Voices of a Family

Beautiful music is an essential part of good education. I believe that firmly. Just as we want to raise our children to know, love and serve God through guiding their wills toward pursuit of the Good and their intellects toward Truth, we also want to provide an abundance of Beauty for their senses - their little eyes, ears and tongues.

We spent Memorial Day this year, like so many other holidays with the "G" family. Mr. and Mrs. G had seventeen children and today have more than 120 grandchildren, and if I'm not mistaken the great grandchildren are already in the double digits. Beautiful, beautiful family, they are. And they all have beautiful voices. Stephen, one of the seventeen, often seen behind a grand piano is a member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. His gift of music, generously passed on to his family and many others around him, glorifies God again and again through new voices. He can transform any stale, nervous voice into a grand operatic symphony of its own - I've seen it on many occasions. I often wonder why I never pursued training under his tutelage, but you can bet my daughters will be joining his children's choir when they're of age. Gianna is already begging me to join, but I think she has to wait a couple more years. We'll practice at home in the meantime. :)

So, without further adieu, here are some excerpts from Monday in the "G" family living room. As with most holidays at their home, there's delicious food and drink, lots of fun, good conversation, and beautiful entertainment after dinner in the living room. Enjoy!

(By the way, the young gentleman singing in this video is the same Ernie our lovely friend Lissa posted about here.)

My New Jewelry

I've been busy refinishing my dining table the past few days. What I thought would take me two or three days has turned to five, and I have at least two more to go. The stripping, sanding and staining are done, and I brushed on the first coat of polyurethane this morning. After that dries I've got two or three more coats to go and I'll be finished. Whew! What an accomplishment. For those of you who are daunted by the task of furniture refinishing, I'll be sure to share pictures and notes when the project is done (though they won't be too exciting - it's just an old light-wood table, not an antique or anything).

Speaking of pictures, as promised, here are my lovely Mother's Day presents from last Sunday.

I can see this one was done with the help

of Dad's hands. The image of that alone is enough

to last me years of Mother's Days!

Gianna's beautiful jewelry creation. I think

it looks rather royal, don't you?

So, so precious. I feel loved. :)

~

'Real Life' Friends

Mother's Day was perfectly lovely this year. A family brunch, a beautiful handmade card and the most endearing piece of jewelry I've ever received (I promise pictures, folks!) were only half of what made last Sunday wonderful. I know I'm late here, but Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

To be honest, though, I was much more excited about the day after Mother's Day this year. For some time now I've known on this day I would finally meet one of my favorite blogging moms and inspiration behind two of my favorite internet stops - Studeo and Love2Learn.net. For months now I've been eagerly anticipating Alicia's visit. Now it has come and passed, and I miss her already.

We met at Mission San Juan Capistrano. From the instant I saw her and her incredibly beautiful family I felt I'd known them forever. In some ways I had - Alicia and John both graduated from my alma mater and I'd heard many wonderful things about them over the years. And after having met them on Monday? I'll just repeat what I told my best friend over the phone yesterday - I was in awe.

This family's love of learning is one of those intensely beautiful and inspiring qualities all of us homeschooling mothers want for our families. The instant we arrived at the mission their eldest daughter, "Ria", ventured straight away to the ruins, pulled out her sketchbook and pencil to capture that moment on paper, completely captivated by the beauty and historical import of what she'd seen. It was difficult for her to leave that area - I think she could have spent the entire day in that one spot.

Needless to say, our children got along swimmingly. Gianna's instantaneous bond with "Kate" had the two of them strolling about hand-in-hand all afternoon, hugging, laughing and dancing together. Madeleine attached herself to Ria - following her around the couryard and imitating her reverent gestures in the chapel; and four-year-old "Frank", with whom she played many-a-game of chase. Too cute.

At evening we returned to our house for dinner and some relaxation time. Alicia's children serenaded us with a beautiful three-part recorder ensemble (I didn't even know recorders came in different voices!), followed by some amazing Irish dancing. Again, I was in awe of the beautiful family before me.

It was a terrific day for all of us. I love that Alicia and I have so much in common and seem like old friends, yet we have different gifts - her abundance of those I don't possess give me more beautiful goals to strive for. She is one inspiring woman with one very inspiring family.

My Driver

Yesterday morning on our drive out for a fun family outing, we passed a crippled beggar on the side of the overpass. Only, he was on the other side of traffic. So my husband gets on the freeway, drives about three miles north, exits the freeway, drives over that overpass, gets back on the freeway going south, backtracks about three miles, exits the freeway to roll down his window and greet a Friend with kindness.

Quietly under his breath the man uttered, "Thank you, Jesus".

And so did I.

Life is so good when you can pause to gaze upon your spouse in awe.

You have got to see these!

Who knew socks could be so beautiful? Wow. I wonder if I can place an order for St. Nicholas Day (for myself!). Jenn?? :)

They paused

Last Saturday morning, we visited a "Family Planning" clinic in Los Angeles. I hadn't been there to pray since before I had children, and it was good to see the familiar faces of the many courageous friends I remembered who continue to persevere in hope - week after week, year after year, to save little lives.

I took the girls with me. Let me just say, I have no intention of explaining the horrific act executed at the facility to them at this time. My girls are very young, and innocent, and I don't feel it is necessary for them to know such heinousness at this stage in their youth. But I brought my daughters, and they brought their baby dolls (totally unplanned, by the way!), and they played in the courtyard climbing walls and trees, enjoying the fresh morning air while I prayed with the others.

One by one, as the young women walked by with their friends, sisters, husbands and boyfriends, the sidewalk counsellors pleaded with them to reconsider. The ache in my heart seemed to increase exponentially in proportion to the number of girls that continued up that staircase into the building. I hadn't realized how much more heartbreaking such a sight would be after having children of my own. It is so much more devastating. Once you know from experience what happiness a new baby brings into your life - how she changes you for the better, how every fiber of your being grows in beautiful love more and more each day, how your life has purpose and meaning and hope in a way it never experienced before - the thought that even one little soul will not be given the chance to change a life, to transform another from selfishness to joy or to bring more beauty into the world, is devastating.

As the young girls passed me and I felt that pain increase, I could help it no longer. I began to plead with them, "Please, my husband and I want to adopt your baby." "Please, we are longing for another child." "We adopted these two girls and we would love to have yours too." Each one of the young women paused, just for a moment when she heard my voice, and turned to see me. Each one looked into my eyes. But they all turned away, proceeding up the stairway.

I don't know how often I'll be able to visit the clinic, but I hope much more. Through the grace of God I hope that just one time, one of these girls will hear my voice, and turn around to embrace me. And perhaps through even more grace from our Heavenly Father I shall soon after be blessed with another child.

Please....

.....if you are the kind soul I mentioned below and would like me to continue posting on this blog, drop me a line. Thank you!! :)