I’m delighted to be welcoming Tom and Julie Meekins back to my show this afternoon. Julie and I first met in March of 2010 and right from the start I could tell she and her husband have a heart for parents, especially those raising children with challenges. In walking the talk Tom and Julie decided to dedicate their professional lives to helping families navigate the scary world of parenting. They became certified in child development and health coaching and in March 2011 started a company called March Forth Family LLC to help other families needing someone who totally understood the struggles they were having. They are also the special needs specialists for the National Centre for Biblical Parenting. Tom and Julie have been married for 37 years, have four children and in a moment of certifiable insanity chose the homeschooling path and now have four young adults who are doing fabulously. The last time we spoke was in October 2014 and you can find all the conversations we’ve had over the last 5 years here on this site. Join us this Friday for a very informative and uplifting conversation.

I am welcoming my friend and regular guest, Gretchen Roe, to my show this Friday at 12 noon Central here on Toginet Radio. Gretchen has now been a landowner for a year and she says it is quite a change from the urbanity of Maryland. We will be talking about the enterprises they have been embarking upon, slowly, and upcoming plans for the best use of their acreage. Although she no longer homeschools her two boys, a fifth grader and high schooler, she commented that all the projects they are undertaking on their 3 acre farmstead are so very homeschool, what with chickens and bees, a vegetable garden, bonfires and a swimming pool. What more could one ask of their beautiful rural setting in Western North Carolina where she and her husband grew up? Gretchen and her husband Pat have six children all of whom they homeschooled. However, on the heels of their move from Maryland and Gretchen’s shift from Community Liaison for the Calvert School to representative for Demme Learning, they made the seamless transition from homeschool to public school with their two youngest sons. Gretchen says she no longer has a say so in their education but they are loving every minute with their new friends and teachers. We will talk about the homeschool conference season that runs from February to the end of July and some of the highlights of Math-U-See and Demme Learning’s recently added Spelling-You See both innovative curricula that you may want to look at when planning your next round of studies. Visit www.DemmeLearning.com to learn more, Gretchen will be thrilled to talk to you. Bring your favourite hot drink, I usually have a nice cup of tea, and join us this Friday at noon to listen to Gretchen and me talk about how the summer has been going so far.

This week my son, Ian McNeny, joins me and asks all the questions! He visited us for Christmas and brought his podcasting equipment with him to record with friends and chat with my blue-eyed cowboy and me about homeschooling. The result was perfect for a show on my show as well as his so we’re sharing! You will soon be able to find the full conversation at http://www.entertheelftree.com an Earth Ship Radio broadcast on the ElfTree Podcast Network. Ian is a graduate of Wild Flower Academy and Collin College in Plano where he transferred well over 60 credits to enter as a Junior at the College of Santa Fe where he worked hard for two years and completed his BA in Film Production. He has freelanced as an assistant editor at Reel FX Creative Studios (an animation company) an editor at Tocrok Productions and the Dailies Assistant forDALLAS on TNT. He recently moved to California where he works for MTI Film and runs The ElfTree Podcast Network. He is Owner and Executive Producer for his own company, McCook Media and has made a pilot for a potential TV series, which he is shopping in L.A. Ian specializes in story and narrative film/video editing, Live Event editing and story and narrative screenwriting. Tune in this Friday at 12 noon CT and hear my Texan and me tell the back story behind our decision to homeschool. Bring your tea and Prepare to Enter the ElfTree.

Joining me this week is returning guest Shannah Godfrey, author of a successful phonics method, a scientist who has succeeded in a man’s world and a Mum who brought up and homeschool 14 children! Today we are going to be talking about some of the struggles she had while raising young people to be contributing members of society. We will be exploring the tendency we all have to compare ourselves to others, and pick her brains about her experience dealing with addiction and children with unique personalities who want to express themselves, their way! Shannah is a strong advocate for direct instruction but does not believe in pushing a child until he or she is ready even if it takes him into middle age! You may need something stronger than tea to get you through this one so treat yourself to a slice of cake a deep cleansing breath and tune in this Friday at 12 noon Central.

Diospi Suyana Debt Free: Dr. Klaus-Dieter John January 2nd 2015 I am delighted to have on my show today, German Doctor Klaus-Dieter John to talk about Diospi Suyana, a hospital in the Peruvian Andes, that he and his wife, Martina, envisioned many years ago. Their story is filled with God incidents, faith and tenacity since not everyone thought the same way they did. My friend Marcia Washburn introduced us and Dr. Klaus has found time in his very busy schedule to talk to me about the work he and Martina, are doing in the isolated villages of Peru where over 10 million people live. Together they shared a vision to serve some of the poorest and most neglected people in South America. They are both qualified in surgery and pediatrics and were inspired to take on the task of raising huge sums of money and building not just a health centre but a fully equipped hospital. The story of their journey from the original dream to completion is littered with miracles and chronicled in the book 'I Have Seen God', which tells the story of the Diospi Suyana hospital serving the Peruvian Indians. Join me this Friday at 12 noon Central and hear this remarkable story of an answer to Christ’s call.

