I'm Back!

The 2008 ILCHC last weekend was simply saturated with graces! Sarah and I had two major projects going in the week leading up to the Conference: a new story-coloring/activity book for young boys offered through the Rosa Mystica Modesty Movement, and the workshop we gave together at the conference, titled "The Fruits of Homeschooling: A Graduate's Perspective". (If by chance you should be interested in hearing our talk, it can be ordered on CD here).

What a week it was! A week of many near-sleepless nights as we worked through them together, eating midnight snacks and laughing at our own excessive punchiness. At 2am (or 3, or 4am), nearly anything can drive me to laughter! I would have never been able to finish on my own — the joy and fellowship of sisterhood really comes through at a time like this! We'd chuckle because when one of us started to get really weary, the other would say "no, let's push through!", and by about ten minutes later, it was usually reversed. :)

Going on a few very short hours of sleep each night put my body into such a state of confusion...you know, where you start to mix up hungry and tired? I kept reaching for chocolate because I hoped the caffeine would help! It was only grace that pulled me through the weekend... usually I am an 8-hours-per-night person, or I just can't function very well. Our Lord's goodness kept me going last week on less than half that. There were times that Sarah and I looked at each other's glazed-over eyes and said to each other: "You know, if we weren't doing this for Christ, we'd have quit a long, long time ago." Yes, it was hard, but also so rewarding... and there are a whole lot of dear memories. I've no doubt that we'll be telling each other's children about it someday. :)

Needless to say, I have been more than a little exhausted this week. It all caught up to me rather abruptly yesterday when I came down with a fever, sore throat, and a whammy of a sinus headache. The hardest part of being sick for me is that I simply don't have time to be sick. I'll lay there thinking, "Lord, You know how many things I needed to get done today!", but He's clearly telling me that my agenda got replaced with His: prayer and suffering, and some "down" time. Thankfully, I'm on the mend today, although I've gone through no end of tissues!

I usually don't like to dedicate such a long post to a personal update, but these few weeks were exceptionally full, and blessed. Despite the exhaustion, and the illness, God is good. All the time.

Around the Corner...

Illinois Catholic Homeschool Conference and Vendor Fair

May 23-24, 2008

University of St. Francis, Joliet

Since my mom is coordinating this conference, the Little Flowers Troupe is performing, my resources will be in the vendor hall, and my sister Sarah and I are giving a workshop ("The Fruits of Homeschooling: A Graduate's Perspective"), I will be more than occupied the next few weeks. In fact, if you think of it I could really use some prayer warriors' intercession because what I need to accomplish in the next two weeks is not humanly possible... that means only by the grace of God and the power of prayer will I be ready. That also means that I must leave any and all blogging till after this event is over!

Of course, I can't leave without plugging the conference — especially if you live in IL or the greater midwest! Visit our conference website to see all of its wonderful offerings... including terrific keynotes, wide selection of workshops, Conference Mass with Fr. Pablo Straub, and entertainment by the Little Flowers Catholic Dance and Theatre Troupe.

May the grace and peace of Christ be with you all! Adieu for now!

Why Huckabee... and not Ron Paul?

It seems that at least a few of my readers are staunch RP supporters, based on some of the comments to this post. Rather than respond in the comment section, I'd like to here. (An aside: I do appreciate the very courteous civility with which they "disagreed". Thank you!)

I know plenty of “Ron Paul people”. I respect them. But I don't think they are backing the best candidate in this race.

Biggest reason why:
State's rights are a good and necessary thing. But I find Ron Paul's views on them, and on Constitutionalism, disturbing in their extremeness. When questioned about his stance on many issues, including the life issue, he answers that yes, he is pro-life, but rather than support a Constitutional amendment to protect life or nationally overturn Roe vs. Wade, he believes in placing this completely in the hands of the states. The problem I see with that? Our government is too corrupt at too many levels. Ideally, the above mode of action could be a great one, but only if our executive and judicial systems at local levels were less corrupt. Look at what a mere local judge was able to do in the case of Terri Schiavo! For an issue as vitally important and gravely serious as the abortion issue, we cannot afford to "give it back to the states". That is saying that 50 states can have 50 different stands on a moral issue. It just doesn't work. If there's anything that the United States of America must be united on, it's the standard of truth and morality that begins with respect for the worth of every single human life. There is a delicate balance between infringing on states' rights, and over emphasizing them. We were founded the United States of America.

In addition to that, Ron Paul just hasn’t generated the national support he would need to win the nomination. Meanwhile, Huckabee is still very much contending with the other two GOP candidates (despite the media’s dishonest attempts to shove him out the last few weeks).

Is Huckabee a “perfect” candidate? No. I disagree with him on Immigration and the Death Penalty. However, on what are the big fundamentals for me: Life, Family, Marriage, and Homeschooling, he is solid. And I firmly believe that he’s the only GOP candidate who has a chance at beating Hillary or Obama in November. Huckabee has the tact, freshness, honesty, wit, and humility that is absolutely crucial for the above to happen.

