October is the month of the Rosary, so we are especially happy to honor our Holy Mother here at our Academy, named in her honor. I was beyond thrilled on Sunday when we sang not only the Salve Regina, but also Tantum Ergo - in Latin! Two Latin songs in one Mass. I have surely died and gone to pre-Vatican II Heaven. I did get the idea, however, that we should begin learning traditional Latin hymns here at the Academy, so our morning routine now consists of the Pledge, the Morning Offering (currently being offered for my brother's intention, one which I can only pray will be resolved according the will of God - it's hugely important for our family), the singing of My Country 'Tis of Thee, America, Grand Old Flag (shout out to George M. Cohan, great American composer, great American, and sharer of N's birthday!), and Tantum Ergo. It makes for a very interesting routine. Of course, it's followed up by calendar, so we also have to sing "Today is Monday, today is Monday all day long - all day long..". Fun times...

I am dealing with motivation problems with T, and I am struggling with how to resolve them. She is bright. She is working above grade level in all subjects (2 grades above in Math). She is not overworked and I have done my best to craft an interesting curriculum that allows her to focus on things she enjoys (diagramming sentences! History! Creative Writing! Latin - not so much these days, but some things are non-negotiable), but getting her to the school room table, much less getting productive work out of her is becoming increasingly difficult these days. She dawdles. She complains. She cries. This is the child who was the star of her school. Her entire school (K-8). She was looked upon as a model student, and it was routinely speculated that she was headed for a convent at an early age. Granted, I realize that her school persona would not be her home persona, but come now - such a vast difference! Does she really need to know, and have demonstrated 50 times a day, that she is superior to everyone else in her class in order to be properly motivated? Hey, I was the smart kid, too (well, at least until Math started getting the better of me in 8th grade - but I was always the English star!), and I know the joy of everyone's adulation, but how can I teach her the joy of self-satisfaction and self-motivation, skills that I honestly thought that she had already begun to master, at least in part? Frustration is at an all-time high here right now. Maybe it's just a bit of growing pain. Perhaps she's at a difficult age (ah, yes, the favorite excuse of mothers everywhere!). I think it's helpful that we're preparing for First Confession (yes, I know we're supposed to emphasize the Reconciliation aspect, but I'm old school) as it gives us plenty of opportunities to talk about ways that we can please Jesus, and things that we do that disappoint him (I'd go into the ways that I disappointed him today, but I'm sure that Blogger has a space limit, and I would surely exceed it!). We study the Saints, and discuss good habits, and I'm sure that we'll overcome this phase. At least, there's a 50% chance that we will. Either we will or we won't, anyway, so I won't spend too much time worrying about it!

Just one quick link to a company that I just love. If I come into money, I am going to buy all of the back issues of this magazine: http://www.girlhoodhomecompanion.com/ I have one issue, and I can't wait to share it with T. There is so much in it for a little girl to love. I sort of think of it as a young girl's Victoria http://www.victoriamag.com/ but with so much more about what it means to be a young lady who loves the Lord (it is so not in your face, though. The tone is just perfect). Anyway, in my list of "lottery winning must-haves" the collection of back issues has gone straight to the top.

On a personal note, which does not break my "no boring personal anecdotes" rule, because the mother/daughter relationship is very important in any home, my own relationship with my mother is bringing me great joy as of late. The Dear Lord has gifted me with patience beyond that which I usually possess, and my Mom is bringing me into her world of paper crafting (most definitively *not* scrapbooking - no photos involved!). She is so very talented (and loaded with supplies!), and I am able to play with paper and stamps, and, much more importantly, to share some time with her. I am so grateful.