heartofdakota.com

I don't normally spend much time writing on forums, but I have felt compelled to write down the reasons I use HOD because I am so very thankful for the blessing it has been in our lives. The blessing increases year by year as the kids get older. I want to share these reasons in case it can help anyone else who is wondering what to use. I hope these reasons help to give some clarity. I would hate for anyone to miss out on using Heart of Dakota! I can't imagine homeschooling without it!

I do not say this lightly. I truly believe that God has gifted Carrie in a very special way for such a time as this. The more I think about it, the more I am so very thankful that she has followed God's calling and sacrificed so much to do this for us. She has done for us what many of us have longed for our children's education, but lack the time, the skills, the knowledge, to do it. I feel blessed beyond words that I have the privilege of teaching my children this way. Especially as I perused the book choices for the Geography year today, I was completely humbled. I believe this year of study could be truly life-changing for my daughter. The books are incredible. But, she won't just be reading the books. She will be interacting with them. They will become personal to her. They will become part of her life story. I believe this year will give her a heart for the world and God's people beyond anything that I could have imagined. She already has that burning in her and this year will totally flesh that out. Honestly, as I was looking through the books, I wondered how many of us will have Carrie to blame when our children grow up to leave us and become missionaries! Totally kidding, as that would be an amazing blessing, but in all truthfulness, I'm not sure how anyone could do this year of studies and not be challenged to at least consider the mission field!

As we all know, Carrie has made herself accessible to those on this board in a way that I have not seen other author's do. She takes the time to answer questions in great detail and with much thought. It is obvious that she truly cares about our kids and wants what is best for each one of them individually. That means so much to me! In fact, it was advice from Carrie that totally changed the course I had in mind for our oldest - and I'm so thankful as I KNOW it is the right thing for her.

Carrie loves the Lord and is doing all of this in order to help our kids know Him better, be rooted and grounded in their faith, and to develop a Christian worldview. She continues to write the high school guides to make it not only possible, but enjoyable, and dare I say, easy, to teach our kids in high school. So many people quit homeschooling in high school because it is too overwhelming and scary, and I know it is her vision to help us keep going and to make it doable for us. I know many will continue because of the high school guides! What a gift she is!

Best.. Post.. EVER.

Where's the "like" button?! No wait, where's the "LOVE" button?! YES, completely agree. What she said!!!

We have not been with HOD for long, but I think this is the best thing about it, too. It has been such a blessing to read Carrie's answers to questions and gain insight into the why behind this curriculum. I appreciate Julie and her insights, too!

These posts have been an encouragement as we anticipate switching another child over to HOD next year, Tiffini. Thanks for taking the time to write them!

I couldn't have said it better! We have been so blessed! -Stacey

I am so very thankful too

What more can I say. I want to add my gratitude. Carrie puts her heart and soul into these guides, as does her family, both immediate and extended. It is with joy I educate my children now, not with dread. Joy knowing that they will be prepared to move into the world with their faith secure, and the academics solid. Thank you God for Carrie, Mike, their boys, Julie and her family, they truly are blessing others with their gifts and time. Bless you all.

You are so right, Michelle! The rest of the family is so important, too! Julie is just a special person. So kind and helpful and so wise in encouraging and advising all of us. I have loved my time talking with her at the convention. She is the real deal!
And Mike is just great in so many ways. He offers everyone such excellent customer service and is a huge part of the reason that Carrie is able to write in the way she does. If we ever have any need for customer service at all, he is on it so fast! And he is so knowledgeable of the whole curriculum as well. And I know their son, Cole, runs the warehouse and does a fabulous job. I hope he realizes all the people he is blessing by his service - and what a gift it is to get that kind of experience at his age, too! What a special family!

Tiffini wrote:I absolutely am so thankful for all of Carrie's family as well! Julie is just a special person. So kind and helpful and so wise in encouraging and advising all of us. I have loved my time talking with her at the convention. She is the real deal!
And Mike is just great in so many ways. He offers everyone such excellent customer service and is a huge part of the reason that Carrie is able to write in the way she does. He is a blessing to me and my husband when we are able to talk with him as well. If we ever have any need for customer service at all, he is on it so fast! And I know their son, Cole, runs the warehouse and does a fabulous job. I hope he realizes all the people he is blessing by his service - and what a gift it is to get that kind of experience at his age, too! What a special family!

Totally agreed!!

AMEN again!!! I would have burned out long ago if it weren't for HOD!

So very true! Thank you Carrie, you are truly blessed with a wonderful gift! God's blessings to you and your family!

God uses Carrie and Julie every year when I talk to them at homeschool convention. I always come home encouraged and believing I can keep doing this. Their willingness to help me think through things and how to adapt things makes such a difference in our homeschooling journey.

I just found this post! I totally agree with what the OP had to say. I am so so grateful and can't imagine what I would be doing right now without HOD. I know it's such a sacrifice for her to write all of these guides and spend the time on the board helping us. Whenever I start thinking that I don't have time for the teaching or other things, I think about Carrie WRITING the guides AND homeschooling her children--amongst everything else to be done as a wife and mother and sister and daughter, etc.

Thank you Carrie!