Hello Harvey and Laurie, I wanted to tell you something of encouragement.  I know you likely followed the plan of your own book, Teaching the Trivium, and we did, too, as best we could.  Our daughter, Cara, first won our county spelling bee and then our regional bee and will represent the Topeka Capital Journal at Nationals in June.  She is 13 and now has had 3 years of Latin and one year of Greek, using your Hupogrammon and Little Bitty Baby Learns Greek (to copy letters).  She and her younger sister also take a daily dose of the Handy English Encoder/Decoder, and love to have a logic lesson from the books by Nathaniel and Hans.  We delayed formal math and concentrated on language development and reading, and I am so glad we did.  Not because she won the spelling bee, but because this approach has enabled them to be self-learners.  And they love to learn. They are progressing nicely in math, gaining concepts much more quickly now than sooner. They love their classes, because they can understand them or ask helpful questions when they do not.  I LOVED your approach – a Christ centered education – when I read your book years ago.  I wanted to thank you again.  How can we teach our children about our universe, our earth, our life, and yet not center on the Lord?  Impossible.  I just wanted you to know how God has used you in our lives, and how, in this fun way, he has used you to help Cara in His purpose for her life. Not all of our children are as equipped for language as she is, so I doubt that we are beginning a family trend.  But, they are all much better in language than they would have been, to their great benefit. May you have a happy, precious Lord’s Day, Catherine Knapp, Seneca, KS

I’m really enjoying your book. I just finished the chapter in which I learned my first words. Actually, it’s funny, because I used one of the words (logos) in a newsletter I started publishing. I’m actually learning more English grammar with Homeschool Greek than with my English books! Sincerely, Caeleb Brown (age 14)

I’ve had your book since I started homeschooling and have tried to follow it (with deviations here and there). Today I gave my daughter (9 years old) the placement test for Saxon and she placed in 5/4, with us having done very little formal math. I was so glad it worked as y’all said it would! We’ll start with 5/4 next year, when she’ll be in 4th grade. I have bounced around a lot in my homeschool philosophy and finally one night I spent the night in a hotel for some solitude to think and pray about homeschooling. First God had me read 1 Corinthians. Then I started thinking/praying through what my goals were for homeschooling and raising my daughters. In the end, God led me back to Teaching the Trivium and I’ve settled on that for the long haul. It is nice to be at peace and know that God has a plan. Thank you for your book! (And thank you also for Hand that Rocks the Cradle…I’ve got two shelves dedicated to books from that list….we love them!). Elaine

So my husband purchased a hotel stay for me for one night to enjoy some tranquility, apart from him and my 5 children. I have the tranquility, but I miss the madness. I’m sure you understand. My plan was to continue reading your book, Teaching the Trivium. My plan has unfolded (I am in the middle of chapter 12), and I absolutely could not continue reading without obeying a “prompting” to express my gratitude to Mr. and Mrs Bluedorn. So I sit in the hotel’s business center, hoping that this email gets to you. For the past few months, I have been convicted in how to “teach” Bible to our children, for I want my children to love God, His word, and how everything is put in order in this world to give us opportunities to be and to spread His Word. As I was pondering the direction to take regarding this and some other areas of teaching classically (which I have attempted to do for four years), the Holy Spirit prompted me to open your book for the first time two weeks ago at 4:00 A.M. And I did not put it down until 5:30. And now I know why. Your book is by far the most candid, straightforward, though-provoking, truth-filled one I have ever read on Chrisitian Classical education. It describes beautifully and comprehensibly the benefits of true classical learning, and it has guided me to use my own wisdom coupled with yours to educate our children with the tools that are available to me. All the other writings have been a tremendous help, but your writing seems to have been birthed out of a passion for educating others, not out of conceit regarding the educational methodology. Thank you for obeying the Spirit’s call and ministering to at least me! I’m finally seeing a small detail in God’s big picture of His calling on my life, and I am thankful that He has used you to communicate it to me. I also thank you for writing down what I have been trying to deduce in my own mind at this season in my life–how to teach classically using living books with 5 children and still have energy left to learn myself at the end of the day. Again, thank you for being a blessing, Melissa

I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to talk with me. I know that our paths crossing was a God thing. I had been praying so much about homeschooling, many three AM in the morning were spent crying and pleading to the Lord for help. I was really struggling. You were an answer to my prayer. I was amazed with how fast the Trivium book came to me. I received it on Monday, after talking with you on Friday. Wow, it answered a lot of the questions! However, your input on the phone really helped me understand a lot of the philosphies and ideas behind it, and other approaches (classical). I don’t know that I would have understood it (been open to it) as well if I hadn’t actually spoken with you over the phone. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I am reading through it as fast as I can, as I make drastic changes. I am getting rid of almost all my curriculum books, minus TruthquestHIStory and minus the Spell to Write and Read (revamped Spalding phonics). I am already sooo much more relaxed. I can see where I was going wrong. All the Math textbooks are clearing off my shelves. I have two large boxes already full of what I am getting rid of…  So many changes will be made. You had a valueable piece of the puzzle that I needed. I wish that I could get every homeschooler to read this book. It really helps. Also, I really like the pamphlets that you mentioned. I ordered and read through them. I already ordered a number of books through my interlibrary loan system. Thank you again, and again for all that you have given to me through the wisdom and experience you have in homeschooling. God bless you, Michelle

Thank you so much for the time you spent with me on the phone yesterday – I know how busy you must be. I did just what you told me and gave my mother lots of kisses and hugs last night.  She was overjoyed at the extra attention and immediatly declared you the wisest and most sensible woman in the world!  My parents both commented on what they percieved as being very spiritual advice, having expected that the writer of the Trivium could easily be more concerned about “building her kingdom” than anything else.  They thought maybe you would say that we should move at all costs to pursue the “right” kind of homeschooling.  We feel more at peace to really wait on the movement of the Lord regarding moving anywhere, and simply enjoy our special fellowship as we have it now. I am a little torn, though.  My parents property is wonderful, but it is in a subdivision of sorts that has all manner of rules . . . No Livestock!  I have always longed for a nice piece of ground where I could have chickens and goats and horses and a cow and ducks . . . (you get the picture)  I have wanted my children to have this kind of environment to work and learn in and I myself have so much I want to learn as I didn’t grow up in the “country.”  So, should we pursue finding a piece of property that more fits our desires in the meantime?  Or should we stay living right here? My husband and I have always wanted to have a farm-style upbringing for our children, and this is not what we have here at all. Ok, you are so kind to labor with me through all this, and truly I felt like I was talking to my mother yesterday.  What a sweet feeling to have spiritual, motherly advice from such an unexpected source! Sounds rather biblical, doesn’t it? My parents also said that you should come to Pennsylvania, they would love to meet you . . . I read to them out of the Trivium and they just sigh with satisfaction and appreciation for all that you stand for!  It is very lovely here . . . Have a wonderful day, Love, Gina