End-of-Year Program and Mother's Day 2012

This last year I considered a practice year of homeschooling, the practice being for me as teacher, not for the kids as students. They're little sponges. I'm the one with so many lessons to learn! So, I designed a preschool curriculum for them and we did it and, with waxing and waning, I was fairly consistent. We purposefully took off school for Holy Week and Easter week, and that's when I got called to California where my mom passed away. When I came home, I was in a fog and since have been busy planning Mom's memorial and our trip back out there as a family.

Therefore, one day last week I realized, 'Oh, I guess that was the end of this school year!'

I thought that it would be fun to do something to mark the occasion. I decided that I would make a report detailing all the skills each child has acquired to act as a benchmark for me in the future looking back. (How cool would it be if I did such a thing each year? Ha ha, we shall see.) Further, we created a little performance program to which we invited Daddy, also known as the Principal of our little home school.

The children designed the invitation to give to Daddy.

Sparkles let you know it was important.

On Sunday morning, we gathered in the homeschooling room where I showed the children the official-looking report I had made. Each child (including baby Margaret!) had two pages listing all the skills he or she had acquired, broken down by subject matter (e.g., religion, reading and writing, mathematics, virtues, personal care). The children were impressed to see their names and photos with so many words beneath them. The report also listed how many books we'd read to the children as a family this year, which amounted to about 100 picture books, many stories from the Bible, the 40 Treasure Box books, and 19 chapter books.

I sat down Mary and explained to her and Daddy the highlights of what she has learned this year. Most of the time, she beamed with happiness. This is when we call her our Flutterbudget.

Other times, Mercurial Mary made a showing. At three-and-a-half, she is in a real stage of emotional upheaval. I think she is on the cusp of being able to do so many things herself, but then when she meets obstacles, her frustration explodes and screaming ensues badly.

Thankfully, sometimes the frustration passes quickly and our little sweet girl reappears. Mary recited one prayer, one poem, and sang one song as her performance.

Chris had created certificates of achievement to give to each child.

Their eyes were wide as they received their certificates. 

Next it was John's turn, him having his first lessons in learning to be patient and not steal the spotlight during his sister's ten minutes' of "glory." Boy, was that a struggle for him! Him piping up, "I know how to do that already! I know that song!" created many opportunities for teaching.

Whispering to me that he wanted to recite a prayer also

Feeling shy listening to my accolades

I keep a binder of best work for each child, which they got to show Daddy, who goodnaturedly pretended he hadn't seen and admired it all before.

John recited one poem and sang one song.

Receiving his certificate

Brownie treats wrapped up the event!

The children then presented me with wonderful cards for Mother's Day. We drove to Greenville, SC, to meet Chris' parents and brother half way between our two cities. We attended Mass together there, then went to lunch. Unfortunately, our plans to walk around the beautiful park downtown were rained out, so we picked up doughnuts and drove home.

It was a lovely day, although my mood was dampened because this was the first Mother's Day since my mom passed away--only one month ago yesterday. My stepfather sent me a meaningful Mother's Day card: He had taken over mailing greeting cards on behalf of their behalf when my mom gradually lost the ability to write years ago. But he'd always, of course, signed the cards from the both of them, and this was the first card that he signed only from himself. So I loved it while I hated the reality of it too.

Coming up to this Mother's Day had been so strange because every time I heard a radio ad for sending one's mother flowers or I received an email advertisement for a Mother's Day gift idea, I thought reflexively, "Oh, yes, I've got to get something in the mail for Mom . . . oh wait, no I don't." And it was a small painful stab every time.

I want to share that my husband gave me the most generous and thoughtful Mother's Day gift ever: Gregorian Masses said in the traditional Latin rite for my mom at Clear Creek Abbey. And then how touched I was when Chris' aunt (who is a nun) showed up this morning and her gift to me was having a Mass said for my mom by a priest in Rome . . . which will make the third Mass said for her by priests in Rome. These things console me.

Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends--including, as I'd like to make special mention, to those mommies who have lost their babies.