Monday, December 31, 2007

4 Temperaments

So... which personality are you?


I was so excited to read Ginger's Post on the Four Temperaments which included this link with a personality test. I've enjoyed reading about the Four Temperaments from mostly Catholic books and I've been meaning to see what the Internet had to offer on the topic. Ginger headed me in the right direction. Knowledge of the Four Temperaments has influenced my outlook on life and relationships. Even the children can be heard saying "My friend _____ is really Choleric like August (big brother)" And August, who has been really into taxonomy lately, has been making up Latin names for each family member often bringing some version of our temperaments into the name. It's quite comical and such a classic homeschool geek thing to do. I love it.
So what's your temperament? You might be able to tell just from the comic above. Actually I think this is a personal question. Which might make my temperament be a dead giveaway.

Edited to add: Hmm....I can't figure out how to shrink the comic to fit so I'll have to just give you the link which also gives my test results.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Christmas Eve Eve



Here's a quick photo from Christmas Eve Eve (Sunday). We had an early celebration hosted by my mom. This is no small endeavor considering the size of our growing family. She even took into consideration the various dietary preferences we have. There was plenty for the vegans, the vegetarians and the Liberian carnivores. A very nice afternoon indeed. Thanks mom!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Christmas Story in Liberian English

Leon and Aliou have been home for 6 months now and they are still hard to understand at times. Someone told Michael while he was traveling in Liberia to enjoy their accents because they would be gone in 6 months. Not so. I think people outside the family can still barely understand them. If you ever wondered what Liberian English is like here is a fun, familiar way to get glimpse at it:


"Every Man Heart Lay Down"

Long time past - before your father live - before his father live
Before his father's father live - long time past
Before them big tree live - before them big tree's father live
That time God live.

And God look on the world - that He done make
And Him heart no lay down.
And He walk about in the town to see the people.
And He sit down in the palaver house to know the people.
And He sorry too much.
And God say "The people no hear My Word.
The people no walk My way. Nev mind.
All I can do is make a new country - and make new people."
And this time God's one small boy - Him small child
Hear God's Word, And the child grieve for people and for His Pa.
So he go for God's face and make talk for His Pa.
"Pa, I come for beg you," so He say,
"I come for beg you; Don't make the new world.
Don't lose the people what you done care for. I beg you.
Make it I go, I talk to people. I walk with people. Bye-m-bye
They savvy the way."

And the child go down softly softly and hold God's foot. (i.e.
begged Him)
So God look on Him small boy. And Him heart be very soft. And God
say,
Left me now, but hear me good; If you go you must be born like a man
You must live like a man - and you must have hurt and have hunger.
And hear me good; men will hate you and they will flog you, and
Bye-m-bye they will kill you, and I no going put my hand there."
(i.e. interfere)
And the Child say, "I agree."
And bye-m-bye God call Mary to be Ma for the child.
Now Mary be new wife for Joseph and Joseph ain't touch Mary self.
So first time Joseph vex. But God say, 'Nev min', Joseph; this be
God palaver.
And Joseph heart lay down.

And God see one king who try for do good for all him people.
"Ahah, now I send my Son for be new king."
And God send star to call the king.
And in a far country, God hear a wise man call his name.
And God say to the wise man, "I send my Son to be new wise man;
Go now with the star." And the star call. And the wise men follow.

And by the waterside - men lay down to take rest.
And they hear fine music in the sky like all the stars make song,
And they fear. And all the dark make bright like day.
And the water shine like fire. And no man can savvy.
And they hearts turn over. But God's angel come,
And God's angel say, "Make glad, all people,
God's child be born in Bethlehem."
And the star come low and stop. But when they go for mansion house
The star no be there. And when they go for big man's house,
The star no be there. And bye-m-bye when they go for hotel,
The star no be there gain - "Ahah, the star be by the small house
Where cattle sleep! " And it was so.

And they found Joseph and Mary and the small child fold up in
country cloth.
And the king bring gold for gift
And the wise man bring fine oil
And the country people bring new rice.
And they look on the God child
And every man heart lay down.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Blogging grandmother

Good thing my children have a blogging grandmother otherwise they might not ever have their birthday blogged in a timely manner. Don't miss Mary Autumn's entry. I'm still back in November hoping to post pictures from Leon and Aliou's baptism and our beautiful Thanksgiving dinner in Yosemite.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving after Mass with Dearma. Heading out for a Thanksgiving feast in Yosemite!

Friday, October 19, 2007

Baptism planned!


On November 11 we will walk up these steps to bring Leon and Aliou to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. We never intended to wait so long. All of our infants have been baptized within 3 weeks of birth. That's how we prefer to do it. But with the early summer Mass schedule and our Priest undergoing cancer treatments (please pray for his full recovery!) it just kept getting pushed out further. It's been interesting having the time to talk with them about baptism. Leon, especially, talks about it and desires it.

For those of you who are not local, this is the same little church where Michael and I were married 14 years ago and where all of the children have been baptized. It is the same church that participated in a bake sale fundraiser to help bring Leon and Aliou home. With their help the sales and donations totaled over $2200!

Please join us in praying for them on their big day.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Name Change

I've just changed the name of our little blog. It took me a little while to think of something meaningful. This quote from Elizabeth Foss explains what I mean by "The Overflow."

"Serendipity represents what we are actually doing in the heart of my home. It's blogging from the overflow, the afterglow. It is a record of our learning but it is not nor will it ever be anything but the bubbling over of the good that exists in my real life with my real children. I won't rob from them to blog for someone else. I will, however, gratefully share from abundance."

Many, many times I have found my feelings and aspirations in Elizabeth's words before I was able to put them into words myself. She has been an unknowing e-mentor and inspiration. I can't wait to hear her talks from this summer's conference!

Contrast

I was inspired by a lively discussion about Waldorf inspired, Catholic home education on my favorite forum when some one sent me this video. A marvelous contrast. It also served as a good examination of conscience. How many of these things have I found myself saying and do I want to continue saying them?

Also being a serious type, I was delighted to find something that made me laugh until I cried. Anything that makes me laugh like that is worth holding on to for for future use. Here is a book that had the same effect.

A dying breed

I read in a recent National Geographic Magazine that red heads will be just about extinct by the year 2100. Normally it takes a red headed couple to pass on the gene according to the article. That wasn't the case with our resident red head above and his brother. Their hair showed up out of no where. I'm especially fond of this red head. He came with brownish red eyes as well and he can even get a tan! I'll bet THIS type of red head is even more rare.

One of my favorite replies when some one asks about the number of children we have is that we are "trying for a red head." But according National Geographic our chances are slim and the chance of it turning up in grandchildren is even slimmer.

Now hopefully my darling wont make me remove the picture above. He really doesn't own anything pink and had just thrown on his mother's sweater on a cool evening at the cabin. It was the best picture of his hair I could find to go with my newfound knowledge.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

The article


The local newspaper interviewed us in August. We finally saw the story published today. Take a peek.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

I did it.

I finally started a family blog. I've resisted for over a year and a half because I just don't want to have another reason to be on the computer. But notice I'm calling this the Tippett Family NOTES? That means I'm going to be brief and just share something fun now and then. Maybe a prayer request, maybe let my older children try their hand at blogging here......things like that. Also I wanted a place to collect links to my favorite places and thought I might as well make them available to you as well. So here I am the reluctant blogger.

I love blogs that are full of pictures so I'll be including a lot of those. Above you see Michael and I with Mary Autumn at the lake - spring 2007. Anna Mae, age 10, is turning out to be the family photographer so I'll ask her to contribute something more recent soon.