But What About the Prom??

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It's a perennial socialization question for homeschoolers everywhere. Here in Northern Virginia, it's been answered beautifully for years. We have a great prom! In case you are a local Catholic homeschooled teen and you haven't heard, this is your prom!(And even if you're not local, it's worth the trip;-) Here's the scoop:

Be sure and mark Saturday, April 26 (6:30-11:00) on your calendar!

This year we will again be having the Prom at the Knights of Columbus Barn,401 West Holly Avenue, Sterling, VA.The price will be $65.00 per person,with the first deposit of $30.00 is due NOW and the final payment of $35.00 due on Friday, March 14th. If you would like to attend please email either Mrs. Cunningham or Mrs. Jacobeen so we can reserve a spot for you. (The Barn requires 50% by mid February and the final amount one month prior, so these dates are necessary.)We have tried as hard as we could to keep the price down. The night will include photos (starting @ 6:30), a dinner buffet and dancing (via DJ), until 11:00 p.m. All homeschoolers are allowed to invite two guests of the same sex if they would like. If you are inviting a guest(s), please see that they understand and agree to our guidelines (included in this announcement). We are also including a Reservation Form to be used by everyone (guests included) and sent along with your first deposit. Please make checks payable to “Marsha Jacobeen”, and mail all forms and deposits to Mrs. Marsha Jacobeen @ 4330 Moylan Lane, Fairfax, VA;22033. Parents wishing to be chaperones are welcome Just let us know (modify the reservation form) and send in your deposits as well.
As a reminder, the CHSYA code of conduct states that “all CHSYA teens will treat each other with respect and dress appropriately.” All attendees should dress in keeping with the importance of this event. Boys should wear a jacket and tie, and girls should wear modest dresses (no spaghetti straps,no strapless gowns, dress length should be below the knee, nothing too tight.CHSYA members should make their guests aware of the guidelines for dress and conduct. Your signature verifies that you have read the guidelines and will adhere to them. Thank you!

If you are interested in being part of one of the following committees:decorations, flowers, dinner/dessert and music, please make a note of this
on your reservation form. We need both teens and parents to help.

Spread the word.... this is always a great event! This is your Prom!  Let's keep the same quality and standards this year and make it a great celebration and wonderful memory!

Remember the $30.00 deposit gets mailed to Mrs. Marsha Jacobeen by February
15th (Yes, that's FIVE days ago--so please hurrry! We can't have a prom without you!). If you have questions, concerns, suggestions etc. call or email one of us – Mrs. Cunningham 703-352-3245 or ccunninghamspam15@cox.net and Mrs.
Jacobeen @703-378-2660 or bjacobeenspam@aol.com
(Remember to scrape the spam from the email addresses.)

We are looking forward to hearing from all of you with your reservations and offers to help.
Blessings,
Mrs. Maria Cunningham and Mrs. Marsha Jacobeen
Download reservation forms and information here: Download 2008_announcement1.doc

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Reality

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February_2008_030The "M" post isn't going to happen this week. When we began Serendipity, we invited y'all to come along with us as we presented in Real Time what was happening in our learning rooms in Real Life. We warned that the kids came first and you'd get the overflow. We also knew that we'd tweak along the way and honestly, I considered that to be an important part of the endeavor. This way, you can really see how it works over time, in real life. For years, I've gotten mail asking about the nitty-gritty. What if curriculum choices aren't working for you? What if you're sick? What if the children are sick? What if? What if? What if?

It hasn't been smooth sailing. One of us decided that none of Serendipity was really working for her. That left me to tinker a bit on my own. I heard from several of you who were enthused and we've been working hard to re-write the stories to better suit our families, to update the PDFs, to add more art, more music(coming later), and geography. I've written new grammar lessons. I've learned from Rebecca's botany lessons. We've done the tweaking thing and now we're good to go.