And to respond to the criticisms of Huckabee and homeschooling, I say this. I personally think it is very, very foolish of us to pick apart this candidate’s record on homeschooling and criticize it, instead of uniting to support him as the one who is closest to our values AND still has a chance of victory over those who would really make things hard for us. I found it distasteful and somewhat petty to see the large amount of Huckabee criticism going on at some prominent homeschool blogs. I mean, who is more dangerous for the homeschoolers: Huckabee or Hillary? I know that things may not have been “ideal” for homeschoolers in Arkansas under Governor Huckabee, but he did help them. He does not intend nor want to work against us.

HSLDA, who endorsed Mike Huckabee for President, released a very helpful article last month to help clear up this subject. Check it out.

For a good chuckle!

We got the link to this video in an email and I got a real kick out of it! Just a minute or two of some truth mixed with fun...enjoy. =)

"A Homeschool Family"

All in the Terminology

When it occured Sunday, the first thing I said was "I must blog that!" Since I didn't that day, here we are...

Dad was speaking to a group of parents around a table at a party, saying "And the Holy Father came out on the deck..." when my sister quickly interjected "Balcony, dad!". To which another homeschool mom sitting nearby laughed and quipped, "You're such a homeschooler!"

Right On!

A homeschooling mom’s bumper-sticker answer to the question “What about socialization?”...

Homeschoolers:
Civilized, not Socialized

HT: Young Ladies Christian Fellowship

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Homeschool Blog Awards

This is a neat thing going here! I think these kind of "blog awards" can serve as a great reminder for us to strive for Christlike excellence. There certainly are some gems on the nomination list, and many wonderful catergories! Check it out here.

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A Highlight

from our wonderful Bishop Sartain's homily today at our Diocesan-wide Homeschool Mass!

"We might stand with awe at the edge of the Grand Canyon, but really, we should have the same awe when looking at another human being...

of all God's marvelous creation, only we are made in His Image and Likeness."

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I can't take the credit

for having written this, but it did bring me a good chuckle today! Enjoy!

The Fourteen Days of Homeschooling

Compliments of Cecelia Harkins

Sung to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

On the first day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"Can you homeschool legally?"

On the second day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"Are they socialized?

Can you homeschool legally?

On the third day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"Do you give them tests?

Are they socialized?

Can you homeschool legally?"

On the fourth day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"What about P.E.?

Do you give them tests?
Are they socialized?
Can you homeschool legally?"

On the fifth day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"YOU ARE SO STRANGE!

What about P.E.?
Do you give them tests?

Are they socialized?

Can you homeschool legally?"

On the sixth day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"How long will you homeschool?

YOU ARE SO STRANGE!

What about P.E.?

Do you give them tests?
Are they socialized?
Can you homeschool legally?"

On the seventh day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"Look at what they're missing!

How long will you homeschool?

YOU ARE SO STRANGE!

What about P.E.,

Do you give them tests,

Are they socialized,

Do you homeschool legally?"

On the eighth day of homeschool
my neighbor said to me,
"Why do you do this?
Look at what they're missing!
How long will you homeschool?
YOU ARE SO STRANGE!
What about P.E.,
do you give them tests,
are they socialized,
do you homeschool legally?"

On the ninth day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"They'll miss the prom...

Why do you do this?

Look at what they're missing!

How long will you homeschool?

YOU ARE SO STRANGE!

What about P.E.,

do you give them tests,

are they socialized,

do you homeschool legally?"

On the tenth day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"What about graduation?

They'll miss the prom...
Why do you do this?
Look at what they're missing!
How long will you homeschool?
YOU ARE SO STRANGE!
What about P.E.?
Do you give them tests?
Are they socialized?
Do you homeschool legally?"

On the eleventh day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"I could never do that.

What about graduation?
They'll miss the prom...

Why do you do this?

Look at what they're missing!

How long will you homeschool?

YOU ARE SO STRANGE!

What about P.E.?

Do you give them tests?

Are they socialized?

Do you homeschool legally?"

On the twelfth day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"Can they go to college?

I could never do that.
What about graduation?

They'll miss the prom...
Why do you do this?
Look at what they're missing!
How long will you homeschool?
YOU ARE SO STRANGE!
What about P.E.?
Do you give them tests?
Are they socialized?
Do you homeschool legally?"

On the thirteenth day of homeschool

I thoughtfully replied:

"They can go to college,

yes, you can do this,

they can have graduation,

we don't like the prom,

we do it cuz we like it,

they are missing nothing,

we'll homeschool forever...

WE ARE NOT STRANGE!

We give them P.E.,

and we give them tests,

they are socialized,

AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!

On the fourteenth day of homeschool

my neighbor said to me,

"How can I get started?

Why didn't you tell me?

Where do I buy curriculum?

When is the next conference?

WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE?

I think we can do this,

if you'll help us,

we will join a sports team...

and we'll homeschool legally!"