This week I will be bringing you the second part of my recent conversation with Marcia Washburn my very creative, musically gifted and artistic friend. Marcia and I have talked in the past about the Shuar Indians of eastern Ecuador and her hands on electronic book, Beethoven Who? We’ve talked about encouragement for homeschooling Mums in the warm and humourous way Marcia has and the last conversation we had was about how to spread the joy during this holiday season. She holds a Master’s in Music Education and she and her husband homeschooled their five sons in rural Colorado for nineteen years. Marcia writes about building a firm foundation for our children that won’t crumble under pressure and has a series of e-books called Management for Moms, I have been promoting one of them Managing the Holidays. Today Marcia is going to be telling us about some missionaries she knows in Russia, The Central African Republic and Ecuador and how they will be celebrating Christmas far from home and the choices they have made within the different cultures. Bring your hot chocolate this Friday at noon central and enjoy listening to Marcia talk about Christmas on three continents.

My returning guest, Gretchen Roe, is joining me this week for the second part of our conversation about another major change in her life. You will best remember Gretchen as the Community Liaison for the Calvert School for 19 years. Recently she began working for Demme Learning, known by homeschoolers at Math U See. During the show today we will find out exactly why the math programme, developed by Steve Demme, works so well. Gretchen will also talk about their new addition Spelling You See an innovative spelling curriculum that will revolutionise how you teach your children and open your eyes as to why some of your children seem to have a natural aptitude for spelling while others struggle. Gretchen and her husband, Pat, and two of their six children, moved from Maryland, where they lived for 20 years, to Western North Carolina where Gretchen and Pat grew up, to live on a 3 acre farmstead and raise meat rabbits, pigs and chickens and turn two of their homeschooled children over to the local public schools. Bring your favourite hot drink and join us this Friday at noon to listen to Gretchen and me talk about math and spelling.

My guest this week has her own Radio Network so is no stranger to talking up a storm about her passions. Felice Gerwitz was homeschooling two teens when she launched Media Angels in 1994. She then learned she was expecting a baby and not being the most organized person in the world she asked for help! Probably in a very high voice! Felice pulled in the troops, made a plan and with the help of her family and friends went ahead with her brainstorm and Media Angels was born as well as her third child! Felice became innovative (homeschooling as a stay-at-home Mum and author will do that!) and was led by the Lord to launch several more endeavors including online conferences and the recent Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network. Today she is still married to her best friend, Jeffrey, and they have five totally homeschooled children and several successful businesses. But it’s not all work for Felice as you’ll hear when you join me on Friday at 12 noon Central to hear how she balances her life with walks on the beach, baking, reading, camping and hiking with her family, and the occasional girls day out with shopping and lunch.

I am delighted to have Carol Topp joining me again this afternoon to talk to us about a presentation she made at 3 homeschool conventions this year entitled, We’re not raising Children We’re Raising Grown Ups. Carol and her husband live in West Chester, Ohio and have two grown daughters, both homeschooled through high school and launched into adulthood! Carol worked from home throughout her homeschooling days and authored, Homeschool Co-Ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out. She is also the author of the Micro Business for Teens series where she gives tips and advice to aspiring young entrepreneurs. If you pop over to my Sociable Homeschooler page you will find her other shows where she talked to me about co-ops, how to encourage children to be entrepreneurs and her own careers. I am sure Carol’s words this afternoon will encourage those of you who are learning how to sow the seeds of independence as well as those of you who are newcomers to homeschooling. Carol can be found at MicroBusinessForTeens.com. and www.homeschoolCPA.com . Join us this Friday at noon CT for an interesting conversation about how to hold on to yourself while letting go of your children.

I am welcoming to my show this week my friend and regular guest, Gretchen Roe. Since it’s that time of year we are going to be talking about the upcoming holidays and what life looks like for her now that she and her family (at least some of them) have moved. If you remember from our last conversation on April 18th, Good Friday, Gretchen was preparing for lots of changes in her life. She and her husband, Pat, and two of their six children, moved from Maryland, where they lived for 20 years, to Western North Carolina where Gretchen and Pat grew up. We will be hearing about the 3 acre farmstead they now live on, the upcoming acquisition of livestock, clearing land and having bonfires. We will also talk about education and the seamless transition from Calvert to public school for her two sons, aged 8 and 15. Gretchen says she no longer has a say so in their education but they are loving every minute with their new friends and teachers. Homeschooling may not last forever and Gretchen’s experience will encourage some of you who may find yourselves in a similar situation. Bring your coffee or tea and join us this Friday at noon for an uplifting look at life and the celebration of Thanksgiving.