Except now, my baby is sick and I know this February thing well enough to know that this virus is unlikely to stop here. So, what happens when someone is sick? Depends. February_2008_031This time, I'm going reap the benefits of the hours and hours I've spent over the last couple of weeks revising lesson plans on the Alphabet Path.I'm going to go back to letters A-L and print out the new stories and review them with my early readers. I'm going to gather all the books recommended in the Faith sections of all those weeks and focus on reading those this week. I'm going to go back to the A-L read alouds lists and re-read those. People who are well enough will narrate.People who are well enough will do some new grammar lessons. People who are well enough will organize existing geography narrations alphabetically and consult the master list to see what comes next. And there are always those workbooks, should I need them. There is plenty here that is useful and educational and worthy. Designing one's own real books curriculum does not leave you empty-handed during the "what if" times as long as you are able to bend and stretch as necessary.

February_2008_032 And, I'm going to perfect the art of making orange ice with one hand, while balancing a toddler on my hip.I'm going to spend hours and hours rocking sweet Karoline while reading aloud to her siblings. Chances are good I'm going to watch a whole lot of Signing Time and Little Einsteins.  Real Life Homeschool. We're blessed indeed.

I sure would appreciate a prayer or two offered for the gang of us.

Thirty Days Prayer to St. Joseph

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Stjosephbygerritvanhonthorst1620It is thirty days before the Feast of St. Joseph--a good time to begin this devotion. Many thanks to Diane for sharing this prayer with me.

Ever blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and loving father, and helpful friend of all in sorrow!  You are the good father and protector of orphans, the defender of the defenseless, the patron of those in need and sorrow.  Look kindly on my request. My sins have drawn down on me the just displeasure of my God, and so I am surrounded with unhappiness. To you, loving guardian of the Family of Nazareth, do I go for help and protection.

Listen, then, I beg you, with fatherly concern, to my

I ask it by the infinite mercy of the eternal Son of God, which moved Him to take our nature and to be born into this world of sorrow.

I ask it by the weariness and suffering you endured when you found no shelter at the inn of Bethlehem for the holy Virgin, nor a house where the Son of God could be born. Then, being everywhere refused, you had to allow the Queen of Heaven to give birth to the world's Redeemer in a cave.

I ask it by that painful torture you felt at the prophecy of holy Simeon, which declared the Child Jesus and His holy Mother future victims of our sins and of their great love for us.

I ask it through your sorrow and pain of soul when the angel declared to you that the life of the Child Jesus was sought by His enemies. From their evil plan you had to flee with Him and His Blessed Mother to Egypt. I ask it by all the suffering, weariness, and labors of that long and dangerous journey.

I ask it by all your care to protect the Sacred Child and His Immaculate Mother during your second journey, when you were ordered to return to your own country. I ask it by your peaceful life in Nazareth where you met with so many joys and sorrows.

I ask it by your great distress when the adorable Child was lost to you and His Mother for three days. I ask it by your joy at finding Him in the Temple, and by the comfort you found at Nazareth, while living in the company of the Child Jesus.I ask it by the wonderful submission He showed in His obedience to you.

I ask it by the perfect love and conformity you showed in accepting the Divine order to depart from this life, and from the company of Jesus and Mary.I ask it by the joy which filled your soul, when the Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and hell, entered into the possession of His kingdom and led you into it with special honors.

I ask it through Mary's glorious Assumption, and through that endless happiness you have with her in the presence of God.

O good father! I beg you, by all your sufferings, sorrows, and joys, to hear me and obtain for me what I ask.

(make your request)

Obtain for all those who have asked my prayers everything that is useful to them in the plan of God. Finally, my dear patron and father, be with me and all who are dear to me in our last moments, that we may eternally sing the praises of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Pass the Kleenex

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I'm sitting here with my baby girl at 5 AM, mindlessly clicking and marveling at all the creativity out there in blogland. Sigh. All those great ideas, none of which I'll get to...Karoline is sick, not just a sniffly sick, but an I'm-so-sick-I-can't-stand-or-eat sick (but she can nurse--incessantly). She will not let me put her down-- not to brush my teeth, not to go to the bathroom, not to get dressed. I'm typing one-handed. She's given new meaning to "long weekend." I'm overtired. My throat hurts.So, I was primed to shed big tears when I stumbled upon this--Beth Moore's letter to her daughter just before the wedding.
Hold on to  me all day, Baby-mine. Hold on real tight.