Matthew on Skis

Meghan's First Time Skiing

No words are necessary...

The off-season is all in our minds...

At least one of the kids really wanted to play baseball today, so they had a game of catch.  Why let a few snowflakes get in the way?

A letter I hoped never to have to write

Dear Saint Mary's Faculty and Administration:

I was appalled to learn, from "The Observer," that actress Sigourney Weaver was teaching class and speaking to Saint Mary's students on September 26th.

As an alumna who has regularly contributed to Saint Mary's over the 25 years since my graduation, I am seriously questioning my ability to continue to give when speakers whose highly public views on abortion, contraception, and sexual integrity are directly contrary to Church teaching are invited to speak on campus. Granted, as the spouse of a government employee and mother of six children, two of whom are presently college students, I am not, and cannot ever be, your largest contributor, but I have contributed faithfully over the years in the hope of helping in a small way to make a Saint Mary's education possible for today's young women. If SMC, however, is no longer providing a truly Catholic education, ensuring that Catholic teaching is presented in all its fullness and beauty to her students, and if opposing views are presented in teaching and lecturing situations, then my donations will be better spent at other schools who are committed to protecting their Catholic identity.

I would appreciate a response from Saint Mary's regarding this issue. It is my greatest hope that Ms. Weaver was speaking about careers in acting or film or on almost any other topic than those above-listed subjects upon which she has so publicly expressed her deadening views.

Very truly yours,
Judith Gibbons Riordon
SMC 1986

Update 1/10/12: 
On November 22, 2011, I received the following response from SMC. I'm not particularly satisfied with it, but I'm not particularly surprised by it either.

"Dear Judith:  I am sorry for the delay in responding to your question about Sigourney Weaver.   Ms. Weaver was here as the Margaret M. Hill visiting artist this year.  She spent one day with our theatre majors teaching two master classes in acting.  She also spoke to a full house in O’Laughlin Auditorium that evening about her career.  She spoke exclusively about her career in the theatre and movies.  She had breakfast with President Mooney the following morning and shared with her that she was raised by atheist parents.  She also shared that she felt a real sense of spirituality in the students and everyone she met here.  She even asked if there were any books in the bookstore that she might purchase on Holy Cross spirituality.   Everyone who met her enjoyed her down to earth attitude and attention to the students.  I hope that this answers your questions about her visit to Saint Mary’s.  Thank you for your long time support of Saint Mary’s.  I send warm wishes to you and your family for a blessed holiday season.  Susan Dampeer

Susan Combs Dampeer ‘72

Assistant to the President

134 Le Mans Hall

Saint Mary’s College

Notre Dame, IN  46556

Phone: 574-284-4601

Fax:       574-284-4800"

 I'm happy that SMC students might have a positive effect on Ms. Weaver, but frankly, am more concerned about the fact that she sets a less-than-positive example for them.


So now I need to make a decision. Do I 
a) make my promised annual contribution anyway?
b) make the contribution, but specify it for Women's Choir Only (which is what I did during the V-Monologue years)?
c) send the money to a more faithfully Catholic college?

I'm torn. I loved my time at Saint Mary's in so many ways, but the worldly focus there (and admittedly, my openness to it) left some emotional/spiritual scars. I have done at least one thing already (besides prayer) to try to mitigate that for current students. 

The questions are: Do I help perpetuate the worldliness (if that is even the right word) if I contribute to the Annual Fund? Is it better to stay involved and try to instigate change from within? Yikes! I don't know. 

What would you do??

This is very pleasant to listen to...

An a cappella group from Yeshiva University...they became a "Hannukah YouTube sensation" with "Candlelight", a cover of the popular song "Dynamite"...and if you like that, "The Purim Song" is sure to amuse...Thanks for the heads-up, Taryn!

Roman Newspaper

Joe's Ancient Roman newspaper assignment.  Click on it to read...

Garden Produce

Today's harvest from the backyard garden--spicy peppers, tomatoes and green beans.  I wish we knew what kind of peppers they are!

Family photos

On frequent moving...

Many of our friends and neighbors move away each summer. It is one of the most challenging aspects of life in a military community. These precious friendships must be carefully nurtured so that they bloom quickly and last over time and distance. We have sustained some for many years, others have faded into once-a-year Christmas letter catch-ups, others haven't lasted much beyond the base where they began. Each of these has its place, but sometimes the losses make me sad.

