Back in the homeschool classroom: Staying in touch with homeschool friends

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9Wt5U485Ogodnf069BMZv-B2xxO1xUucItIvN5dyMdiZrVfhQl1uGzGhqbHeuNVr2eWXsKNfiZ4ggaDSWBgQMstRPbLthlowrMvTVIvNuX5285ivGxOMq-aLxy7Mu43-8WeTSXlkLtx0/s1600/school+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw9Wt5U485Ogodnf069BMZv-B2xxO1xUucItIvN5dyMdiZrVfhQl1uGzGhqbHeuNVr2eWXsKNfiZ4ggaDSWBgQMstRPbLthlowrMvTVIvNuX5285ivGxOMq-aLxy7Mu43-8WeTSXlkLtx0/s1600/school+books.jpg" /></a></div><br />I got a phone call this morning, out of the blue, from a homeschool friend here in Augusta County, the first homeschool friend I made when moving back home to Virginia seventeen years ago. Back in those day, I had left my name and phone number at the Staunton Library at the children's desk -- homeschoolers spend hours at the public library and I knew that was where I could find local moms -- and Christine was the one who called.<br /><br />She was in leadership with the local homeschool group, Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes, and it wasn't too long before she pulled me into leadership, too, once they found out I had been the newsletter editor with our homeschool group in North Carolina. We spent many happy years raising our children and teaching and working in leadership with others who were doing the same. She was the one who introduced me to Milmont Greenhouse and Nursery in Stuarts Draft ... her husband was part of one of the local Mennonite families with ties to that area of the county.<br /><br />Our children graduated from homeschool and then from college, and we drifted apart a bit but still catch up occasionally. After her phone call this morning, today is one of those catch-up days. So I'm heading to her house on the Middle River for a lunch of quiche, salad, and iced tea along with conversation and, always, laughter. Because when the two of us get together, we laugh the silly, carefree laughter of longtime friends.<br /><br />It reminds me of the saying, "Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver, the other gold."<br /><br />How very true. <br /><br />---<br /><i>Lynn Mitchell educated her children at home for 16 years and was part of leadership in North Carolina's Iredell County Home Educators (ICHE) and Virginia's Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes (PEACH). Her son graduated from Harrisonburg's James Madison University (JMU) in 2007 with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Creative Writing. Her daughter graduated from Staunton's Mary Baldwin College in 2012 with a BS in Sustainable Business and Marketing. Lynn and her husband live in Augusta County located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The story of how she began her homeschool journey <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/01/back-in-homeschool-classroom-blazing.html">can be found here</a>.</i> <br /> 

Augusta County Back in the homeschool classroom homeschool leadership homeschooling Mennonites Middle River Milmont Greenhouse Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes Stuarts Draft Back in the homeschool classroom: Staying in touch with homeschool friends

I got a phone call this morning, out of the blue, from a homeschool friend here in Augusta County, the first homeschool friend I made when m...

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Back in the homeschool classroom: A chance encounter

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7q6CIQ5fuSDXBghlyaLneba7meMy6D-GS0nDYvkjWo9f86vG00gYZk3XjnRrp5_MG0jVBPJunGxIov9BhcRa6SbBX778qyvtPVmgGmPABR0aeqc1lLBYpNG6DD-6Zd8IpCM3krHJ3X5c/s800/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7q6CIQ5fuSDXBghlyaLneba7meMy6D-GS0nDYvkjWo9f86vG00gYZk3XjnRrp5_MG0jVBPJunGxIov9BhcRa6SbBX778qyvtPVmgGmPABR0aeqc1lLBYpNG6DD-6Zd8IpCM3krHJ3X5c/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Gulf of Mexico on the Florida Panhandle.</i></div><br />I ran into an old friend today while shopping at Martin's in Staunton ... a homeschool mom who joined our local homeschool organization while I was in leadership. It was good to see her and brought back memories of the years I educated my children at home.<br /><br />We got caught up in that quick in-a-nutshell way that you do when running into someone you haven't seen in a while in a public place like the grocery store, and then she said something that kind of stopped me in my tracks.<br /><br />"I read your blog."<br /><br /><i>"Really?"</i> I was flattered.<br /><br />I thanked her, and laughed about how I write about politics but then escape to the mountains or the back roads to take photos and enjoy the Shenandoah Valley. She smiled and nodded and said, "Your pictures of the beach...."<br /><br />"Ah, the Gulf of Mexico," I said nodding my head. "I had not been there in years but the water was just as blue as I remembered."<br /><br />She noted that it was beautiful and she had really enjoyed the pictures and it made her want to go to the beach. Yes, I told her, I had heard that from others, too.<br /><br />The photos are my window on the world that I enjoy sharing with others, the neat nooks and crannies of the places where I ramble and make discoveries and spend time taking in the beauty of wherever I am. It has always been amazing that people write to say how much they enjoy seeing them.<br /><br />It is equally amazing that a number of homeschool moms, some whom I've never met, read my blog. You would think they would have their hands full with required school reading so I consider it an honor that they take a few minutes out of their day to stop by SWAC Girl.<br /><br />A while back, one mom wrote that she especially enjoyed when I ended my posts with, "It's summer (spring/winter/fall) in the Shenandoah Valley...." Now when I type that line, I think of her.<br /><br />Our chance encounter today was once again a reminder that friends are priceless. And knowing that there are those who enjoy my blog is an honor.  <br /><br />And, Leslie -- great seeing you today! May the rest of your homeschool journey be especially gratifying and successful, and hopefully it won't be so long before we meet up again....<br /><br /><i>----- </i><br /><i>Lynn Mitchell educated her children at home for 16 years and was part of leadership in North Carolina's Iredell County Home Educators (ICHE) and Virginia's Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes (PEACH). Her son graduated from Harrisonburg's James Madison University (JMU) in 2007 with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Creative Writing. Her daughter graduated from Staunton's Mary Baldwin College in 2012 with a BS in Sustainable Business and Marketing. Lynn and her husband live in Augusta County located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The story of how she began her homeschool journey <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/01/back-in-homeschool-classroom-blazing.html">can be found here</a>.</i> <br /><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />Seacrest, Florida <br />May 2013

Florida Gulf of Mexico homeschooling Lynn R. Mitchell Seacrest Shenandoah Valley Back in the homeschool classroom: A chance encounter

The Gulf of Mexico on the Florida Panhandle. I ran into an old friend today while shopping at Martin's in Staunton ... a homeschool mom ...

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