Tell us about your homeschooling journey a bit.

Yes, we are a homeschooling family, another testimony to God’s grace in my life. It took about 7 years for the Lord to work that one out in me, I had no idea of what homeschooling was. None. But I did have a friend and through her life I saw possibility. The beautiful relationship that she had with her girls, I wanted that with my children! So the Lord brought several examples of other families that were doing this and doing it SUCCESSFULLY! He gathered them around me, they taught me and shared what they were doing (which is so great about home schoolers- we love telling others about what we are learning) So, we stepped out in faith.

We utilize the classical educational approach to learning and love our literature rich curriculum,  Sonlight .  We also belong to a co-op  and go there once a week for science, music, art, and PE.

I love the name "The Patchwork Heart" ~ tell me, how did it come about?

I don’t know if this has happened to you or not but we were in a very different situation in the beginning from where we are at today. I am here to tell you that my life is a testimony to the Lord. In the early years (can anyone say honeymoon baby?) Jacob was born with 2 congenital heart defects. Boy, this was an unexpected twist and turn of events and the Lord did not share the details of this deviation from the plan with me *LOL* at that point in my life I am not sure that I would have listened to Him anyway!

In many ways we were not equipped to carry this load by ourselves. I was in the hospital with Jacob after his first surgery for three weeks. He was six days old. As new parents this was crushing. Unequipped! The first year of Jacob’s life was beyond exhausting, it was newborn stage times 10! Adjusting to a high needs child, medications, special feedings, all the while one more surgery looming within the year. This took its toll on me and depression clawed its way in. I felt as though I had been forgotten by my Maker. But, I was a mother I had to get it together and still function others were counting on me right? So out of desperation I started to create.

Somewhere deep inside me the Lord lit the pilot light of my heart and then turned on the gas. I had always been creative but some how I had forgotten. At a time when I was so lost, this some how allowed a new space for the real deep parts of who I was to blossom forth. And then desire ignited into the hot blue flame of creativity.

With new inspirations from the Lord, I cleared an area in the attic. I bought an old antique 1940’s Singer, with two stitches, front and back, at a garage sale. Then, as God patched Jacob’s heart with a miracle, He also patched mine with His merciful healing hand. With the guidance of God’s gentle hands I have been creating with my hands and heart ever since. That is why we are called The Patchwork Heart, Co. I love telling this story because this is the ending piece of my testimony, my own transformation! Isn’t God so amazing?