Wednesday, August 28, 2013

In case anyone has been checking, it has been quite some time since I posted.  This is mainly due to time and not sure what I want to say.  this past year much has happened in the spiritual life of my family.
I started meeting with a group of women once a month to explore our spiritual journeys.  We put our three younger children into the local Catholic school.  My husband began attending Mass daily.  then we started going to the Adoration Chapel twice a week.
The fruit of all this activity has been amazing.  We discovered that a family that survives on $10,000 a year can afford to send children to the Catholic school.  It is VERY hard and not because of the tuition.  It is all the little add ons that really bite.
Our next discovery was that daily Mass attendance increases a thirst for knowledge of faith.  y husband and I began to explore our faith more.  We began reading different spiritual books by Saints.  Then my husband journeyed into reading church documents.  I went along with my group but kept my focus on the Catholic aspect of the questions being asked.  I found this very entertaining.  It made me realize that I had more solid answers in my own faith.
My children in the Catholic schools were defending their faith to others than truly learning more about their faith.  This awareness came about in part due to my husband's journey in exploring church documents and heresies that have beset the church through her 2000 year history.
Our family was taken under the wing of a devote young priest.  He began by meeting with my husband.  I have met with him a few times and my second daughter and third son have begun meeting with him on occasion as well.
The result of all this exploring, searching, reading and discussion are the following.  We are homeschooling our three younger children with a classical curriculum; we are saying a family rosary daily; we are saying evening prayers as a family; we are attending Adoration Chapel once a week as a family and once a week as a couple; we are attending daily Mass as a family. My two young boys are learning to serve at the Tridentine Mass. This has had a profound effect on my son #3.  His faith, reverence and prayer life has changed noticeably. 
I have not fully decided if I will continue with this blog or not.  My work life is busier and I am trying to cut back on my online presence.  I am not ready to make the decision yet.  I will let you know.
We continue to live frugally as is necessary.  We are growing food, knitting and sewing.  My #2 daughter is spinning and I am currently making a shawl from something she spun.