I had to count the years twice. Verification complete, it seems to be true. This is our 10th year schooling at home. It seems only yesterday that we'd drop our oldest off at the village kindergarten for the morning, then spend the afternoons learning our letters in English, reading stories and poetry and looking at…
A Gift. From Me to You.
I began this little project almost a year ago. It had been a tough school day. The kids were frustrated with math. They didn't see the point of latin declensions. There were tears. And I was frustrated at my own limitations in helping them, in convincing them, in guiding them. I wanted them to have…
The Puritans Didn’t Just Eat Turkey
It was a few years ago that we were properly introduced to the Puritans. Before that, I just thought they ate turkey and wore capotains and were a grumpy, adventurous sort. Thank you, American public schools, for granting us the yearly joy of choosing between wearing paper feathers or paper collars and getting to sit…
Therefore it Became a Proverb
This afternoon marks exactly three weeks. It was Saturday, Mother's Day in Mexico and three days before my 34th birthday. They tell me that we went for a ride down the beach on the quad, a typical Saturday evening. Apparently I was taking a video of the sunset, the crashing waves, the pink sand. And…
Crocs and Kids
Somehow my last post was already two months ago. Writing about grief always kind of sucks all my public writing juices for awhile. I say public because I am writing quietly here on the side when I get a chance. One project is basically completed, I am just praying about what to do with it.…
This Paradox
I was never much for fairy tales until more recently. Animals talking? Elves and dwarves? Tree people and all those blurred lines between real and fantastic that made me uncomfortable? But as Lewis says, maybe I am just finally getting old enough to enjoy them. And now, I must confess, one of my very favorite…
Surgery Date
The outpouring of your love and prayers and help over this last week has been so humbling and such a comfort. It has felt like a chunky knit blanket wrapping me up against a wintery storm of fear and doubt. May God bless each of you and recompense you enormously for the blessing you have…
A Selfish Request
Hi Friends, Just an extremely brief note today on behalf of your's truly. Last week my gynecologist detected a tumor in my uterus, otherwise known as a myoma. Thankfully these tumors are always benign. It is about the size of a small orange and although it isn't inherently dangerous, is still causing some problems and…
Hello 2025
Happy New Year to all of you! Thanks again for being here with me year after year. As always, my desire is to serve and bless you through these posts and reciprocally your faithfulness and interest is so appreciated and an enormous blessing to myself. Once more I'd like to leave you with the list…
Eternal Light
Eternal Light! Eternal Light!How pure the soul must be,when, placed within Your searching sight,it shrinks not, but with calm delightcan face such majesty.The spirits who surround Your thronemay bear that burning bliss;but that is surely theirs alone,since they have never, never knowna fallen world like this.O how shall I, whose dwelling hereis dark, whose mind…
penelope alves 