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Hi ladies!!
Well, I attended the convention in Cincinnati this weekend. I talked with Mike Thursday and purchased CTC!! Yay! I'm a HOD newbie. I spent the next 2 days looking and buying all sorts of things. On Saturday, right before the convention ended, I popped back over to HOD to ask a science question. Carrie answered a few questions for me and we got to talking about my 4 1/2 year old. She explained how Little Hearts worked and showed me some examples. She was randomly showing me a lesson where the child is learning a bible verse. You toss a tissue into the air and the child says the verse as fast as she can before it lands. To preface what I tell you next, I will say that I attended some wonderful seminars this weekend while there. They were very challenging and really pointed me back to the relationship with my children, not just academics. So I was a bit "fragile." After Carrie gave me the tissue example, I teared up, throat closed and thought I was going to completely lose it. I realized how rare it is for me to come down to my 4 year old's level and do precious things like that with Her. Instead, she sits there bored and going cross eyed listening to books like Johnny Tremain which is light years away from what she would enjoy. My heart was so softened by this brief conversation with Carrie. As you might guess, I purchased Little Hearts and made a mad dash back to Rainbow Resource and Abeka to return the items I had bought for my little one. I left Cincinnati soaring inside and so excited about starting HOD in the fall. You ladies will have to help me along. I'm kind of clueless as to how to get ready for CTC. But I'm ready!!!
Thanks HOD!
Poppy

God bless you, Poppy!

I'll be a newbie to HOD, too, next school year Your story was so touching and inspirational, really. I had one of those "teary eyed" moments about 2 years ago when I made the vow then and there to be intentional with my children--intentionally present, intentionally honoring who they are, and intentionally having fun. It changed our relationships dramatically! We are now so very close, and they have no doubts how precious they are to me.

I'm excited for you, Poppy, and your enthusiasm is contagious! Thank you for sharing! Please continue to share your experiences when you do start...I'd love to hear about them

I am so excited for you! I was probably very similar to you when my oldest was younger. I really pushed stuff that she wasn't ready for too. What I found was that it gained me nothing! I have had quite a few curriculum changes and found HOD last year. After finding them, I have never looked back and quit looking around entirely! Everyone of my kids grows and learns at their pace. They grow and learn in things that are age appropriate. And they also have tons of fun. I can't believe all the things my oldest has learned already, really learned, and how much fun she had learning it. I do hope you love CTC and Little Hearts. I am doing Little Hearts and CTC this year (along with Bigger) and it has been a fabulous year. Praying your next year is great too.

PS - I attended the Cincinnati convention too. It was WONDERFUL! I really don't go for the vendor hall - although I did by a few extras - but go for the sessions. It is always refreshing and am glad I went.

Thanks everyone!