Blog Award

Jan Lyn at Off the Beaten Path gave me a blog award, which was very sweet. Thanks!

And now I'm supposed to share seven things about myself.

Hmm...

1. I don't like to get wet. The repercussions of this are that I don't take my kids swimming as often as I should, I am annoyed by having to take a shower, and I shave infrequently because of pure laziness rather than some loftier crunchy statement.

2. I'm really good at big picture planning. I'm just ok at actually implementing some of it. I'm really bad at the details and usually just hope they will take care of themselves, which means that I often forget something important and cut too many corners.

3. I'm still in shock over how my body looks after having my third baby. Who is this person and who stole my body?

4. I like to use the italics more than I probably should.

5. My whole ideological world turned upside down when I had my first baby, and I've found myself believing and doing the complete opposite of what I thought I would be believing and doing.

6. I'm really tired of swimming upstream, and my ideals and faith are slipping. I know I need more time standing in the Light, and I'm thinking I need more sleep as well.

7. I should be packing boxes right now... which I am going to go do... really... after I just do one more thing online...

Since I don't know who of my favorite blogs like blog awards and who would be annoyed by them, I'll just share a few of my favorites for you to go check out, since that's what I think is the most fun...

Free-Range Kids
The Little Travelers
Blue Yonder
A Journey to Here
quakerthink
Along the Crooked Path
Our Little Nature Nest

Whoa... already at seven... better stop there... headed to pack at least one box.

Children in Worship

Our Meeting is so very, very small. We have only one other family, so there is no childcare. We are the childcare. Fortunately, the seminary that allows us space for worship has also generously allowed us to use their childcare room, which is basically an efficiency apartment with toys--- perfect for our current needs.

Up until now, we haven't brought the children into worship much. Partly, we've been worried about disturbing the other worshipers (we have had no clue how much wiggling was too much wiggling, and the small group is aware of the the slightest noises), partly I felt that silent worship was too close to meditation and something that Enki Education recommends avoiding until children are at least twelve, and partly it was because it seemed like such a fight to get the kids to be settled enough to even try. They were very resistant (with the exception of Dunagan on occasion).

But the other members of our Meeting have expressed, repeatedly, that they would like to have the children in worship, though they also had a line on what would be too much wiggling. We sat with this issue for a long time, and after many centered and prayerful discussions and much open and honest sharing of individual needs and the desire for our Meeting to be Spirit-led, we reached a better understanding. We also came up with ways to deal with a Meeting that just isn't working, regardless of age, and ways that the children could be included.

We teased out the subtlety of joyful, connected noises versus disruptive noises from children who are feeling disconnected. The happy, babbling baby or wiggling of a generally contented child are fine, but the noises that are stemming from a child who no longer wants to be in worship and is feeling neglected are our sign to take them out. I found this understanding to be so deep. It's not the quantity of the noise that is disruptive, but the quality. When is the noise a noise of community and connection in the Spirit, and when is it a noise of distress, frustration and disconnection from the community?

I came away from the discussions much clearer on what we are all seeking in Meeting, and not just a guideline on when children can stay in worship.

So, this last First Day, we had all three kids in worship with us from the very beginning. We had prepared them for the change during the car ride, and they were silent and still and content for about eleven minutes in, until Dunagan, who was sitting on my lap, turned and whispered that he was ready to go. So we went. With regards to Enki philosophy, I don't think I'm trying to get my kids to meditate, so I don't feel like I am choosing between the two. Waiting worship and mindfulness meditation are two different things. I do want the children to see us modeling our form of worship and to feel a part of our community. And it felt so good and so right to all be there as a family, even for just those ten minutes.

When it was nearing 11am, we headed back to the Meeting. We joined the circle, which had already risen. All but one of the visitors left, and then we sang "This Little Light of Mine" and read Because Nothing Looks Like God by Lawrence Kushner. Then we moved into a little worship sharing stemming from the book, which led into general chatting and invitations to lunch.

Overall, I am very pleased with our new efforts to include the children in worship. I see a future place for using Quaker Faith and Play Stories intergenerational-y, which is exciting. I am sure there will be bumps, and that it will be an ongoing matter to be discussed amongst Friends, but I think we are headed in the right direction.

The Longest Day Nature Story

I'm trying to write more nature stories to tell the kids that fit our climate here in Texas. I finished one recently about summer solstice, which is coming up on the 21st, I believe (need to double-check the calendar). I'm planning on getting the boys to make some sort of firefly catching jar (slightly reminiscent of their winter solstice lanterns), and we'll let them stay up until after dark catching fireflies on the longest day of the year. Anyway, here's the story:

The Longest Day

The Princess Spring dances across the land only a few short months before King Summer arrives. King Summer loves the Sun, and is happiest during the daylight hours. Each day, he calls to the Sun and wakens her from her bed a little bit earlier and a littler bit earlier. And each night, King Summer begs her to stay up a little bit longer and a little bit longer.

King Summer calls to shining Sun,

Please stay, the fun has just begun!

The children work, the children play,

Even they wish Sun could stay.

Each morning that King Summer convinces Sun to rise a little earlier, the children hear his call as well. From their beds, they bounce. They look forward to a day filled with outside chores and water play. Maybe they'll garden. And while they are watering their plants, they'll spray each other just a little bit and just a little bit more until they are wet from head to toe and laughing and giggling and running and chasing.

King Summer calls to shining sun,

Please stay, the fun has just begun!

The children work, the children play,

Even they wish Sun could stay.

Maybe the children will wash winter's grime from their windows during the long daylight hours. And maybe they'll sneak a squirt while their brother's not looking. Maybe they'll sneak a squirt while their sister's not looking. Soon sister and brother are squirting back and everyone is wet from head to toe and laughing and giggling and running and chasing.

