of calling and purpose.

Honestly, I’ve been floundering a bit on this. So much has changed, since we moved—it feels like I’ve just been managing one transition after another. New home, new neighborhood, new church, new friends, new schools, new homeschool group, more new schools, more new friends, new theater group, new job—no wonder I feel unstable and ungrounded.

When I prayed about sending Chicklet to school, it seemed like the right decision. I didn’t know how busy I would be with my part-time theater job, and I was feeling tired of homeschooling. It seemed time for a change. If Bantam10 had wanted to go to school, I might have sent him too.

But with the break and a little perspective, as I now consider bringing Chicklet back home, it makes me cautiously excited.

I see a number of advantages to homeschooling her. The biggest thing is that we would get back to a daily read-aloud time, which I completely dropped this fall. I miss it, the coziness and the fun of enjoying good books together, and I am a firm believer in its educational benefits, so it would be great to give that gift to my younger three as I did to my three oldest. We always did Bible reading and prayer as part of that time too, and that instruction and modeling is something Chicklet needs too.

Another nice lifestyle piece would be not having to get Chicklet up and off on the bus at a certain time. I could actually get a few things done or written in the quiet mornings before I woke the kids up, and on the mornings I have to drive the carpool, I could stop at the grocery on the way home, instead of having to get straight back to get Chicklet off.

Also, having her at home would be motivating to me, to actually plan homeschool activites, field trips and unit studies. For Bantam10, who has a math textbook, a grammar workbook, and reading lists for history, geography, science and pleasure, I haven’t been too creatively inspired—or needed to be. But he would benefit if I were.

So I guess I am going to do it—but I am a little afraid of the commitment! I am still basically tired, and the emails, phone calls and meetings related to my part-time job require a good bit of mental space.

But then there is my little girl begging me please to homeschool her again. I asked her why, when she enjoyed school so much? She agreed that she likes music, art, gym, recess, friends—all the extras. She’s glad she went. But it’s a long day and she gets tired (we’ve noticed that she’s crabbier, in general.) She feels like she misses out, sometimes, when Bantams 10 & 4 do things and she’s at school. And the bottom line: She doesn’t like to be gone all day. She just misses being home.

And I’m glad to hear it. Her older sister is the opposite, a total extrovert who hates quiet days at home as much as I love them. When she went to first grade for part of the year—January to May, a longer time—she couldn’t wait to go back! (Although she didn’t, as it turned out.)

So Chicklet is a homebody, deep down. I think I’m willing to cater to that. Maybe she’ll be a bookworm, too! It would be nice to have another one in the bunch, besides Bantam18. Hmmm, I wonder if she can learn to make muffins….

Books Read in 2009

It’s become my annual tradition to post an annotated list of books read over the previous year. It motivates me to keep track, for one thing, and I am always amazed how many books I actually get through, even on a light year.

And this was a lighter year for me, primarily because I only listened to one audio book the whole year. Instead of listening to audiobooks in the car, I’ve been vocalizing, to keep my voice limber enough to sing occasionally with our worship team at church. Plus, my kitchen boombox died.

What saved me were the read-alouds from last school year:

Little House in the Big Woods (Laura Ingalls Wilder)—it took us a long time, stopping and starting, but I finally read this classic to Chicklet, who enjoyed it.

The Secret Garden (Troll abridgement)—she liked this one more. A little shorter, and more pictures.

The Silver Chair, The Last Battle (C.S. Lewis)—The Chronicles of Narnia seem to contain a little more truth each time you read them! Further thoughts here.

White Stallion of Lipizza (Marguerite Henry)—At A Hen’s Pace review here.

The Child's Story Bible (Catherine Vos)--At A Hen's Pace review here.

Tales from Shakespeare (Charles & Mary Lamb) Okay, I'm cheating--we only read Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Merchant of Venice, and Hamlet. But it was significant enough to count, in my book! Further comment here.

The Wheel on the School (Meindert DeJong)—At A Hen’s Pace review here.

And the books I read myself:

Beyond Smells and Bells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy (Mark Galli)—At A Hen’s Pace review here.

Acedia and Me (Kathleen Norris)—though I love this author’s other works, this was not my favorite book by her. Acedia (a cousin of depression and sloth) is a complex issue, and though I was struck by many of Norris’ insights and anecdotes, I didn’t connect with the topic overall. But friends who did thought it was amazing.

The Private Patient (P.D. James)—an author I always enjoy. Her mysteries are well-written, psychologically complex and satisfying.

The Warden (Anthony Trollope)--an Anglican churchman who loves peace and quiet, and playing his violin for the old men in his care, gets embroiled in a controversy over whether he deserves the living he's being paid. The lawyer bringing the suit simultaneously courts his daughter. What's a warden to do? This one got a little bogged down at points, but Trollope is such a delightful writer, I didn't mind much.

The Dark Horse (Rumer Godden)—nuns and racetrack folks rub shoulders in this gentle story set in Calcutta, India, in the 1930's. Based on a true incident in which an escaped racehorse sought sanctuary at a Catholic orphanage, setting off a chain of events that met the orphanage's most desperate needs. God moves in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform!

(Shaping the Man Inside) Teenage Boys!: Surviving and Enjoying These Extraordinary Years (Bill Beausay)—I have started so many parenting books and rarely finish one. This one was encouraging, insightful and practical. I read it cover to cover.

Dragon Harper (Anne McCaffrey and Todd J. McCaffrey)—Have I ever posted how much I used to love the Dragonriders of Pern series? The characters are so vivid and memorable, the plots are spellbinding, and the author’s vocabulary stretched mine in many new directions when I first read them back in junior high (I have re-read them several times). The utopian societal structure tested my thinking on ethics, morality and community (marriage is non-existent, and children are raised communally). The new ones that are co-written with her son aren't as good, and this isn’t one I’d re-read, but it was fun to visit Pern again. (My favs? Dragonflight (further comment here), Dragon Quest, The White Dragon, Dragonsong, Dragonsinger.)

