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Just wanted to update again on how much we LOVE Preparing Hearts! History is so alive for us right now. The kids were telling me the other day how much they love history and really understanding what is happening and when and where and why. The integration of secular and Biblical history is so well done. The whole program is truly an amazing work. If possible, we are enjoying Preparing even more than Bigger Hearts. So, I really can't wait for next year! I could not ask for more. As I was vacuuming today, I just thanked the Lord for Carrie and her work and asked His continual blessing on her the work of her hands as well as her family.

Carrie, I really hope to meet you in Cincy and give you my thanks in person. I'm sure I'll cry! I just saw that you were going to be there. Normally, we go to the Indy convention, but I just have to make the drive over to Cincy just to say "THANKS!!"

I have not been on the board as much. We are very busy right now in the adoption process of two siblings from Ethiopia! God has answered my prayer of three years and opened my husband's heart to adoption!!!! God's works are marvelous!! I still follow along and check in regularly, but don't have as much time to write on the board. But, please know that my thoughts and prayers are always with my HOD family.

If anyone is considering HOD for next year, I want to say that YOU CANNOT GO WRONG WITH HOD!!!!

Tiffini
http://www.tomandtif-seven.blogspot.com

Hooray! Tiffini, it's wonderful to hear you are loving PHFHG! We thought it was an amazing work as well, and I was thrilled with the meshing of Biblical/world history. You will love CTC too! I'll be in Cincinatti as well in the HOD booth, so it will be nice to meet you as well if it works out for you to come.

In Christ,
Julie

I also wanted to chime in to say how much we are also loving Preparing. We also did Bigger last year, and loved that too. But, I can see my two oldest really beginning to *think* about how the Bible fits with, and in some cases makes much more sense than, the secular history ands science they were already taught in public school before we brought them home. They are growing in their faith week by week. I am LOVING it.

We are working on coming up with a family "core values" statement as a part of our Sunday school class, and we had to asses today what we think we are doing pretty well as a family. (Also what we think we could do better...but I won't go there in this post ) We decided that many of the things we are doing well are directly attributed to using this curriculum in our homeschool. Our number 1 core value is "God's Word is inspired, inerrant, and infallible, and is the final authority for any life situation. We will seek God's word first to answer any question, to solve any problem, or to seek wisdom and advice." Ideas for a couple of others are: "God is intimately involved in human history as well as current affairs, and we will strive to allow Him to use us to make a mark in the world for His glory." "We will read the Bible, memorize scripture, and pray to God every day." Lots more thoughts, but I'll wait until we've worked on them more...

Our core values statement is a work in progress, and we have many more thoughts to put into words. But, it did strike my husband and I that HOD plays a big part of why we feel we've done pretty well with some of the core values we've thought of for our family.

Hi TIffini & Lisa!

I am right there with you! We are also loving Preparing and getting SO much out of it. It is amazing to me that our school curriculum can be so fun, educational and focused on the Lord! Thanks for posting and allowing me to share along in your joy!

We are also loving Preparing. This is our first year homeschooling and I couldn't ask for a better year. My son is definitely being challenged and learning so much. I love how we are learning how history is really His story. I love seeing all the connections. Just this week I was amazed to learn that Christ wasn't born until roads were established in Rome and why that would be. We can't wait until next year.

Lisa, I love your core values. We need to right ours out to. I may "borrow". We are on week 5 due to switching programs and we are loving it!

This is also our first year with HOD and we are enjoying Preparing as well. My 8 year old daughter was telling me that they had a bible story in church yesterday and she commented to a friend that we had studied this in school already! I thought that was a wonderful statement and made me realize that I love the biblical history we are getting this year and that it really is real world stuff!
Brenda

Tiffini,

I am so glad that you are having a good year with Preparing Hearts. We enjoyed it so much when we did it last year with our own son. We appreciate your prayers for the Lord to be with us and bless our work. There is nothing greater we could ask than for you to uphold us in prayer. We are privileged to have women like you praying for our family.

I will look forward to the possibility of meeing your in Cincinnati. We love the opportunity to visit in person with those whom we have been blessed to meet through the board.

Thanks so much for sharing! You filled my cup today.

Blessings,
Carrie