King Summer calls to shining sun,

Please stay, the fun has just begun!

The children work, the children play,

Even they wish Sun could stay.

Maybe the children will scrub the dirty clothes on their washboard during the long daylight hours. And maybe they'll sneak a little splash while their brother's not looking. Maybe they'll sneak a little splash while their sister's not looking. Maybe they'll sneak a little splash while their mother's not looking. Maybe they'll sneak a little splash while their father's not looking. Soon father and mother, sister and brother are splashing back and everyone is wet from head to toe and laughing and giggling and running and chasing.

King Summer calls to shining sun,

Please stay, the fun has just begun!

The children work, the children play,

Even they wish Sun could stay.

The children are happy that Sun stays a little bit longer every day. But the Sun grows tired. Sun has been shining from early in the morning until late in the evening. Sun hears the call of her bed, and she hears her sister the Moon. “Sister Sun, I want to shine, too,” Sister Moon says. And so, on the longest day of the year, when Sun has been shining from early in the morning until late in the evening, Sister Moon reminds Sister Sun, that she would like more time to shine, too. The people and the animals need to rest, and the creatures of the night need their time come out and play, she reminds her.

King Summer calls to shining sun,

Please stay, the fun has just begun!

The children work, the children play,

Even they wish Sun could stay.

But King Summer wishes that Sun would keep on shining forever and forever. Sun hears King Summer's wish, but she is so tired. Sun hears the children's wishes, but she is so, so tired. Sun wishes to return to her bed, a little earlier and a little earlier. She cannot stay up for the long, long days anymore. She wishes to rise a little later and a little later in the morning. But she has not forgotten King Summer and the children. Sun wishes for the children to remember her too, so she sends fireflies on the evening of this longest day. The fireflies are Sun's gift to King Summer and the people. Every evening, the fireflies come to remind King Summer and the children of their beloved Sun. The children love to catch the fireflies in jars, and for a few moments longer, they have bits of the Sun all their own to remind them of their fun summer days. Soon Grandfather Twilight helps Sister Sun to bed a little earlier and a little earlier, and awakens Sister Moon to shine a little earlier and a little earlier. Sister Moon shines on them all, King Summer, the children and the fireflies.

New Organic Circle choices

So, I've picked some more seasonally appropriate Enki verses for our walks. Here's what I've got (it feels like too much, so I'll post what we actually do on Tree of Life Homeschool):

Rosie Ray
Far Out at Sea
Sally Goes Round
Coo Coo
Spring is Coming
Oats, Peas, Beans
Foxes
Recorder Song-Spring
Spiders and Sun is Rising when back inside

I'll also post how we adapt the movements to the walks. We'll just have to see how it goes. But, I have to say, this feels so much better. This feels more nourishing than the cat herding I had been trying to do. Maybe we'll get to return to adventure circles in another season when that seems to make more sense than an enhanced walk... like when it's below 60 degrees, and this Texan wants to hibernate. (I just 'think' that I want to live somewhere with four real seasons... I don't really...I'm glad our 'winter' is over.)

Enki Education

There's a new video clip about Enki Education on YouTube:

Little Travelers

I can't remember where I first saw mention of this dvd series recently, but it's really worth getting the word out about The Little Travelers. We watched Japan today. What I love about the film maker's approach is that she is searching out modern Japanese experiences with her children rather than dusty, old historical ones (museums... not that there's anything wrong with museums, but you can easily get caught up making the round of tourist traps rather than really experiencing a place). Plus, the whole series is from her children's point of view, narrated by them. I can't help appreciating that they're homeschoolers as well. ;)

Sunday Planning 2/1

How I plan...

This Week:
The Star Frog from Enki Kindergarten Fairy Tales
The Holly and the Evergreen from Enki Kindergarten Nature Stories
We're going to make 120 or so valentines for the Austin Area Homeschoolers Annual Valentine's Day Par-tay.
We're going to bake 'Crazy Pretzels' from Kids Concoction Cookbook
Color coffee filters with marker and then spray with water from a spray bottle for a neat effect for a Dunagan-focused activity
I still haven't memorized the Quaker Faith and Play story Listening for God. Good grief. Will I ever? Might as well ask: will I ever sleep again?
We're not going to paint this week. I need to mix new paints. Tomorrow is 'painting' day, but it is nearly 10pm and I'm wiped. I'll give myself all week to mix paints for next Monday.
Beeswax modeling on Friday.
Our friend Cristina who plays with the boys in Spanish is changing to coming twice a week for one hour, so that will be Mondays and Wednesdays now in the morning. It's a bit disorienting since it has been Friday afternoons for 2 hours for so long.
We're switching to French with the new month, and we'll be doing 'Ouvre et Ferme' and 'Je sors une main' from Ana Lomba's Hop, Skip and Sing French
For movement work (mostly proprioceptive), we'll be doing:
Bear Cubs
Spider Web
Mama Swan
Snail
Mouse
... from Enki Kindergarten Movement. We've had to adapt the movement circle to being spread out throughout the day. It's not ideal, but it is working for us for now. I would like to do more movement activities, but that will have to wait until another season when Ayla's a little older and Dunagan is more interested and Kirven, therefore, less distractable.


Next Week:
Tup and the Ants from Enki Fairy Tales
The Legend of the Dipper from For the Children's Hour
We never made fruit kabobs last week, so we'll attempt that again
We're going to make Valentines mail boxes for the party on the 12th
We're going to paint on the easel with tempera for a Dunagan-focused activity