The End Is the Beginning

With all the graduations, birthdays, and orientations going on lately, I've been surrounded by beginnings and endings. And this week, one of the biggest endings and beginnings of all took place for our family - my mom retired after 30+ years of teaching. To celebrate, her work colleagues, past and present, gathered with family and friends and put on a wonderful party for her.


Teaching is a profession that isn't always valued as highly here as in other countries. I think a lot of people think that teachers have it easy - they have winter break and summer vacation. Maybe some teachers take it easy, but my mom is one of the hardest working people I know. She's gone to work everyday and shown integrity, compassion, and sincerity to each of the children she's helped to grow and made a huge impact on so many of them. She told me the other day how surprised and overwhelmed she was that so many people had done and said so many kind things as she's getting ready to retire- but I wasn't the least bit surprised. I know how amazing she is as a teacher, because she's taught me so much too.

Here's to a wonderful summer vacation, at last, that will just keep going! Congratulations, mom.

This is one of my dad's dear friends, Ron. He is always cracking up or making my dad laugh.

My dad actually took this picture.

This is Sue, who organized the party with another teaching colleague, Sandy.