Next summer, we will leave Japan for a new assignment. [To where? God has a plan, but He hasn't revealed it yet. :) ] I know we have been saying that we're moving for three years running, but this time we really are. Because of this, I have been praying and pondering what the most important things are that we must do before we leave.

A lot of travel remains on the list: Hokkaido, Korea, Kyoto, a few last sights to see in Tokyo, maybe another festival or two... We jokingly call this mad rush to see all the things we haven't made time for during our assignment "panic travel."

More importantly, I am pondering our school year and the focus for the year. I am asking myself: with which friends and in which activities do I want to spend our last months in Japan? What do these choices say about our family's priorities? And are these priorities in line with God's? Am I listening with an open heart for His will for us this year?

And there are latent worries: will John find a job that challenges him and provides opportunities for professional growth? will we be near to or far from our families? what about the friends we have made here? will we be able to see Patrick, Tommy, Tara, Anabel? our parents? our siblings? will the place be a place that fosters our spiritual growth and challenges us to move toward heaven? where, oh where on earth, will we be going? and will we be okay when we get there? and when we leave there?

This afternoon, a piece on Catholic Exchange caught at my heart. The author, Lauren Enk, a college student who spent her childhood moving frequently, meditated on the meaning of home and brought home to me another truth of our family's existence when she quoted both her mother:

“'Everything in life changes. Families grow up. Friends change and move on. The only thing in life that doesn’t change is God, and as long as He is in your heart, everything else will turn out okay.'”

and Servant of God John Randal Bradburne:

God’s love within you is your native land

So search none other, never more depart.

For you are homeless,

Save God keeps your heart.

We make a life in each new place with a house, a car, a job, new friends. But home is He whom we carry with us in our hearts.

A.M.D.G.

Look who's riding!

Matthew is "riding with pedals." This summer, he had become very frustrated by riding with training wheels. They don't work well on our gravel road, often embedding in the gravel, or preventing the regular wheels from touching the ground when he gets to a low spot or pothole. He cannot keep up with the older kids, and he feels left out when they fly out the back road without him.

Last month, my friend mentioned that she and her husband had removed the training wheels and pedals from their kids' bikes to create a homemade version of the balance bike. They were successful in increasing their boys' (ages 5 and 7) confidence enough that they have now learned to ride independently. So we talked it over with Matthew and decided to remove his training wheels, but not his pedals. At first, he was timid and didn't really believe he could ride without the training wheels. He tried on one day, then left the bike in the garage for most of July. No amount of encouragement could get him to try it again.

Until Saturday, when we went to a birthday party down the road, at which the kids were encouraged to bring their bikes. Since we were walking over, Matthew pushed himself along on his bike and discovered that he could push with his feet and balance and go much faster than on training wheels. Best of all, "Katie was right," he didn't get stuck in potholes. He was pleased and excited.

But it was a little hard on his calves. The pedals scraped them slightly, and he was talking about taking the pedals off, but as we walked along, I saw that he was balancing and coasting so well that he was very close to really riding. I told him so and encouraged him to give it a few more days of practice before we took them off.

After we got home from the party, he stayed outside and practiced balancing and coasting.

Sunday afternoon, he came running into the house yelling "Mommy!" at the top of his lungs. I ran out to the front hall expecting to see blood. Instead, I saw a triumphant Matthew who told me, " I am riding my bike. WITH PEDALS!!" He stayed outside for about 20 more minutes, then came in and said nonchalantly, "I haven't been doing much outside, Mommy: just riding my bike WITH PEDALS!"

Exultation!

Crystals

Joseph concocted grape flavored rock candy this month. The crystals are so beautiful, we haven't wanted to eat it yet.


It took awhile for them to form, but wow! he got a lot of crystals in the end. We can't wait until he's ready to share. ;)

Fuji info

I am collecting websites to refer to as we get ready for Fuji-san.

http://fujisan.yamakei.co.jp/en-success.html

Hiking...and fireworks: a busy Saturday

On the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, we hiked up Mount Odake, the highest peak in the Hakkoda Mountains. John and I are so proud of Matthew, who did the whole hike himself! And I am grateful to John, who carried Meghan in the backpack the entire way.


That's a 30-pound pack for 11k with a 1500 ft. elevation gain. My husband is a saint!

I wanted to do the hike to see if I could survive it and to get an idea of what climbing Mt. Fuji might be like in a few weeks. I survived, so I guess we're going to Fuji. Pray for me on August 3. ;)

The hike starts off from the parking area above Sukayu Onsen


in pine forest with lots of bamboo in the underbrush.

