Serendipity Update

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As we sit huddled by the fire in the cold of mid-year, I am reflecting upon our studies (and envying a bit those Teacher Workdays of the public schools--the ones where teachers work in their classrooms in perfect silence and solitude...). All in all, things are going well.  The rhythm and the artistry of our academic pursuits suit our family well. And so we continue down this path. Because we are traveling in real time and blogging as we go, I will share a bump in the road with you as well. The book we chose for our saints' alphabet isn't really working for its purpose. It's a beautiful book and we have been exposed to some new saints and to different expressions of some familiar saints, but it's not a good fit for our family's Alphabet Path. I'm going to switch to An Alphabet of Catholic Saints. Several of you suggested the book and several more of you tell me you have it, so I hope this change is not terribly burdensome. I'll incorporate a picture into the story on Serendipity, so if you can't purchase the book, you can always use the picture and tell the saint's story on your own. My plan is to go back and re-write the endings of all the stories published thus far, to reflect the new book. All of Emily's beautiful saints drawing will remain in the photo albums so that you can continue to use them. It's going to take me a few days (God willing) to make the changes, so I do beg your patience.

As Katherine reflected upon her family at mid-year, she decided not to continue down the Alphabet Path, nor to teach math with Gnomes and Gnumbers. It is with profound sadness that I watch her leave our little corner of the blogosphere. I'd like to send her off with a bouquet of prayers and expressions of thanks. I know my family has been blessed by the generous outpouring of her gifts. Please join me in telling her how much she is appreciated. Comments are open below.

I have a new set of lessons ready for the next Lively language Book. Rebecca and I were able to brainstorm through the whole book while she was here and I'll put all those lessons up in one post and then update with pictures as we go. I'm really pleased with the thoroughness of these books.

Also, I highly recommend you take a chronological look at Rebecca's botany archives. These lessons dovetail so beautifully with the Flower Fairy Botany, giving the science block a very solid foundation. For my older children, I've taken these suggestions from the Boy Scout Plant Science merit badge, together with Rebecca's plans, and our own wildflower and ongoing herb studies, and created a meaningful study of plants. We'll do lots and lots of gardening soon. I'm so eager for the world to turn green!

The gnomes are going to continue their adventures on Serendipity. Colleen reminds me that math is not optional and she and I are brainstorming while begging our children for patience as they clamor for more gnomes.In the meantime, there is a treasure trove of good stuff in the Gnomes and Gnumbers archives and we continue to play the gem trading game every day, moving up to more gems and two dice.

I haven't forgotten the Serendipity-do-dah Fairy Fest. I've so enjoyed reading your links. And I promise to share them all in a post just as soon as I can. Please remember that my blogging philosophy is all about the overflow of my life here in my home.I wrote,

Serendipity represents what we are actually doing in the heart of my home. It's blogging from the overflow, the afterglow. It is a record  of our learning but it is not nor will it ever be anything but the bubbling over of the good that exists in my real life with my real children. I won't rob from them to blog for someone else. I will, however, gratefully share from abundance.

I meant that then and I mean it even more now. Katherine worked incredibly hard to make Serendipity what it was. And it won't be the same without her. I can't possibly begin to do the work she did. Instead, God calls me to see what I can do and what will work within the parameters of the philosophy above. I will gratefully accept the help of kindred spirits and, together, we will continue to create something beautiful for our families. I beg your prayers for this endeavor.

Please take a moment to leave a note for Katherine.