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Julie or Carrrie,

I am wondering if you ladies have the coming year of homeschool conventions/curriculum fair's planned out? If so, will you be coming to Texas and if yes, when? Since I live in Mexico I need to plan pretty far in advance to get plane tickets etc. and I am also trying to coordinate with a couple of girlfriends to meet me there. Just wondering if you knew your plans yet? I think you were in Arlington TX this year? That would work out GREAT if ya'll did that again. Or even better, come to Mexico! Thanks for all your hard work!

Hi Amey! I am 99% sure we will be in Arlington again this year, so that would be wonderful to see you there. Thanks so much for asking! Carrie and Mike are in the process right now of applying for conventions, and they've been in prayer contemplating where to go based on funds, times, locations, Mike's job, their own schedule for homeschooling, and probably too many other things I can't even think of. Oh how they wish we could be everywhere that all of you are - you are the support system of HOD, and if it were possible, we'd travel the world meeting all of you and attending lots of conventions! Now wouldn't that be fun?!? But alas, there are our own dc to homeschool now too, so perhaps that will be for another season in life. I know Mike and Carrie will probably be putting up their schedule for conventions after they've received confirmations from each location. Thanks, Amey!

In Christ,
Julie

Amey!

I went to Arlington last year for the first time. I usually go to The Woodlands. It was total divine intervention and God's prompting that led me to go to Arlington, because I would not be using HOD if I had not. The speakers and workshops were phenomenal. I learned so much .....

I hope to go next May 2009 so can you wear one of those signs the drivers do at the airport: "HODie here" so I can identify you ??!!

Funny story about Arlington this year:
I was familiar with DITHR [Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Picks !!! and I am a book lover] and had seen some advertisements in some magazines. But other than that, did not know much about the rest of the HOD guides. I knew I wanted to hit the HOD table before the conference was over, but it was so gigantic and I went to lots of speakers so my time was easily eaten up. I walked up to the HOD table and it was literally one hour from the entire convention being over for the whole weekend. This lovely and gracious enthusiastic woman greets me warmly and with a big smile. So I ask the greeter to please "tell me all about it". [did i mention my feet were killing me by this time!] She gives me a wonderful and professional genuine presentation. At the end I said, "wow, this sounds good for my boys, you must have used this for a long time, you seem really familiar with it. So I guess you really like it a lot." And she looked at me with a sort of puzzled look and I think for a moment was at a loss for words. Then she looks at her badge with her name on it in big letters and then holds up the cover of one of the guides and says very humbly something like, "Well, I am Carrie and I wrote them! And I have all boys, too" I cannot tell you how silly I felt and we had a good laugh together. I was sold ! I did not actually place an order until three months later and it was a decision I had been working on heavily for two years [you know, research until you are blue in the face and paralyzed with indecision...]. I kind of had narrowed it down to SL and MFW and I new I liked R&S and CLP, but in the end HOD had our family written all over it [I like Charlotte Mason, Biblical worldview/pricipled, living/real books, creativity, fun, easy, classical christian flavors and LHFHG seemed to sort of satisfy those for me and for a five year old]

I sure hope HOD will consider coming to The Woodlands/Houston. I would think very few of the people that go to Arlington also go to The Woodlands/Houston. It is always in mid-August. Maybe you could have some of us man the table while you run to the bathroom or eat. Let's spread HOD all over TEXAS

well, i for one, and i know 2 other moms from here in central il that are on the board would love it if you came somewhere in Il. i have no problem helping at the booth or doing any and all odd jobs that would help you girlies out if only it would mean getting to meet you. im so inspired by hod and all it encompasses and would love to be able to personally meet you.
Heather

I'd jump at the chance to meet you guys also. We're in Louisiana, but I'd definitely make my way to Texas.
Jenni

Thanks Julie for answering my question! I hope I'll get to meet you girls there.
Thats a great story Lori, thanks for sharing! I feel the same way about HOD! The one thing that frustrated me as I searched curriculum was that the Bible portions always seemed "tacked on". I never found anything to satisfy my desire for a truly Bible-integrated curriculum until God led me to HOD. I also loved that meaningful crafts that went along with the lesson were all lined out for me in the guide. And I totally agree with Carrie's reasoning behind teaching American history first. And I also love... well, I better quit now or I'll spend my whole morning listing all the things I love about HOD instead of actually USING it to school my kiddos! I really am blown away by Carrie's organizational skills and the thought she put into all of these guides. I just marvel , because I know it's a gift from the Lord. There is so much stuff to sift through and coordinate and plan and page numbers and finding scripture that correlates. I just have to say "wow!~" because never in a zillion years could I take on something like that. Thanks Carrie! And Julie, what a blessing you are too. I love how God is using ya'll together in this way! Okay, off to start my day for real this time!

Ladies,

The invitations for the Arlington convention come in November, and it appears that we will be applying to that show! So, our plan is to be in Arlington in 2009. We will consider the other conventions mentioned as well, but are limited to the amount of time we can spend at conventions away from writing and editing, along with homeschooling.

We dearly wish we could meet each and every one of you, but we also need to be true to our first calling which is to homeschool our own precious boys. Then, our second calling is writing our HOD guides with love for each of you... to enable you to be true to your calling to homeschool your own kiddos!

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie wrote:Ladies,

The invitations for the Arlington convention come in November, and it appears that we will be applying to that show! So, our plan is to be in Arlington in 2009. We will consider the other conventions mentioned as well, but are limited to the amount of time we can spend at conventions away from writing and editing, along with homeschooling.

We dearly wish we could meet each and every one of you, but we also need to be true to our first calling which is to homeschool our own precious boys. Then, our second calling is writing our HOD guides with love for each of you... to enable you to be true to your calling to homeschool your own kiddos!

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie, I trully appreciate and understand. You are so right. I feel so childish having "bugged" you [more than once] about coming to Houston. I am sorry, will you forgive??!! I am sure you get tired of repeating yourself, but please forgive us when we need to be reminded. Just know you are so loved and begging you to come to our home-state is our way of showing how much we love HOD, even though it may not be the best to "bug" you about it.

Lots of Love from TEXAS

Oh I'll have to consider going to Arlington this year. I have never been to a HS conference/convention before and I'm sure it would be so much fun! My sis is in the DFW area and my in-laws aren't too far that I couldn't drive in for the day. Hmm..... I'll have to talk to dh about this.

* Doing the Happy Dance*
YAY! I am so excited to hear that ya'll will be in Arlington! My dear husband is allowing me to fly home to TX to meet up with two of my dear homeschool girlfriends and spend a weekend at a conference just getting re-juvenated. I can't wait to meet ya'll and introduce my friends to HOD! Thanks for all you do Carrie and Julie!

I'm trying to convince dh to go on a weekend get-a-way together for this(with the baby of course). I'd love to meet other HODie Moms! He actually looked up Arlington on the map tonight !
Praying for a get-a-way,
Jenni

Yeah Jenni! You guys should do it! Where are you from? I too would like to have a HOD'ie meet up!

Amey wrote:Yeah Jenni! You guys should do it! Where are you from? I too would like to have a HOD'ie meet up!

Amey,
We are from Louisiana. When you know the dates for the Arlington Convention, could you pm me? I'm so excited about the possibility of going

Sure! We are from East Texas, not too far from the Lousiana border. I also have family in Shreveport

My dh said he was cool with us going too!!!! Now he probably will just visit with his family and not go to the actual convention, but he said I can. I know it's still a ways awat, but it'd be great if we could have some sort of meet up!