The terrain varies along the way from rocky forest


to sulfur-smelly ravine


to a freshwater spring (where we refilled our water bottles and enjoyed our lunch--wish I had taken a photo),

in the swampy meadow (what a relief to walk on the level boardwalk!)


Above the treeline, the trail is very steep, with rocks held in place by metal fencing, and the weather became even more foggy and windy as we neared the rocky summit.

Somebody left his jacket in the car. We didn't hear one complaint, though.

Shinto, one of Japan's two major religions, worships nature. Mountain tops are holy places, and there is always a shrine at the top.


On Odake-san, there are two. The tiny one, above, is at the summit. The larger one, below, was tucked in just below the summit, protected from the strong winds.

The usual offerings of yen coins, sake, and beer.

The only disappointing part of the hike was that it was so misty/foggy at the top of Odake-san that we couldn't see the caldera at all.


The wind was fierce, so we didn't stay at the top for long.

The kids fading off into the fog as they start down.

On the steep descent, the path crossed snow!


John was relieved to find man-made stairs that made his descent with Meghan more stable.

There were lots of man-made stairs,


and a restful downward stroll on boardwalk through much more of the marsh.




We stopped at an observation platform for a snack.


It was a challenging hike on a real mountain with rocks to scramble over,


narrow wood bridges to cross,


and some lovely flora along the way





not to mention the deliciously-scented Aomori pine forest.

At lower elevations, much of the trail was muddy, so we were grateful for the boardwalk!

We met only a few hikers along the way, which I know is different from Fuji. At times, especially as the afternoon drew on (we are slow hikers), we felt as if we were the only ones on the mountain.

Peaceful!

If there has ever been a time to sing the "Te Deum" it was when we reached the onsen again.


We were tired


and not a little bemused by the Japanese teens who appeared to be camping in the parking lot.


But we were not too tired to stop at Lake Towada on the way home for their summer festival. We enjoyed some festival food: yakitori, corn dogs, and potato balls (with no fish in the middle-yay!). We found that we were very hungry for some reason.

We heartily enjoyed the Towada-ko fireworks display, especially because bad weather cancelled Misawa's fireworks on the July 4th weekend.


While we waited for the post-fireworks traffic to dissipate, we enjoyed some delicious, Japanese soft serve.

Matthew remarked today that Saturday night was the first time he can remember actually wanting to go to bed and sleep.

Sharing

a lovely post suggesting favorite children's books from a blog my brother Dan pointed me to. It is written by the mother of one of his students. So now we know one reason why she got to be one of his students. Nice. :) And I love the blog.

http://ourmothersdaughters.blogspot.com/2011/07/dear-auntie-leila-are-fairy-tales.html

Doing nothing

Here are a few photos of today's unstructured time activities. I love it when the children find (independently) fun and interesting things to do in their unstructured time. It is why I never mind having a summer break (more about what we do during summer break later).

Katie has been upstairs reading Jane Austen's Emma all afternoon. :)

After Matthew read to me today, I read this story to him and Meghan.


The main reason I bought this book was that it had directions for making 5-pointed stars in the back. I remember reading a biography of Betsy Ross as a grade-schooler and wanting so much to make those stars, but having no idea how to go about it. Matthew was equally excited when he saw the directions. Then he discovered it was easy to do. Even Meghan could help--just one line to cut.



Between them, they made 13 stars, which Matthew was inspired to glue onto blue construction paper.


Which grew into a full Betsy Ross flag.



From there, he dug out the "Flags of the World" placemat and went on a flag-making adventure. There are at least a dozen construction-paper flags hanging around his doorway this evening. He says, "We have a STATE room now." :)


Meghan used Matthew's busy time to dress her dolly in peace. She quietly brought her to me at one point with a cloth belt that she wanted me to tie around the dolly's head. She's already got the big head-bow fashion down.

Joseph took out his wooden boat project again today to finish the sail.



He designed and constructed the boat almost all by himself after we got back from the voluntary departure in the spring. When the early rains came, he sailed it in "Liberty Creek," the stream that pours out of the downspout on the corner of our back porch. He had cut and hand-stitched the sail, then lost steam on the project. The sewing was a lot of work!


But today, he was back at it and made great progress. He is pondering the problem of how to attach the mast to the boat now. I have no doubt that he will come up with a solution and have the boat sailing before the autumn rains begin.


Afterwards, they all went outside, drank lemonade, and played some sort of invented lawn tennis game with our Japanese neighbor's grandson. Happy days.