Meet the Shewmake Family

Pinehaven Adventist Academy
Tom & Judy Shewmake
Melissa, Tommy, Timothy, & Aarika

    Tom is an Occupational Therapist and he works part-time with handicapped children in the California Children's Services program. The other half-time Tom builds houses (sometimes with our sons) and does custom carpentry jobs. Tom is active in our homeschool, working with the children with mathematics, Bible and music, along with other areas of school that need to be reinforced. This has been a real boost to our homeschooling experience.

    I am a full time wife, mother, homemaker, and homeschool teacher. I am also the editor of The Adventist Home Educator Handbook and this website. God has blessed me with the special ministry of AHE, homeschooling is a passion -- as is sharing it with others.

Beginnings of our Homeschool   

    Tom and I were both raised as Seventh Day Adventist's, in fact, our children are seventh generation SDA's. The children have never attended any school outside of home through academy. Our homeschool experience began in 1980 when our oldest daughter was born, as we feel education and training begin at birth. In 1982 I first read about people teaching their children at home and a seed was planted, that continues to grow. I studied the Spirit of Prophecy about God's plan for education and read the Moore's books and we officially started homeschooling in 1985. In 1984 when we moved from southern California to 10 remote acres in the Sierra foothills of northern California beyond the power lines and "only" 45 minutes away from the SDA school, everyone asked us what we were doing about the children's education and we had our answer ready "We are going to learn at home."

    We started out trying many different curriculums and quickly found that most are designed for schools and are basically "school at home," not True Education as outlined in the Spirit of Prophecy. We ended up designing our own curriculum and incorporating the Moore Formula of work, study and service. We use Learning Projects, real books, music, computer, hobbies, practical skills, Adventurer Awards and Pathfinder Honors for our core curriculum. By reading through The Adventist Home Educator Handbook and noting the items marked, you will see the resources that we have used or are using in our homeschool.

 How blessed we are!

Tom & Judy

Timothy, Sabrina, Aarika, Tommy

Melissa, Logan, David & Aidan

About our Children

Our daughter Melissa is married David, who is a computer consultant, web application designer and small business owner, along with being a wonderful son-in-law! David and Melissa are the parents of 5 year-old Aidan and 1 year old Logan so that makes us Grandma and Grandpa now! They live in nearby Placerville so we get to see them often and love being a part of their lives.

Tommy, our oldest son, is married to Sabrina and they live nearby in Folsom. Tommy has been a Bible Worker, Task force pastor and Youth Pastor. Presently he is co-owner  of a roofing and painting business. He's also very involved with music, playing, writing, performing and recording.

Our youngest son Timothy has also graduated from our homeschool. He had difficulty learning to read. You can read our search for answers in Reading Success. He is working in construction with a local contractor and also works for Tommy. He's in training to become a life trainer with the goal to help others develop their full potential.

Aarika (11) is a true joy and blessing all wrapped up in a sweet bundle of love, truly a gift from God to our family.  She is an avid reader and loves books learning and arts & crafts. She's interested in playing the piano and guitar and in the early stages of learning these instruments. She's also a little computer whiz already and loves designing houses and other graphics projects, typing and math programs. She likes helping me in our flower garden and in the kitchen. She also loves playing with her Himalayan cat Sassy, going to Sabbath School and being an aunt to Aidan and Logan. 

Extracurricular Activities
    Our family enjoys music and it is a big part of our lives. The guys all play in the church Praise Band, Tommy plays guitar and leads the group, Timothy plays the electric bass, and Tom the keyboard. I prepare songs for projector and coordinate practices etc. Aarika is learning fiddle from Tommy and piano from me and guitar from dad. 

     Our marriage, personal lives and relationship with God have been transformed A Connected Marriage and we are blessed to minister to couples along with Melissa and David through Connecting Relationships. Our church ministry Placerville SDA Church is with the praise worship team, greeting and hospitality, deacons and deaconess and Connecting Relationships workshops.

    We plan to continue homeschooling as long as God leads us. We are praying for God's guidance in the education and future of each of our children. I would enjoy hearing your story of how God led you into homeschooling. Please share it with us! ~Judy 

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