So Young, Brave and Handsome (Leif Enger)—a second novel by the author of Peace Like a River. Great characters and an unlikely, yet satisfying, plot. A modern-day Western quest.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)—can’t recommend this one. It was a gift from someone who had not read it. Too sexually, disturbingly graphic.

Home (Marilynne Robinson)—not as good as Gilead, but achingly beautiful in its own way. It expands on characters and a secondary plot from Gilead (At A Hen's Pace review here.)

Freddy and Fredericka (Mark Helprin)—At A Hen’s Pace review here.

Books Read in 2008.

Books Read in 2007.

For more book reviews and lists, visit Semicolon's Saturday Review of Books: Book List Edition.

Holiday Whirlwind

Christmas Eve at our church was a lovely service with carols, violin and trumpet solos, a children's sermon and quite a few visitors. A highlight was our newly formed children's choir (of 6-11 year-olds) singing "The Friendly Beasts," complete with solos for each beast. Precious.

Mom and Dad Rooster joined us for the service and for our traditional Christmas Eve Italian dinner afterwards--this year we ate at home. Their family tradition when Papa Rooster was growing up in New York was to go out; they always went to Peruna's in downtown Spring Valley, before Dad would leave for NYC and his job singing in the men's and boys' choir at St. Thomas Church for midnight mass. Sometimes the whole family went; I got to go one time back when PR and I were first engaged, and it's a great memory. Beautiful church, gorgeous voices--there's nothing like choir boys singing carols at Christmas!

Mom and Dad spent the night and Christmas Day with us, joining us for present opening, brunch (sausage/egg casserole, panetone, stollen, fresh pineapple and clementines), and dinner (ham, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, pesto salad, roasted asparagus, pecan pie). We listened to music, assembled Legos, talked, laughed, sang for one another, and practiced for the upcoming Talent Show.

On Boxing Day, we went to Brother Rooster's, in Chicago, along with Mom and Dad. We were all lured there not only by the fun of being together and exchanging gifts, but also by the promise of pizza that Brother had discovered, and which he claimed was just like Peruna's! (see full paragraph 2) Peruna's had closed by the time I met PR, so I can't comment, but Mom, Dad and PR all agreed with Brother Rooster, and everyone declared it awesome. We talked, laughed, and listened to music; the kids played with their cousin and watched a movie, and Brother Rooster and Blondechick made a recording of her singing the Beatles' "If I Fell" with Brother playing guitar and singing harmonies.

The next day we went to church, came home and ate all our Christmas Day leftovers, packed up our 15-passenger van, and headed off into the snow which was falling across IL and IN, enroute to my parents' home in OH, arriving around 11 p.m. Next day, Professor Brother's family joined us at my parents', along with Pilot Brother's family, minus Pilot Bro. They each have three little girls, so there were 14 young'uns swarming all over the modest ranch house I grew up in; it's a good thing my parents added on a great room years ago! The basement was always the best place to go, and this year, Mom and Dad had cleared off the ping-pong table as a bonus. My teens had never played, and they loved it! PR and I even got in a few rounds. Gifts were opened, news was exchanged, and meals were prepared and consumed. The Florida girls joined the Kansas and Wisconsin kids in the Ohio snow--and it was so good to be together. (Missed you, Pilot Bro!)

Then we spent a day traveling home and unpacking; the next day was New Year's Eve. We cleaned all day and took down our tree--before the 12 days of Christmas are over, I know! We were sad. But we had to clear space in our living room for a Talent Show--we needed seating space for 21 adults/teens plus 24 kids, mostly all from our church. We shoved our big leather couches to the edges of the room, pulled up chairs, had the kids sit on the rug and it worked out beautifully. Many folks came earlier for a potluck Soup Supper, with desserts and munchies galore--so yummy. We collected names and talents and planned a lineup for the show, with our younger performers going first. Four little girls sang "Away in a Manger," one little girl said a poem; a young man played a guitar piece and his sister danced and sang. A couple of adults sang, a couple more read or recited poetry that they had written, I recited/acted this poem. Blondechick and a friend hilariously performed "What is This Feeling"(a duet from Wicked), and Bantam10 and a friend sang "Why am I Me?" (a duet from Shenandoah), complete with harmonies and Southern twang. Blondechick also sang the Beatles' love song with her uncle's recorded accompaniment and her dad singing harmony. Finally, Papa Rooster sang a duet with his dad that they've been talking about performing together for years--"She'd Be Far Better Off With You" from Andrew Lloyd Weber's little-known Aspects of Love. (Thanks again to Professor Bro for the gift of the sheet music, many Christmases ago!)

It was so inspiring that one of our youngest guests asked to perform the Alphabet Song, which he bravely sang, nervously pulling his shirt up to his armpits halfway through. His performance "opened the mike," so to speak, and we had encore poetry and songs, as well as a recitation of the first 25 digits of pi and a surprise break-dancing exhibition! One dad was coerced by his family into reading for us, from Huckleberry Finn, an argument between Huck and Big Jim, and it was a treat to hear him do the dialects. We'll definitely want to repeat this event next New Year's Eve, or sooner!

Mom and Dad Rooster spent the night and we have low-key plans for New Year's Day today. Actually, no plans beyond French toast and sausages for lunch, and finishing up my 2009 booklist recap for tomorrow. (Tomorrow is another story; I need to work, preparing for the first day of theater classes next week--too soon!)

I wish you all a blessed 2010!

"For I know the plans I have for you,
plans to prosper and not to harm you,
plans to give you a hope and a future."

(Jeremiah 29:11)