The Inside of Life

In Necessariis Unitas, In Dubiis Libertas, In Omnibus Caritas
Author UnknowN

Translation: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity”. It sounds so intelligent in Latin, doesn’t it? This phrase has been attributed to several authors, among them St. Augustine. Illustrious leaders, such as a Pope and a U.S. President, have used this principle to guide their missions. We first learned it at a friend’s wedding, during the father of the bride’s speech. As soon as we heard it, my husband and I looked at each other like two lit up light bulbs. Since then it has become one of the guiding principles in our marriage.

How do I understand this phrase? I have no doubt that minds greater than mine have written profoundly on the topic, but here is my humble take as it applies to marriage.

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Education, Kids, Self-care

Attend a Homeschooling Conference!

April 16, 2019November 6, 2019 Melissa AtLee

My friend Nicole and I finally got to meet the amazing Andrew Pudewa. #fangirls.

“The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only – and that is to support the ultimate career.” C.S. Lewis

This quote by the great C.S. Lewis was on the welcome page of the program guide at the Great Homeschool Convention event in Texas last month. As soon as I read it, I knew I was in the right place. I see my role as a homeschooling mom as my calling, my vocation, and my profession. I’m often asked by strangers if I’m “qualified” to teach my children. Since I don’t have a teaching degree, this question used to fluster me and leave me feeling, well, unqualified. But after years of reflection, I can confidently assert that I’m qualified. Like a true professional, I’m dedicating thousands of hours to master my trade. I actively engage with veteran homeschooling moms, curriculum creators, and experienced teachers. Undoubtedly, however, one of the best ways in which I invest in my professional development is by attending homeschooling conferences.

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Education, Family, Kids, My favorite things, Uncategorized

My Favorite Things – Family Time, a trip to the Moon, Read, Read, Read and much more

April 5, 2019April 29, 2019 Melissa AtLee

Greetings! March has been a great month, not only because spring has finally arrived (only in name, perhaps, but I live in hope!), but also because many of our winter classes have come to a glorious end. This means that we have freed up some of our evenings and weekends to spend together as a family, playing board games and going on hikes. Ok, so we’ve only done one hike so far – that’s a picture of my hubby and daughter enjoying precious bonding time at Pefferlaw Creek Farms. But now that the weather is warming up (it WILL happen), we look forward to many more family hikes.

Here’s what I’ve been loving this past month:

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Education, Kids

Graphic Novels for a Reluctant Reader (Boy)

April 3, 2019May 9, 2019 Melissa AtLee

We are a family of bibliophiles. My and my husband’s night tables are toppling over with piles and piles of books. We are currently building bookshelves in our living room and kitchen to store and display the ever growing collection of books in our care.

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Marriage, Uncategorized

Marriage Saver #2: The Love Languages

March 25, 2019March 26, 2019 Melissa AtLee

This post contains affiliate links.

Have you heard about the Love Languages? Dr. Gary Chapman crystallized the concept in his iconic book The Five Love Languages . Seriously, every couple should own this book. It holds very important truths about how to love our spouses. My only regret is that it took us 10 years of marriage to find out about it!

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Marriage

Marriage saver #1: Walks with your spouse

March 18, 2019October 26, 2019 Melissa AtLee

If there is one thing I have learned in 15 years of marriage, it is the importance of continuing to date your husband. As kids, careers, housework and all that jazz come into the picture, dating each other becomes something that must be prioritized, planned with intention, and treated as a non-negotiable.

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My favorite things, Uncategorized

My Favorite Things – a Ceili, Homeschooling news, Seth Godin and more

March 17, 2019April 29, 2019 Melissa AtLee

Spring is in the air. Spring is in the air. Spring is in the air. If I say it enough times it shall be true. Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

This post contains affiliate links.

One thing that I love about living in Canada is how crazy the weather gets. You can truly experience all 4 seasons in one month. I kid you not, this past February we have experienced antarctic temperatures, ice storms, snow storms, freezing rain, thunderstorms, and a few days of balmy spring weather. While in many places talking about the weather constitutes inane small talk, here it is the one topic which joins us crazy Canadians in solidarity. We shall survive! While we anxiously await the arrival of spring, I invite you to go through my fave stuff of the month.

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Marriage, Uncategorized

Introducing a new series: Marriage Savers

March 13, 2019March 17, 2019 Melissa AtLee

I love marriage. I love it on a personal level and as a societal institution. I wholeheartedly believe that happy, strong marriages are the foundation for a happy, strong society. It is through marriage that most of us are meant to find love, fulfillment and personal growth.

I also know that a great marriage, the one you really really want to have, takes hard work and dedication. A great marriage doesn’t just happen because a nice girl falls in love with a nice boy and they decide to embark on the ultimate journey together. It’s a great start, but it’s only the beginning. Then life happens, with all of its exciting and boring and in-between ups and downs. There are new jobs. Jobs lost. Money problems. New baby. Sleepless nights. Sickness. Relocations. Irrational toddlers. In-laws (or outlaws). Hormonal teenagers. New wrinkles and love handles. And that’s just the normal stuff.

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Kids, Uncategorized

Happy 12th birthday!

March 2, 2019March 19, 2019 Melissa AtLee

Can this precious little one really be 12 today?

Today is a very special day – my firstborn son turns 12. The cliche is so true – time goes by fast. On this special occasion I find myself reminiscing back to that moment when I found out I was pregnant. We had struggled with infertility for 3.5 years, which is not a long time but long enough. I remember bursting into tears as soon as I saw that blue line appear. Then I fell to my knees, thanking God for giving me the miracle of new life.

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Education, Kids, Uncategorized

10 Things I Hate about Homeschooling

February 23, 2019March 17, 2019 Melissa AtLee

Ok, maybe “hate” is too strong a verb. It’s more like “10 things I struggle with and would like to get better at”, but it’s not quite as catchy. The simple truth is, for all the amazing things that homeschooling brings to the table, it’s super hard. I have wanted to quit so many times that it’s become a bit of a (tiresome) joke for my husband. Some seasons I feel like it’s nothing but struggles. Struggling to get the kids going in the morning. To get them to start their school work. To focus on their schoolwork. To stop picking fights. To get their feet off the table and their fingers out of their noses. All the while, the dirty dishes are piling up, the fridge is empty and I don’t remember the last time I exercised.

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