About De'Etta

I’m a 44 year old homeschooling Mom of 9 children ranging in age from 2-23 years old. We began homeschooling in 1989 – and plan to complete homeschooling in 2024…unless God blesses us with another student or two.

Our homeschool methods and curricula have changed as our family has changed. 19 years ago we began with school at home. We are currently using Tapestry of Grace. Our older students, possibly warped from my early insistence on structure and filling boxes or by the looming prospect of college, choose to do TOG fairly close to written. ::snort:: Our younger ones and I have developed a style we call FUN schooling…and it is working well for us. We consider TOG to be great fun. I must confess salt dough maps terrify me!!!! My younger ones HATE lapbooking – we’ve tried. While *I* can make lots of creative folds and my coloring has improved drastically; they continue to ask if we can make a mummy, or Greek temple, or history quilt instead. I dream that our youngest will take to lapbooking (I may guarantee this by hiding all other creative outlets in the home).

While our methods may change, the heart of homescooling in our family has remained steady. We desire to partner with God to raise young men and women who will love Him wholeheartedly – a recurring theme in the Bible. We have learned (3 graduated and 1 more nearly there) that educational gaps are easily filled when the need is felt. Gaps in character training are tougher to fill as a young adult/adult. Therefore, the heart of our school revolves around the heart of our children and how they relate to each other, us, and the heart of God.

I’m married to a wonderful Air Force chaplain. Together we’ve enjoyed 24 years of grand adventure as God has grown our family and ministry. I love to read. I love to blog. I love to mentor. I love to teach others how to study the Bible. I love to disciple women, most often through Protestant Women of the Chapel during this season. I love my SHS sisters – you know who you are. ::snort::

I have a mission statement (which is a really Air Forcey thing to have): My goal in life is to passionately love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I endeavor through teaching and mentoring relationships to lead others to an extravagant, lavish, passionate, whole-hearted, love of their life. It is my goal to truly love others.

Reader’s Digest version of my purpose statement: “To Know Christ & Make Him Known”.

Pssst: I have a secret ambition to write the next best-selling mystery series. It will feature a quiverful, homeschooling, Air Force Chaplain spouse. In her spare time our heroine will solve cases with the help of her children, homeschool support group, and PWOC sisters.