Retire in Style

Well, the day has come. My Mom is finally retiring from teaching. Tonight was her open house at school. I took a few pictures, but first I want to just give her a quick shout out. She started teaching in the 60's and stopped teaching to raise my brothers and sisters & me. She resumed teaching when I was a teen and hasn't looked back. Through her teaching journey, she was diagnosed with cancer. She continued to teach every other week between chemo sessions...two different sessions of chemo. As a matter of fact, I was there when she came out of surgery twice...she was heavily drugged, and she kept asking , "Where are the kids? Have they gotten their homework assignment? Do they know they'll have a substitute for a little while?" She wouldn't quit asking about them! The kids in her 5th and 6th grade classes that she has taught have loved her and it was evident tonight. The parents love her. The other teachers love her. And I love her. This retirement is bitter sweet for her. She LOVES the students. She LOVES the parents. She LOVES the other teachers. But it's time to heal and fight the cancer that's in her body, and, quite frankly, she deserves a break. I'm not going to tell her age, but I will tell you she was born in 1939 (you do the math) and it's time. Mom, you are an awesome teacher, not only in your classroom but in your home and a lot of the time in our home. Thank you for being the person you are and a person I love and adore! Congratulations on your retirement...