~and I learned it by watching her~

I have heard "y'all" a lot in the last 24 hours of being in southwestern Oklahoma and northwestern Texas.  Sometimes I have wondered if I still, even after living in the mountains of Colorado for the last two years, sound like I am from Kansas.  Geographically speaking, I've been around the proverbial "block" a time or two in the past 3 weeks.  From the great Pacific Northwest, to the Rockies, and now to the Great Plains all in the course of the last 21 days, I've seen plenty of new places and shared time with many fine folks.  It's been a good experience and one that I'm glad I had the chance to be a part of.  

Now it is time to go home and be ready to meet "the 20" once again in our classroom at Olathe. I have missed them and I am anxious to see them once again.  I had to be gone from them for 3 days in a row and I regret that part of it all.  I am fortunate to have had good teachers to take my place and learning continued on.  We haven't a minute to spare before the last day of school arrives and it's time to send them all home for the summer once again.

Life is interesting.

If I could have looked at the road map that the good Lord had planned out for a little girl from Kansas named "Peggy Ann",  I probably wouldn't have imagined all of the great places that He had intended for me to be a part of.  Perhaps the same can be said of all of us.  Truly, from the time that we are born until the day that our last breath is taken here on this earth, a pretty wide variety of experiences is ours for the "taking".  Each day we go forth in faith that whatever it is that lies ahead, we are able to get through it and learn from the new experiences along the way.  

When you think about it, what else can a person do anyways?  Why not be courageous?  Why not have faith?

It will be time to leave very soon.  Time to load up the car,  say our "good-byes" to my sister and brother-in-law here in Oklahoma and head west.  Please dear friends, pray us back over the mountains safely, to the other side of the great Continental Divide.  Montrose County, Colorado we will see you again very soon.   

Have a great Sunday everyone out there.  Be at peace with life.  Take care of yourselves and of one another as well.  If I haven't told you lately, I say to you once again.  Thank you for being my friends.  Where would I be without you?  In big trouble, brothers and sisters.  Big trouble :)  

From 5 years ago now~
My sister Sherry and I back home at Avenue A Elementary in Hutchinson, Kansas.  We both had made the decision to retire from teaching in 2010.  With a smile on my face, I remember how well that did not work out for either of us.  Both of us returned to the classroom the following year.  There was still plenty of teacher left in each of us.  We only thought we were ready to retire.  I have both my bachelor's degree and master's degree in education but the only reason I became the teacher that I am today is by watching the example of and being mentored by my older sister.  She taught me what it takes to be an exemplary teacher.  It is to her that I owe a debt of gratitude.