A New Springtime

Researching How To Teach My Son with Down Syndrome How to Read

I am praying to be able to teach our son who has Down Syndrome how to read. he will turn five in April this year. I read in this book that when a child with DS  can discriminate  items (match like things with other like things) that is a good time to begin teaching them to read. Our son can definitely do that. he has mastered this skill by using:

• a shape sorter
• matching card games (Dollar Tree)
• color matching putting items of the same color on a colored sheet of construction paper
• matching games (Brown Bear picture card game)
• Melissa and Dough wooden puzzles ( big knobs, smaller knobs)

I am sure there are many other fun ways to encourage kids to recognize like things. the internet is full of ideas!

I like to take my time to read these type of books and I also encourage anyone trying to do this to take notes. Treat yourself to a pretty journal or notebook to make this a personal and important enjoyable journey.

I think a chapter every 3 days is reasonable. After reading and taking notes give yourself a few days for the info to sink in. Go back and read over the notes before going on, highlighting anything that stands out in your mind.

I find it very helpful to discuss what I have read with an interested relative or friend, verbally discussing the information helps me to retain what I have read and get some positive feed back and encouragement from others as well!

"I can do all things in Jesus Christ who strengthens me!" This is the phrase I will keep before me while reading and praying while taking on this task.

 

 

 

Laudato Sii, God be Praised

During Lent we have taken out some time  together to incorporate Pope Francis's encyclical, Laudato Sii, God Be Praised into our lives. It is  based on St. Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Sun and focuses on, " The Care of Our Common Home". We spent time listening to the first part of the audio online reading of this beautiful letter and the kids drew some pictures of what it meant to them.

 

Happy Planner/ Plan for the Fam' #2

I like to include inspirational quotes in my planner pages to give me a positive focus for the week!

Since or Lenten meditation is "Transform", I picked this butterfly paper to decorate these pages. The wooden looking paper is to keep in my the Cross of Christ! I want our family plans to reflect both!

Bible Journaling

If I cannot attend Mass each day, I like to look up the daily readings on this website or read them in ," Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread". I use the Gospel reading as my journal page meditation.

A like to write the quote and were it comes from in the Bible.

Writing a small prayer on my page helps me to focus on that thought throughout the day!

Any kind of medium can be used: colored pencils, paints, sharpie markers, etc. Right now I am using gel pens. Bible Journal is a great way to bring into focus God's word for the day and to set the tone to keep His love before me!

Homeschool Graduate, A Family Affair

Every good and perfect gift comes from above!  Our son graduated from Our Lady of the Elms this past Saturday! It was such a wonderful occasion and we are so proud of him.

He is the first of our sons that we home-schooled from kindergarten through grade 12. I say, we, because it was definitely a family affair. Including every single member of our household.

Our catholic faith has also been a key factor in this endeavor  because it was a vocational call that we answered from above. There is one body but many charisms.

Prayer has been the key to our home-schooling vocation because without the intercession of St. Joseph, Our Lady and all of God's holy angels and saints there would be no way any of us could have done this.

O great St. Joseph, so docile to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, obtain for me the grace to know what state of life Divine Providence destines for me. Do not allow me to be deceived with regard to so important a choice, upon which depends my happiness in this world, and even my eternal salvation. Obtain for me that, being enlightened to know the Divine Will and being faithful in accomplishing it, i may embrace that state of life which God has destined for me and which will lead me to a happy eternity. Amen.

The Mighty One Has Done Great Things for Me

Jesus has given His very life for all humanity and I am blessed to be able to celebrate his Resurrection with my family in the catholic Church!

The feasts days and sacraments of the Church are such awesome way to participate in God's life while we are here on Earth!

He is Risen!!

I thank God for my beautiful family and His life within us!

 

It Is In Giving That We Receive

Two of my children were given the opportunity to be in a photo shoot to help promote The Annual Catholic Appeal.

The Annual Catholic Appeal supports many different ministries and charitable causes.

The kids enjoyed the experience with other members of our diocese.

It was a great way to be a witness and instrument of the love of God!

 

Our Christmas Day

These guys are waiting for some of their siblings to wake up!

The amaryllis was in full bloom showing it's trumpets for the triumphant day of Christmas! All the kids gather in the living room and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus! Next, they begin to pass out the goodies!

Ok they are all up and the little ones get straight to work!

She is surrounded by presents!

The sisters begin to open their gifts!

The whole family is excited to celebrate the gift of Jesus by giving special gifts of love to each other!

A Catholic Christmas

 Ready and waiting to go to church on Christmas Eve!

All giddy and excited!

Christmas Selfie!

Our daughter is getting so tall and beautiful!

All of us after Mass!

Jesus Christ present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar at our beautiful Church.

An image of light!

The little ones around the manger scene!

 

Jesus, The Faithful One

Jesus the Faithful One

Our Jesse tree is covered with ornaments and our Amaryllis is about to blossom! We have tried to focus even more on stillness and peace but in the midst of a busy world it can be difficult. Yet, even the smallest effort toward Christ counts because in reality, He is the faithful one. He is the Prince of Peace, the Stillness in the Choas, the Promise Fullfilled.