Some Quick Takes: Graduation Edition

It's true. Homeschooling works. You insert child into Intake Slot A, and you turn the crank, all the while repeating things like, "Read the directions again," and, "You'll thank me someday," and eventually -- since I can't decide whether "after several eternities" or "an hour later" would be the more appropriate expression of the movement of time in these instances, "eventually" will have to do -- some unseen spigot splorts out a more or less convincingly fully-grown demi-adult. With, in our case, a driver's license and some spiffy thong sandals with metal stuff on them that she went out and bought with money earned by the sweat of whatever part of you sweats while babysitting. So you buy a diploma and give it to her.

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Well, let me back up. You don't just give it to her, like, "Your diploma came in the mail. Here."

Non non non. Jamais jamais. Pas du tout. Et cetera. Jamais. 

No, you talk other people with kids the same age into putting on a graduation with you, and you all tell yourselves that this will be simple, like, I don't know, your wedding or something, right?

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Simple, like sending your graduation announcements, which you made up yourself on Snapfish using photos you had lying around, to the rented beach house where you plan to spend the week, because that way you'll get them out on time.

Simple, like it's not going to occur to you that the beach house might have no mailbox, and that this might pose some impediment to the valiant endeavors of the U.S. Postal Service.

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The fun part is planning the music for the Mass of Thanksgiving. At least, if you're me that's the fun part. Here's what we're having, sung by a trio ensemble including me, with, I am sure, an accompaniment of choking up:

Introit:  Regina Coeli
Processional:  O God Beyond All Praising (Richard Proulx, arr.)

Kyrie and Gloria:  Missa de Angelis

Psalm 40 (a not-bad setting from the ol' Respond and Acclaim book;  Gospel Acclamation from same)

Offertory Hymn:  I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

Offertory Anthem:  Hail, O Star That Pointest:  it's really just a hymn setting, but we do it as an a capella soprano-alto duet, and the 18th-century tune and harmony are lovely.

Communion Mass Parts:  Jubilate Deo Mass

Communion Antiphon:  Non Nobis Domine (Byrd)


Just like this, only with two treble voices and a bass. Or maybe more like this, only with about thirty-eight fewer people, and a guy:



Communion Anthem:  Jesu, Rex Admirabilis (Palestrina)

Communion Hymn:  Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Hyfrydol)

Retiring Procession:  Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

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Then they all come back in, and we have awarding of diplomas, and another retiring procession with Pomp and Circumstance, because you have to.

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Then you have a swing dance, because you have to do that, too. And you feed the two hundred people in attendance hotdogs, because, after all, it's Memorial Day, and you are three homeschooling families on a grand total of three incomes.

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But of course none of these things has  happened yet, which means that I really do not have time to be writing this now.

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I had never, before this week, connected the idea of the first day of the rest of your life with increased housecleaning. Today's revelation:  The interior life involves a lot of fuming and spazzing. I suppose that this could be construed as speaking in tongues, and therefore a gift.

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Snapfish has just written to say that they are overnighting the graduation announcements. Good thing we already had email. Meanwhile, if  people out there have scrapbooks they're just dying to put a graduation announcement in -- any graduation announcement -- I think I may have a few to share.

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And now I have to pass the computer along, because various younger siblings are . . . doing things . . . which I can't talk about publicly right now. And I have to tweak the grocery budget again.

Thanks, Jen!