Carol Smith:  

ding. I've held a variety of positions all related to education in one way or another and my husband is a Professor of Accounting. I've been a teacher, tutor, school media specialist, university librarian, library administrator, and head of training and help desk services for a state-wide health information network. The most interesting part of my life is my kids. It turns out they both have multiple learning disabilities with very short attention spans, and very strong wills. Not a good combination and after too many years of frustration with the local school system, we decided that I would become a full-time mother and homeschool our kids. We certainly couldn't do any worse than the school. By this time my kids were 3 years behind in reading, writing, and math and the experts at the school told us our daughter would never read at a 6th grade level. To make a long story short, it was the best decision my husband and I ever made. Our daughter, Jessie, is married and in graduate school working on a degree in psychology/counseling. And our son trained and worked as a Merchant Marine for 4 years after high school, saved his money and is paying for his own education (at least for now). After a few semesters of college, on the Dean's List, Scott decided to become a United States Marine. So, don't give up on your kids. My kids success is proof that all things are possible with God! One of the great benefits of homeschooling is that our schedule could be flexible because you can have school anywhere. We got to live in New Zealand for 5 months, Australia for 2 ½ years, and Italy for 2 months when Steve was teaching in these countries. What great memories we have. After 21 years in Maryland, Steve and I decided to move to a warmer climate; just got tired of so much snow and such cold temps. And we ended up in Oklahoma about 2 hours north of Dallas, TX and we're both still working. I don't miss the awful winters but I do miss the kids and friends we left behind. My life has been very different from anything I ever imagined growing up in Port Crane. And I'm very happy with how things have worked out. I thank God for His mercy and blessings, and His sense of humor!