How did we get where we are today . . .
15 years ago when I was single God planted a seed in my heart to Home School. Five years after he planted that seed I meet and married my husband. My husband had a son (Reece) from his first marriage who can to live with us right when we got married. We both worked in retail and could arrange our schedules so that someone could be home with him when he got home from school. Reece was in the 3rd grade when we got married. After we had out Scottlyn together I started to stay home. Working in retail you only get one weekend off a month. Back then my husband's days off were during the week and he worked most all weekends. His son would say to me that his father was never home when he was out of school. Or he would say that ya'll (his father and I) always go and do things when he was in school. This broke both of our hearts. We then started talking about homeschooling. Also during this time this was when the school shooting had started.
We were involved with Reece at our his school and did not like at all what we saw. This was where the seed God planted started to grow. A year after Shalyn came along I started to teach at www.timothyministy.org . Scottlyn would take pre-school classes/ ballet & tap when I was teaching. Plus I was able to bring in some income. I also got plugged into a support group and went every month to the mom's night out. This was where I started doing on hands research. The meting were in a different home each month. I was ask to see where they did school, what books they used and what kind of advice they would they give me s I stated off. I learned so much and was so blessed by each one of them.
We live in a very BIG homeschool area, here is a link to just some of the thing with in a 25 mile area of us: http://www.northgeorgiahomeschooler.com/ There is so much to do around here that you would never have to stay at home. This can be a double edge sword at times. We only have ever done Timothy Ministry on Tuesday. One of the main reasons is that the girls dance is at this time.
Each year I learn something as we grow. At first it was, I needed to learn how to have a consistent daily time with God. If I didn't do this it would effect my teaching. I ended up being on a short fuse with my family. Then I learned and are still are learning how to be that example that my girls need to see in their mother. One that is a help meet to their father, one who fears the Lord and is faithful to Him. To be able to show them a model of what a family is. (Both good and bad). But one that has Christ as it's center.
Here is some trivia about us that not a lot of people know: Last year Wife Swap had contact us about being on their show. We didn't get on (I think it was because we are to boring). But during the video tapping process I learned how passionate my husband was about us home schooling. I have always had his support in this. But something about the questions they had us answered opened my eyes and ears to hear his heart about what we were doing. It was a blessing!
As we are ask from friends and mostly family "How long are you going to homeschool?" We always say the same answered "Until the Lord tells us to stop." I am starting to do some research into Home Schooling the High School years. It's a few years away. I do want to be repaired for that adventure.
I pray that you found this encouraging and useful.
15 years ago when I was single God planted a seed in my heart to Home School. Five years after he planted that seed I meet and married my husband. My husband had a son (Reece) from his first marriage who can to live with us right when we got married. We both worked in retail and could arrange our schedules so that someone could be home with him when he got home from school. Reece was in the 3rd grade when we got married. After we had out Scottlyn together I started to stay home. Working in retail you only get one weekend off a month. Back then my husband's days off were during the week and he worked most all weekends. His son would say to me that his father was never home when he was out of school. Or he would say that ya'll (his father and I) always go and do things when he was in school. This broke both of our hearts. We then started talking about homeschooling. Also during this time this was when the school shooting had started.
We were involved with Reece at our his school and did not like at all what we saw. This was where the seed God planted started to grow. A year after Shalyn came along I started to teach at www.timothyministy.org . Scottlyn would take pre-school classes/ ballet & tap when I was teaching. Plus I was able to bring in some income. I also got plugged into a support group and went every month to the mom's night out. This was where I started doing on hands research. The meting were in a different home each month. I was ask to see where they did school, what books they used and what kind of advice they would they give me s I stated off. I learned so much and was so blessed by each one of them.
We live in a very BIG homeschool area, here is a link to just some of the thing with in a 25 mile area of us: http://www.northgeorgiahomeschooler.com/ There is so much to do around here that you would never have to stay at home. This can be a double edge sword at times. We only have ever done Timothy Ministry on Tuesday. One of the main reasons is that the girls dance is at this time.
Each year I learn something as we grow. At first it was, I needed to learn how to have a consistent daily time with God. If I didn't do this it would effect my teaching. I ended up being on a short fuse with my family. Then I learned and are still are learning how to be that example that my girls need to see in their mother. One that is a help meet to their father, one who fears the Lord and is faithful to Him. To be able to show them a model of what a family is. (Both good and bad). But one that has Christ as it's center.
Here is some trivia about us that not a lot of people know: Last year Wife Swap had contact us about being on their show. We didn't get on (I think it was because we are to boring). But during the video tapping process I learned how passionate my husband was about us home schooling. I have always had his support in this. But something about the questions they had us answered opened my eyes and ears to hear his heart about what we were doing. It was a blessing!
As we are ask from friends and mostly family "How long are you going to homeschool?" We always say the same answered "Until the Lord tells us to stop." I am starting to do some research into Home Schooling the High School years. It's a few years away. I do want to be repaired for that adventure.
I pray that you found this encouraging and useful.
4 comments:
Trina,
This blog was such a blessing to read. God had sent me a message, via you, that I need to put HIM first daily. If I don't it effects my relationships with my kids, husband, annoying phone calls, etc.
Thank you, Lord for allowing Trina to be in my life. Amen.
We always get the question - Are you going to homeschool in high school? Seems to amaze a lot of people that you could even do it. My answer too is, Yes! Unless God tells me otherwise. One thing I've learned is that we too grow during the schooling process, and our children get more independent in their learning as they get older, so high school is not that scary any more. We too have a huge homeschooling community and there are so many opportunities and help around.
Oh, thank you for sharing your homeschool story - that was beautiful! May the Lord bless you and you press on! That was really interesting about the Wife Swap thing. I highly recommend the book: Senior High: A Home-Designed Form+U+La by Barbara Edtl Shelton for your high school planning. You can find them at:
http://www.homeschooloasis.com/reader_comments_formula.htm
It is a very fun & practical book on planning and turning everyday intersts into transcriptable credits.
Thank you too for the very kind and encouraging words! Two devotional books that our daughters really LOVED were:
Devotions for Girls: God and Me! (Ages 6-9)by Diana Cory and the other one with the same title, but Ages 10-12 by Linda Washington and Jeanette Dall. Both by Legacy Press. We found these two or three years ago at a Twin Cities Christian bookstore chain. They are colorful spiral bound books in the kid's devotional section. They are long done with them now and have just been reading through the Bible ever since without separate devotional books. Then together we are finishing up reading through the Narrated Bible in Chronological Order. I read the day's section and we discuss as we go. We also sing hymns, pray, and do a little missions study - picking a different country each week. Other things we use or have used in the past that we like are the BJU Bible curriculum; the Grapevine Studies at: http://www.grapevinestudies.com/
and I don't know if you have a family devotion time or not - this would work great for school too, but I highly recommed Titus 2's two audio CD set of "Feed My Sheep" by Steve Maxwell. The first cd talks about the importance of family Bible time and the second cd actually is an audio of their family doing 2 or 3 devotional times - it is so simple but oh soooooo good. You can find it here:
http://www.titus2.com/ecommerce/products/prod_listing.php/2000
Okay, that's probably way more than you wanted. LOL
Have a Good Day!!!
Blessings
Oh I love your post. It is so encourageing to read other homeschool adventure stories. This is my first year and we have decided to continue on---right now is the time my family is bombarding me with all the negativity toned questions. I am so blessed to have such a head strong and suppportive husband. We have seen such a blessing from this and we know we are doing the righ things.
It is nice to see we are not alone!
God Bless
Post a Comment