Karen Davis, Lori Barklage-Getting, Traci Liebmann, & Rachel Fields

The names listed above changed my life and the lives of my family today. I went to my first homeschool conference today and it was a beautiful experience! It was the love to learn conference. I attended wonderful sessions with wonderful women that taught me things that I didn't even know I wanted to know. LOL

Karen Davis a.k.a. The Homeschool Queen (that's what I call her) is my mentor, well again that is what I have decided. I met her for the first time today face to face. I was so excited. She may as well have been a celebrity. She hugged me really warmly and she was so down to earth and genuine. We had a wonderful, albeit short, conversation and like a good book I left wanting more. She is awesome, and I can tell that helping others discover homeschooling is a ministry for her.

Lori Barklage-Getting taught a class on starting to homeschool in NC. She was wonderful too and so was her family. If you need some custom made buttons with some really cute sayings and designs, her daughters are the best. I bought three and I love them. I have them pinned to my purse as we speak. She spoke to us in a way that made us feel empowered rather than fearful and unsure. I left there knowing that I had done everything right...at least up until this point. LOL

Traci Liebmann's class was like an extremely challenging therapy session. It was called "Love to Learn About Yourself". I thought I had it all together until I stepped through that door. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the class, but it was quite difficult to deal with some of the things that surfaced emotionally. She is better than Dr. Phil. She had a little Oprah too, because she almost had me to the point of crying a few times, but I held it together.LOL The people in the class were great too. They were very transparent, helpful, and encouraging. They even fussed at me a little, but it was filled with love. That was the most difficult, but the most needed class.

Rachel Fields. Rachel. Rachel. Rachel. What can I say? She is a ball of fire and fun. She has a way of painting a picture of learning that you never will forget. Because of her, I have an entirely different view of learning. I was able to finally become okay with deschooling. Arielle (spelling?), a fiery little redhead unschooler(?), also made me feel so much more comfortable with her smile and wisdom beyond her years. Rachel taught me so much about deschooling and made the concept something that I could understand...FINALLY!!! She also conducted a session about valuing individualism. I was able to learn so much about seeing things through my children's eyes. I learned to value the way they learn and think as individuals, and even to value the way I think and learn. I learned that however children are as people and learners is fine. I just need to provide resources and opportunities to learn.

I asked Karen as I was waiting for my husband outside if we could go ahead and register for next year. I am so excited about next year already. I wouldn't change a thing...well I do wish some of the classes were longer. Please come to the conference next year if you get the opportunity, it was well worth it.