Medicin, gueris-toi toi-meme

As we were considering our curriculum choices for next year, I tried to get Chase excited at the prospect of learning French. He seems generally interested in words and languages, so I don't think that he'll put up too much of a fight. It will fit nicely alongside our Latin and Greek curriculum.

During our conversation, the thought occurred to me that I should continue to study languages as well. I've learned Latin and Greek with Chase for the last couple of years (though I do need to practice my Greek writing more) and I remember a bit of the French that I studied so many years ago through high school and college, but I need something more. That's where the title of this post comes in: Medicin, gueris-toi, toi-meme. That's roughly the French equivalent of "practice what you preach" (and oddly enough, Jesus' words in Luke 4:23). If I'm going to expect Chase to work hard at languages, I should expect the same from myself.

So I've begun reading a small French novel called Une Vie by Guy de Maupassant. I've only read two pages thus far. It takes me a while because my brain has had to relearn French literary syntax and because I need to stop and look up so many words in the dictionary! It's been fun though. I'm sure that I'll be dreaming in French soon.

I made a little green journal for my word lists and revelations. I feel very 'green' with my handmade, recycled-paper notebook. I'm planning to read each page out loud to Chase as I go along so he can get an 'ear' for the language. I'm so glad that God gave me a child that loves words as much as I do, and the opportunity to stay home and enjoy them together.