Dear Homeschooling Friends,

I'm writing you from Kalamata, Greece right now! My semester in Roma finished on the 25th of April, and the day after I took a ferry over to Patras. I have visited Athens, the Delphi, and many other places since. I just left Pylos, one of the most beautiful places in the world (in my humble opinion).

Here are some excerpts from the journal that I am keeping...

From May 1st:

I am master of myself of my actions, my feelings, and most
important my dreams
My dreams teach me
My dreams play
My dreams take me places
I have solved puzzles of my comprehension,
I have found who are my true friends,
I have learned ways of people
I have been the secret love,
I have been queen,
the helping hand,
the rescuer
I have gone to bazaar alleys and eccentric fortresses
I have been to everyday cities and forests

Doves exist as one of God's most beautiful creations to dot the sky. They show God as a master of art and design, revealing the perfect balance between meekness and strength. Because of this, we have them represent peace, love, and the Holy Spirit. To discover how to make my life enjoyable, I looked at this beautiful creature. I found that God could use this animal to show us how to fly.

Sunlight streamed in over everything in the small room. On the outside of the door there hung a bright sign with the words, “Room 213, Agnes Smith,” for this woman occupied room 213 in the “Melville County Nursing Home.” Awakened by the sun, Agnes rolled over and tried to remember the last shreds of her dream. She had dreamed of running through magnolia trees in full bloom, and as she closed her eyes again she could still smell their sweet fragrance. She slowly shook her head and ran her knobbly hands through her short, silver hair.

Rich clothes, a beautiful crown,
never healed the emporer's
frown .
Lovely women ,charming gals,
never changed the King's
scowl.
Treasure only gave him pleasure
in his last days,
when he grew old his face was
so cold even his wife was
afraid.
When he lay on his
luxurious bed his life draining
from him he said "Bring me my
treasure, leave my wife be."
And so he died alone and forlorn
with his treasure by his side.
Let this be a warning to all who read the story of the old King.

Yesterday I was remembering how I felt at the beginning of this semester when we first arrived in Rome, and I had to laugh. When I was by myself I felt lost in every way! Trastevere - the neighborhood we live in - seemed like a maze of streets that all looked somehow alike. Cars and mopeds chased me down until I slunk into dark corners. And in the dark corners a bum might be sleeping. At night the neighborhood became a different place altogether. Italian couples and old gypsy women blocked my steps. Bums drank, and dogs howled. Jazz and techno filled wine and Guinness bars.

I love to sing. It helps me calm
down after I've walked away from
my angry brother. It helps me
become happy after I've cried
about something. I sing because
I love it and I will never stop.
Though my brother doesn't think
I have the voice for it, that
doesn't matter, I am not singing
for him, I sing for my well being.
Anyway, I was in the public
middle school's choir. I had a
solo concert last spring. I sang
'Beauty and the Beast' and, best
of all, I got a standing ovation!

In Consideration of the Ant

Every creature in this magnificent world around us possesses a unique set of traits that we can observe and learn from. Great opportunities lie at the doorsteps of those willing to learn from the hardworking ant. Go outside into your yard and look down. You might see a few ants scurrying around. No matter what color ants you observe, you will notice that they never stand still. In Proverbs 6:6-11 God chose ants to teach us a few things about the importance of work and the consequences of laziness.

Dear Homeschooling Friends,

Friday hits again here in Rome, and I have philosophy, theology, art, pigeons, architecture, poetry, people, and a trip to Assisi on my mind. We're reading the Physics and the Metaphysics of Aristotle right now, and we've been covering the 4 causes of everything in nature: matter, form, mover, and end. It's too complicated to explain in the limited time I have, so here's a poem I just wrote (it can't be very good).

My hide out in the woods is a magical place. I think faeries and nymphs play in it in their spare time! There is a dry stream bed with a once proud tree,now,forgotten,as it rests,fallen. The sunlight filters through the tree canopy,making natural dance floors man could never build. In places,a brown hued carpet of leaves covers the forest floor. The trees are marble pillars holding up the ever changing celeing,the sky. Shrubbery dots the forest floor like soldiers on a battlefield. A cool breeze rustles your hair.