New beginnings began for sure! Already settled into the golden years of life, we made room for our little girls. Adjustments and changes took place. I gave up some things that were important to me, and so did Frank. I had to put things into perspective. No longer could I dedicate endless hours to writing. There were new priorities.

In numerous ways Frank has given of himself. Undoubtedly, he’s the numberone husband and dad in my book. Being a pastor as well as staying busy with a secular job, Frank still takes the time to be a family-oriented man. His values are biblically based. What a blessing to have such a strong head of the house.

Living in a modest ranch home in Lexington, South Carolina, Frank and I have a common goal, which is to give our children the best education possible. What better way than homeschooling! Could I do it? I wouldn’t know unless I tried.

School began in the great room of our home. At the onset, I discovered I was unprepared. I knew nothing about how to plan lessons. I suppose I thought I’d open up their Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) paces (school booklets) and they would do the work without me doing much of anything. This proved not to be the case at all. Essentially, I had to teach Bible, phonics, arithmetic, writing, history, and so forth.

Rather quickly, I found out that Megan’s second grade work was too advanced for her comprehension. So at first she got off to a poor start. Frank and I thought it would be helpful for her to be tested by the Pediatric Child Developmental Staff to determine her grade level. Definitely, it turned out to be in Megan’s best interest to begin back at the beginning—K5. So that is where she began. Adjusting her curriculum, I chose A Beka Academy with visual DVDs. This teaching tool has helped her to progress. Teaching Megan, a gloriously gifted “special needs” child, is a challenge indeed.

Katie, on the other hand, stayed with the ACE paces at the first grade level. Learning developmentally, she is moving ahead. She excels in English. Katie hopes to be an accomplished pianist and an inspiring writer one day.

To our delight, our family and friends notice how much Sushannah is learning. Julie, her physical therapist, told me she is like a sponge, absorbing everything. Our toddler doesn’t get bored by any means during school time. Beaner’s days are filled with a variety of activities. Turning the pages of storybooks to see the splendid pictures fascinates her. She loves to sing the alphabet, recite the vowels, and count. Often, she tickles the ivory keys of our antique piano. When she takes her naps, it gives me the time needed for the one-on-one work with Megan and Katie.

Creativity is an asset to any classroom. For me, creativity matured as we moved further into the semester. I purchased activity books and added weekly piano lessons to fine-tune their schedule. Field trips were new to all of us. Megan especially enjoyed touring the Lexington Humane Society. She adopted a boxer puppy.

My partner for life, Frank, is truly supportive of me. Sometimes I have wanted to quit. Yet I have kept on going. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. There are victorious days. Then again, there are days deemed fruitless. That’s when I look up, claiming Psalm 121. My help cometh from the Lord.

Life is filled with new beginnings. Soon we’ll venture into the second year of homeschooling. I want to put the Live, Learn, Trial, and Error experiences into effect. I also want to be more instructive and structured in teaching their subjects. School is to be interesting, not mundane. It’s a real ministry. Encouragement comes from Philippians 4:13. I’m reminded that I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Are you ready to homeschool? I am!

Frank and Linda Townsend are enjoying their new beginnings. English born, Linda is a prolific writer of prose and poetry. She is the founding editor of the publication Women in the Harvest. You can hear the Women in the Harvest Bible Broadcast on KJJB 89.1 FM in Watertown, South Dakota, and on the Internet. Her email address is PS45Writer-Linda@aol.com.