Meet my Dad

My Dad (on the right) and one of his friends.

I've written a bit before about my Dad's ministry to the homeless in our community. Yesterday's paper carried this article about him. I was blessed to read it, and I hope you will be too. Apart from the fact that he's my Dad, it's refreshing to read something positive about Christians!

Learning

Our Days of Creation pages..... so far!

I'm so enjoying learning alongside Peregrine. Together we read lots of books, and while we haven't started anything "official" as far as school goes, there's plenty of learning going on around here. It's fun, and it happens so naturally as we spend our days together; does "school" really have to be much different than this? One of the reasons I'm so excited to homeschool my children is because of all I get to learn along with them! Here are some of the things we're doing right now:

• Reading through The Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine and listening to the accompanying CD. I am totally clueless about classical music so we're really learning this together. The book is separated into three sections; composers divided by era, the instruments, and the conductor. Each track on the CD highlights what we read about. The university here puts on inexpensive performances occasionally so I hope to take him to hear a real orchestra at some point.
  
• Learning about the days of creation. We've been making a picture for each day. I'm no artist (read: cannot draw) and I've been raiding my scrapbooking supplies to help him do these pictures! Hooray for stickers and patterned paper!
  
• Reading poetry. We have a very old, worn, and well-loved copy of Poems Children Will Sit Still For that my Mom read to me as a child. He also loves the poetry of AA Milne.
  
• Reading Daniel Boone: Frontiersman. Peregrine, of course, is fascinated with the battles and the hunting, and I'm learning a lot. (Seriously, my knowledge of Daniel Boone was limited to a 'coon skin cap, exploring the frontier, and some poem about elbowroom. Pertty pathetic, especially since we learned in this book he preferred a plain cap and not the fur cap I associated with him.)
• We're just getting started with Beginning Thinking Skills. He has enjoyed the few sheets we've done and especially enjoys playing with the cubes and blocks!

So, all this "learnin" is pretty exciting! I was surprised when I realized that Mozart was composing at the same time that Daniel Boone was exploring the Eastern frontier. Which makes me want to have some kind of a timeline we could be filling in. I know there are lots of different options. Does anyone have one they would reccomend?
I'd also like to expand our poetry selections a bit. If you know of any good books of poetry would you please let me know? Thanks!

Through Peregrine's Lens

Since photography is something enjoyed by both Erik and I we decided to give Peregrine a camera for his birthday. We found one that is built for kids and hopefully will not be destroyed too easily! And it's digital, so he can take all the pictures he wants without wasting film. In fact, he seems to be pretty fond of the garbage can icon and deletes more pictures than he keeps. Here are a few of his pictures that I thought were interesting- Mom and Dad the way he sees us!

Mama in Apron

Dad

Bother!

About a year ago I bought the complete tales and poems of Winnie-the-Pooh on cassette tape for Peregrine to listen to. I guess cassettes aren't a real hot commodity anymore because they were marked down to what I thought was a great deal. Last week I got an email saying that you can purchase the entire set of eight tapes now for only $10! Peregrine has spent countless hours listening to these stories and poems during his rest time, and Erik and I have also enjoyed them in the van. They're read by a British man, Peter Dennis, who does an excellent job. They are unabridged; this is pure, unadulterated Winnie-the-Pooh!

Christopher Robin Milne with Pooh, 1925

A.A. Milne's son Christopher said "... Peter Dennis has made himself Pooh's Ambassador Extraordinary and no bear has ever had a more devoted friend. So if you want to meet the real Pooh, the bear I knew, the bear my father wrote about, go and listen to Peter. You will not be disappointed. ..." We certainly have not been disappointed by these. Books on tape don't come any cheaper than this, so I thought I'd pass this on as I know people are starting to think about Christmas gifts. There's also a fascinating history of Winnie-the-Pooh along with lots of pictures of the original characters on the Pooh Corner website. I grew up on these stories and poems and I love reading them to Peregrine. But I still enjoy having them read to me!

Eeyore, Pooh, Kanga and Roo, and Tigger

Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?" says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together," says Pooh.

(Read the whole poem Us Two here; from Now we are Six by A.A. Milne)

A Long-Awaited Day

My Peregrine,
It is the eve of your fourth birthday. There has been much talk of it, much anticipation and eagerness. You have practiced holding up four fingers instead of three. We had a party for you on Saturday; you dressed like an astronaut and your eyes shone like the stars. You were surrounded by people who love you, people who have watched you grow over the last four years. How quickly they have gone by, these days with you. You who are full of life and laughter and opinions and stories and will.
When you went to bed tonight I lay down with you and told you the story of the Autumn night on which you were born. It was much like this night was, cold and clear with stars like frozen diamonds in the sky. I spared you most of the details, but when I said that I had to work hard and that I had some pain you scrunched up your face and asked with all sweetness "Is this what your face looked like when you had that pain?" I told you how Daddy walked with me, how Daddy held me and reminded me that you would be born soon. And when finally you were in our arms what joy we felt, our boy, brand new, dark hair and dark eyes, a life entrusted to our care, tiny, precious. I told you how you cried, and Daddy leaned close to you and spoke, and at the familiar sound of his voice you turned toward him and grew quiet. As you heard this story tonight you tucked into your blankets, your big blankets in your big bed, and pretended to be that tiny baby once again.
But you are changed, no longer that baby who needed me for your very life and sustenance. You are racing toward independence, becoming the person you will be. I lingered with you tonight, feeling the passage of time, saying goodbye to three and hello to four. It's only one day's difference, but it feels big. It's unstoppable, this thing called time. I kissed you and hugged you, feeling your arms around my neck. (Arms that fly toy airplanes and throw rocks and swing swords.) Some people give bear hugs, but you "boa constrict" me when you want to give me your strongest, fiercest hug. And I boa constrict you right back, wanting to hold on to my little boy. Tonight one hug and kiss wasn't enough, (it's never enough) and we did it again. I looked at you and told you with all seriousness that this was the last kiss and the last hug as a three year old, that you would never be three again. You looked sober for half a second at the thought of that, but soon gave way to merriment once again.
Daddy took us out for dinner tonight; you ate pot-stickers and rice with "pump" sauce. You exclaimed several times how much you loved this meal. In the parking lot afterward, I crouched down next to you and we breathed into the cold night air, breathed dragon smoke together. We breathed dragon smoke, and roared, and laughed. Daddy bought you a new sword, one with a sheath, and when we got home you knelt down in front of him and he knighted you with it. You were full of excitement.
I don't know when this happened, this bigness. You have a different look, different even then a few months ago. You are becoming more somehow, more you, more complex, more of who you will be. I'm glad that God chose me and Daddy to walk this road with you. We hardly feel equal to the task, but that keeps us crying out for wisdom. You were our baby, our firstborn; you are our boy. We love you, with all that is in us.
Here's to many more adventures together, my sweet Peregrine.
And a very happy birthday!
I love you always. (And I love you more.)
Mama