Meet my mom, Conney Hyatt – she was always a part of my growing up and my education. We joke that she is my #1 fan and that I’m just like her. And, well, I hope so, because she is wonderful.

My mom was involved and volunteered during my public school years in the 80’s, and she also taught children’s Sunday School during several of those years. Then she homeschooled me (and my brother) for five years. Both my brother and I went on to excel in and graduate college.

Somehow, and certainly with the Lord’s help, she balanced it all. Her expectations were high for us as she selected challenging course work and sought out enrichment opportunities. She knew when to take the reins and when to step back. She was aware of what was too much and what was not enough. My mom worked to make learning fun from cool unit studies and field trips to a decorated classroom and dress-up days. She also took it so seriously that I do remember shedding some tears, rigid grading, and a lot of mornings that I could tell she had been up long into the night.