Rebekah's Insights

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January

The days are short,
The sun a spark
Hung thin between
The dark and dark.

Fat snowy footsteps
Track the floor.
Milk bottles burst
Outside the door.

The river is
A frozen place
Held still beneath
The trees of lace.

The sky is low.
The wind is gray.
The radiator
Purrs all day.

by John Updike, A Child's Calendar

Although it would not appear so from my lack of entries regarding school over the past couple of months, our little school/house has been busy through this Autumn and Winter. For anyone interested, here is a brief account of what has been engaging our time of learning.

LIAM:

Readiness/Phonological Awareness/Phonics
hand-to-eye coordination, same/different, alike/different, scissor skills, visual discrimination, following two and three-stage directions, identifies rhyming and non-rhyming words, generates rhyming words when given a word, word awareness skills, identifying/printing/recognizing the corresponding sounds for first half of alphabet, fine-tuning the printing of his name.

Math
Concluded unit on shapes, which included a variety of hands-on activities for making and identifying shapes, and are now in a new unit focused on sizes, including big/small, smaller/larger, largest, fit, sorting by size, size comparison.

Bible, etc.
Halfway through memorizing a verse to correspond with each letter of the alphabet, continuing to work on catechism, completed learning of the Fruit of the Spirit, now studying the Ten Commandments.

Social Studies
Completed unit on Community Helpers of various sorts, Christmas traditions around the world, memorization and study of meaning of The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Science
Completed unit on kitchen science focusing on sound reflection/absorption, absorption of liquids, taste buds, etc.

Italian
Concluded unit on rooms of the home, hello, and continuing onto common household items.

Sign Language
Handsigns some of alphabet, water, pretty, boat, great, snake, grandma, grandpa, daddy, mommy, baby, kiss, cereal, and some animal words.

Art/Music/Physical Education
Continues to explore various art media, tempo, fast/slow, plays "Hot Cross Buns" on mini-piano, playing rhythm instruments, beat. Liam has begun swimming lessons and really HAS taken to them like a "fish to water!" ;) He continues to ask to do school everyday, as we continue with Pre-School 2, so I am in the process of determining the curriculum for Kindergarten for next year.

AINE:

Aine has just in the past few weeks demonstrated a new interest in letters, wanting to spell her name, etc. I was waiting to see how much interest she showed on her own before deciding whether to begin my Pre-School 1 curriculum with her next year. Liam began early because he was so interested in it, but if Aine wasn't really inclined yet, I had planned on waiting another year. However, it seems that she will also be looking for that challenge and would seem to be ready for the level at which it begins, so she will start Pre-School 1 in the Fall! :)

Our little girl is quite the social butterfly--as long as she has already sized you up and determined that you are safe and trustworthy--then she will jabber away to you about any and every thing she is thinking about, which is a good bit, I assure you! It is so delightful--the little conversations we have!

If guests are over she ceases playing in order to visit with the guest. As we walk around town she waves, smiles, and says "hello" to EVERYONE we pass on the way! And if the telephone rings--well she will hound me about answering it unless I pick up during the first ring! By hounding, I mean she will repeatedly remind me that the phone is ringing--despite my explanations that I may be cooking something or wiping off my hands in order to answer! The reason she wants it answered is, of course, because she wants to talk to whomever is on the other line! And, let me tell you, she is NOT fond of giving the phone back after her turn--she likes a verrrry looooong turn talking on the phone.

But yesterday she really came through for me! I was in the laundry room when I heard the phone ring. It soon stopped ringing, so I assumed that Will had picked up upstairs. From behind me I heard Aine run from the kitchen through the house to the laundry room announcing "Your Phone, Mama!" With my back still to her I said not to worry, that Daddy had answered the phone. When she continued to repeat her chant with added passion, I finally turned to see her holding the kitchen phone out to me. How did she get tall enough to reach the top of the counter!!! It must have been while I blinked!

It was very polite of her to answer the phone, deliver it to me, and then wait for her turn to talk to her Nona. So, we have a new little secretary!! Now we must work on a polite reply for her to use WHEN she picks up the receiver! LOL!

If you want to talk to Aine--call our house--if she's awake she'll be sure to answer and tell you all that is on a two-year-old girl's mind!

I Will Listen

Hard as it seems
Standing in dreams
Where is the dreamer now

Wonder if I
Wanted to try
Would I remember how

I don't know the way to go from here
But I know that I have made my choice
And this is where I stand
Until He moves me on
And I will listen to His voice

This is the faith
Patience to wait
When there is nothing clear

Nothing to see
Still we believe
Jesus is very near

I can not imagine what will come
But I've already made my choice
And this is where I stand
Until He moves me on
And I will listen to His voice

Could it be that He is only waiting there to see
If I will learn to love the dreams that He has dreamed for me

Can't imagine what the future holds
But I've already made my choice
And this is where I stand
Until He moves me on
And I will listen to His voice

Lyrics by Twila Paris

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"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
The Thirty-Seventh Psalm, Fourth Verse

HIS dreams, not necessarily mine.

I reflected on the fact that although I am trying to form some new habits, I tried to focus my resolutions on enjoying the everyday wonders already all around me. This reminded me of something I noticed on several blogs last year, which was mention of a Gratitude Community--a group of people who were periodically taking the time to make a list, little by little of 1000 gifts for which they are thankful. Not being all up on the blogging how-tos, I do not yet know how to link to the originating site, etc., but I thought this blog would be a great place for me to keep track of such a list--rather than using several sheets of paper which I will undoubtedly lose. 1000 gifts! Wow! 1000 seems like a lot, but I have a feeling if I start to list them, it will be staggering to observe just how many gifts I have been given and it seems a great way to focus on what the LORD has given, rather than what He has not. :) So here goes...

1000 Gifts List 2009:

1.) little voices to greet me each morning
2.) sun glowing pink on the countryside as dawn breaks over a new day
3.) new mercies for each new day
4.) a husband who is my very best friend and who understands me in ways I never thought someone could
5.) children who are a delight to teach and who teach so much in the process
6.) the sense of hearing
7.) the sense of sight
8.) the sense of touch
9.) the sense of smell
10.) the sense of taste
11.) LOVE--real love, that gave Himself for me
12.) the sense of wonder that is delightfully contagious around a young child

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22 & 23

Anyone who knows me knows I enjoy making lists--so much so that I have been known to make lists of my lists! (Don't laugh!) :) The problem is that I like to put too much on my lists and am never able to reach the unrealistic number of goals. Consequently, I usually become discouraged. Therein lies the problem with New Year's Resolutions for me. So...NOT this year! Yes, I will certainly accomplish new things this year, but I have decided to take a different route for my resolutions for 2009. Here is my list:

1.) Smile and laugh more frequently and readily.
2.) Worry less, trust more.
3.) Go on more picnics--even if they're on the living room floor!

That's it!

I think that's meeting an unspoken Resolution in itself! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!