I'm Pam, and I have been married for the past eighteen years to the love of my life, Matt. I spend my days with a seven-year-old girl, five-year-old boy, and a three-year-old tornado. For years I had a career, never quite sure if kids were in the cards for us. We celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary when I was pregnant with our oldest, and we never looked back after that. We make our home in the Deep South where the days are hot, the air is humid and the tea is sweet.
In my former life, I was a secondary school teacher, graphic designer, journalist, technical writer and yearbook sales associate extraordinaire. Now I use those skills to create digital scrapbook pages and write this blog. I also dig photography, a well-written period romance, a good Australian red wine, and a little peace and quiet on a regular basis. Inside my head is my absolute favorite place to be.
We are us-schoolers, who are beginning to discover truth and beauty through Classical education influenced by a bit of Charlotte Mason. In the past we have dabbled in unit studies, Montessori, project-based learning and unschooling, and you will find all of that reflected here.
I converted to Catholicism in 2009 after spending my childhood in various evangelical denominations and my young adulthood as an arrogant agnostic. An intellectual convert, I have since found that the Church is full of wisdom, beauty, and most importantly grace. Now I am on a journey daily, trying with grace to grow in my faith.
The most important things here are to remember that mostly I make this stuff up as I go along, and while I might occasionally write about the really bad days, I mostly write about the good ones. What you miss are all the mildly crappy ones in between, so don't think it's all sunshine and roses. There won't be lots of touchy-feely moments, because that's not the kind of girl I am. What I hope you find a bit of inspiration, a dose of reality, and someone who loves to share things she is geeky-excited about -- mostly homeschooling.The opportunity to be at home and teach my kids is the best thing ever (most days).
I invite you to pull up a chair, grab a cool (or hot) drink, poke around the archives and stay a while. Here are few stories to get you started.
A Homeschool Day in the Life 2011
A Homeschool Day in the Life 2012
Thomas' Birth Story
Doing the Right Thing Even When it Hurts
Slice of Life Story Challenge Posts -- Oldies now, but still goodies.
I love comments and conversation here on the blog or you can reach me by email at pkbarnhill [at] gmail [dot] com. Can't wait to hear from you.
Photo on this page, header photo, and profile photo all by Tina Richards Photography. Thanks Tina!
