My loopy friends

I've been part of my "big hs list" for 5-1/2 years. These ladies have been an amazing source of encouragement and support. It's a giant list but I'm guessing only about 100 members post regularly. We discuss anything: kids and family, politics, pets, food and diets, books, you name it. Sometimes we even talk about homeschooling. (Haha.) Our international group is pretty diverse but we share two common bonds: We are Christians who educate our children at home. (Or did educate children at home--a few of the women no longer hs but continue to bless the rest of us with their knowledge and experience.)

I've had the privilege of meeting a handful of my online friends. Vikki and I have gotten together a couple of times. Here's a picture from when we took our kids to see the traveling Ten Commandments monument that Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore refused to remove from his courthouse.


Several years ago, Dody was living in Cheyenne, and we met each other for lunch. We were both attending the CHEC conference in Denver. Meeting her gives me a different perspective when I see her amazing Alaska blog photos.

Kathleen and family were vacationing nearby 2-1/2 years ago and came to our house for lunch. I thought she was brave committing her whole family to eat at my house. For all she knew, we lived in a stick shack with no running water, and who knows what I could have tried to feed them. I loved meeting her in person. Our girls have kept in contact, and Kathleen remains a close e-mail friend of mine offlist too.


On this same trip, Kathleen and her family met Laura. A few months later, I met Laura too. Robert and I took the kids to Glenwood Springs for a few days, near where Laura's family was living at the time. They drove into town and met us for ice cream one afternoon. I think it was the only time during our stay that it wasn't raining! I really enjoyed meeting her in person, especially since she moved out of state shortly afterwards.

Two summers ago, I had a chance to meet Diann. Her husband was in town attending a conference, and she came along with him.


Cynthia was in town a few weeks later. On a field trip. From Montana. Really. Cynthia's the kind of person who does things BIG. She came to town with several of her local hs group buddies. They're planning something similar this summer. Her older kids were busy with other activities, but she came by with her baby.


This group is amazing. To say that I'm a better person because of it is woefully inadequate, a giant understatement. For the group's five year anniversary, Liz organized a giant scrapbook undertaking as a complete surprise to our list owners, Cynthia and De'Etta. As usual, Liz found a verse that said it all. Encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thess 5:11. I can't say it any better than that.