Spreading Wings

I recently made the decision to stop doing graphic design for a while. I love to design but the more I homeschool classically the more it is on my heart to learn as much as I can. I've always loved to learn and would often play school as a child. Here is a list of things that I want to do personally (to spread my wings) and a few goals I've set for myself.

Current endeavors:

1. Classically educate myself through reading the Great Books. I am currently doing this with other women who wish to do the same at the Great Books Reading Partnership.

2. Learn and embrace logical thinking. I have found that this is imperative for self-learning and critiquing what I read. Both Mortimer Adler in How to Read A Book and Susan W. Bauer in The Well-Educated Mind point out that to truly understand what you read you must be able to understand the author's arguments and premises of these arguments. Well, neither Bauer or Adler will get any agrument from me! I'm currently reading Nonsense, A Handbook of Logical Fallacies by Robert Gula and then I will read Anthony Weston's, The Rulebook for Arguments and if I get very brave I will then try to tackle Socratic Logic which is a study of formal logic. The embracing part is going to be the challenge, reading about something is a lot different than applying it!

3. Giving back to the homeschool community. Reviewing homeschooling products or aiding in the development of homeschool curriculums is a newfound honor and joy of mine. I also want to continue with the Classical Homeschooling Forum (or hit Aristotle) in providing information, encouragement and support to fellow classical homeschoolers.

Endeavors to be:

1. I want to learn about my beliefs. This encompasses: bible, doctrine, creation/evolution, philosophy and theology. This will be done in part as I read the Great Books but I will be doing other reading that falls in line with my prior post about young earth vs. old earth. I don't want to just "feel" that I believe something, I want to know why I believe something and how I came to believe it and understand what I don't believe as well. I feel this will aid me in witnessing to others, as I become more solidly founded in my faith this itself will be a witness to others.


2. Learn Latin and hopefully one modern language before my children do.
I realize how beneficial it would be to have a fluent influence in their lives and I don't know anyone else that speaks Latin! I haven't been able to devote the time necessary to study my book English Grammar for Students of Latin because I tried Wheelock's Latin and it was too hard. I don't even know what a declension is!

3. Be a better (fill in the blank.) This is actually a "current" endeavor and should be listed as a "current and forevermore" endeavor but I want to be a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, disciple of Christ, and friend.

None of this is easy, none of this is doable at once. I've recently found the time that it takes to do graphic design takes away from any serious reading I wish to do. I was not like this prior to homeschooling, I was reading Karen Kingsbury novels and learning to crochet and baking goodies every week. I'm still trying to find a balance between being a home-making, creative Mamma and homeschooling, self-educating Mamma.

How are you spreading your wings? How would you like to?