Here's a bit of our story - put on our web site because I (Jan) am a questioner and I like to UNDERSTAND people, web pages, events, conversations, etc.  It's what I do since I am an INTP, one of the Myers/Briggs Personality Types.  Gary is, of course, an EFSJ (my opposite) which usually means he is not interested in the whys - just in the doing. Ah! Life!

Though we did not plan a gypsy lifestyle, for more than a decade we've traveled thousands of miles each year in Mighty Whitey, our van. We pull a trailer filled with over 4,000 great books that we set up as a cozy, used bookstore at homeschool conferences and BooksBloom seminars. We love helping parents and kids both find great books for whatever they are interested in or need to study.

I (Jan) received a B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota College of Education with a major in Physics and a minor in Math in 1977.  I briefly taught 9th grade Science in a public school.  It was challenging.  I enjoyed science but I liked teaching students who wanted to learn. Once I was home with our first baby, Jenni (the daughter on the right), I had no interest in going back into the classroom.  Our son, JJ, was born on Jenni's third birthday with Jodi, our second daughter, born halfway between them.  In 3 years I had 3 children. YIKES!  Parenting demanded all my time - thinking of returning to the classroom OR planning our children's education was way off in the future.

In 1982 we attended a L'Abri seminar where Ranald Macaulay spoke on "The Educational Philosophy of Charlotte Mason."  He introduced us to parent-led, learner-friendly education in which parents share the wonders and puzzles of God's world with their own children.  We were delighted when we discovered that our desire to be with our children was NOT unique to us and, most importantly, was a GOOD thing.  Later that same summer Gary heard James Dobson interview Raymond Moore, an advocate of delayed learning. Gary excitedly reviewed the interview for me and we agreed this fit with what we had heard at the L'Abri Conference.  We wrote to Dobson, who gave us Dr. Moore's phone number.  We called Dr. Moore (those were the days...) and learned that he was coming to the Twin Cities in a few months to do a seminar.  We attended that seminar, met other people daring to homeschool, and were fully convinced that homeschooling was what we wanted for our family.  We marvel at how God guided our steps.

Our homeschooling adventure began with reading what Charlotte Mason identified as LIVING BOOKS.  We started with suggestions in Honey for a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt. Later, Books Children Love by Elizabeth Wilson and For the Children's Sake by Susan Macaulay brought more authors to my attention. We discovered library sales as a source for great books and also bought books at thrift stores and garage sales. Our home library grew. We all loved to read.

I began selling used books at Minnesota homeschool book sales in 1989 - back when MACHE was at Crystal Free Church.  After many years of learning about and looking for great books, 3 bookselling friends and I decided to compile a list of our favorite authors and series. That project became my first book, Who Should We Then Read?, which has found favor with homeschool vendors and book lovers. 

In 2000, Gary and I ventured out of Minnesota with a small selection of books to homeschool conferences in three other states.  In the Spring of 2001 we added more state conferences to our travels, until finally, in February of 2002, Gary quit his full-time job and our gypsy phase began as we "hit the road" as full-time homeschool conference booksellers. (A brief note here - Gary went back to school and finished a B.S. degree in Psychology from Northwestern College in 1999.  So now HE understands why we do what we do...sort of.  He mostly likes to drive, work hard, and eat at Taco Bell!)

An update on our children: all three were homeschooled through high school.  Jenni graduated in 1996, Jodi in 1998, and JJ in 1999.  They all (unexpectedly!) continued on to college.  Currently (2012) our oldest daughter, Jenni, is finishing her Master's Degree in English as a Second Language from St Cloud State University.  She and her hubby, Jason, are the happy parents of Michael, born 11-18-04, Charlie, born 1-13-07, and Victoria (Tori), born 8-4-09, so working on her degree is not a priority - the children are!  Jenni is a harpist and piano player. She and her family love living in a small town in Minnesota where there are so many opportunities to contribute to the community. They are involved in AWANA. Jason is a volunteer firefighter.

Jodi, our second daughter, went to Colorado for Bible College back in 1998 and now lives and works in Denver. I guess I played John Denver's Rocky Mountain High too many times as she was growing up! She beats me at Boggle.  She's my fellow booklover.   She and her husband Stan share custody of Stan's two sons, Stanley (called "Smee" to differentiate him from the dad-man) and Matthew (Matty) who are bright, lively boys who loved books even before they knew Jodi!

Gary and Jan Bloom

1409 Scenic Dr.

Rolla, MO 65401