Breaking {this moment} rules

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. I'm really not sure these photos qualify. This is Sarah Annie, captivated, mesmerized, and utterly delighted with "Skype Paddy." But I don't know if I'll savor these moments. She's always miserable if we can't make the connection. She's inevitably frustrated that she can't bring him through that screen and into her real life. And she's utterly disconsolate when we disconnect. I suppose I should have edited out the runny noses, chapped faces, and chocolate smudges on the back of my computer:-) Still, I guess, if we stay in the moment, it's sweet.

If you're inspired to capture a moment, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 

On Your Last Day of School

So, here you are, Peter Pan. You've gone and grown into a great, big man. The oft-spoken refrain "I don't want to grow up" was one you made your own. Dear boy, you lived your childhood to its limits. You sucked every single drop of sweetness from its days. I am still amazed, struck dumb, with wonder of it all, with the utter joy of the privilege of having a front row seat for these precious years of your life.

All joy!

It surprises me a little that you're graduating early; you've never been especially eager to cast aside your childhood days. But it seems perfect to me that you are graduating in December. You really know how to rock this month. Christmas is a special gift for people like you--people with childlike hearts.

Remember Christmas in Hawaii? No, you probably don't. You were barely a year old and you went around telling everyone "Mele Kalikimaka." You still like the way those words tickle your tongue.

Remember the Christmas of Michael Jordan and Peter Pan? Two little figures. All you wanted. Good thing, too, because it's all we could afford. But you brought them to life in your own inimitable way and they were worth more than all of FAO Schwartz. And the Christmas of the "gum-tar"? You brought it to Mass and Fr. Bob asked you to play. Remember the Christmas of the John Harkes jersey? You wanted to be him; now, you are grateful to call him friend and you amaze him and the rest of us with your tenacity and dedication to the game.

Remember every single Christmas of crafting and painting and making and baking? You inspired unbounded creativity in my heart and in our home.

Remember  the Christmas of your First Communion? In the Bellarmine Chapel at George Mason. How much growing you've done in that chapel! How much learning and loving!

And so Christmas comes again and it finds you with a sparkling new diploma, on the threshhold of your grown up life.  You've learned so much, lived so much. You've done good things. And, you've sown some seeds of regret. You've grown. Your Christmas list this year is decidedly practical: a job, a car, dental insurance.

Where's the magic?

Now, there is Real Life.

It's not so bad, Peter Pan. Real Life is a good place for people with childlike hearts. There is a wonder in every day, even in the most mundane workaday places and people. Real Life is a rich place for people who love to learn. You are going to learn way, way more in the next ten years than you have in the last twenty. Real Life is a place of genuine creativity. You will write your message on the hearts of countless people and you will create home for the people you love. Real Life is a place of joy for those who love without limits. So, go do that. Take that childlike faith, that trust in goodness, that heartfelt courage, and love without limits.

The whole world waits.

And watches with immeasurable pride.

Christmas Giveaway!

I was unaware that it arrived. One of my many helpers must have opened the package. He or she left it on the table right next to the foot of the stairs. It was there that it caught my eye as I was ascending with a stack of laundry. I stopped, went back down those few steps, put down the clothes and picked up the book. And there I was still an hour and a half later, while chaos threatened to bubble up around me and the laundry begged to be tucked away.

I read randomly, flipping through essay after essay, remembering old friends and discovering new inspiration.  Stories for the Homeschool Heart is a book of lessons. Between the covers, we read the lessons mothers learn when they open their hearts to teaching their children at home. It sounds so cliche to write, "You'll laugh; you'll cry," but in that stolen hour and a half, I did both. And when I finally brought myself to put the book down and get on with my day, I was better for having stopped everything to read. And to listen. There's a lot of wisdom there.

The ladies at Stories for the Homeschool Heart are having a giveaway. Drop everything and go enter because today's the last day. And then meander back here, because I'll give you a few more days and another chance to win something.

There's something else I want you to read. Theresa Thomas, who with Patti Armstrong, is an author-editor of Stories for the Homeschool Heart, recently wrote this thoughtful piece: What your Wife Really Wants for Christmas. Go on, read it; I'll wait. And when you come back, leave me a comment and tell me what you really want for Christmas. When you do, you will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of Stories for a Homeschool Heart.

Comments are open, but they are moderated, so you might not see yours right away. Today's that office bowling extravaganza; I'm going to be away from the computer:-) Comments close at 6 PM, my time, on Friday.

Music to Soothe the Soul

Lisa Hendey begins her review of You are Child this way:

The first time I sat and listened to You Are Child by Catherine Benskin and Alan Marcinek, I found myself wishing I was a parishioner at her church.  This talented wife and mother of two, who recently earned professional certification as a Cantor, has the type of voice that fills the room with light and spirit.  What a joy it must be to sit in Mass on Sunday and listen to Catherine lead a congregation in song!

I've been there. A parishioner at Alan Marcinek's church. I've been privileged to hear Catherine and Alan sing and play in person. For several years, these were songs sung on Sundays and weekdays, feast days and funerals. These were songs that made the soundtrack of my life. These are songs my children sing when they are in trouble;-) And they are beautiful songs. Some will say that they not songs for Mass, not quite what we want liturgically. I might agree. But they are praying songs. They are soul-filled songs. They are songs that will echo in your head long, long after you last heard them sung. I stumbled upon them again this evening because I went purposefully in search of a CD of Alan playing the piano. I don't think such a thing exists. But I wish it did.

I found this CD, listened to as many tracks as I could and resolved to go find my copy--or to order a new one.

Sold Out!

Real Learning is sold out in the Heart of my Home Store. Thanks so much for your interest and enthusiasm. I must admit, I was caught off guard and even had to raid our personal stash to fill the orders. There are a few copies of Small Steps and the Journal still available. I can sign and ship until tomorrow morning and then, we'll take a long winter's nap.

It does look like Linda at Sacred Heart Books and Gifts still has copies of Real Learning here.