A Weekend of Endings & New Beginnings
We traveled to my sister's house about 3 hours north this weekend. Deb is retiring after 31 years of teaching. Middle school teaching. As someone who was "burnt out" after seven years of teaching (5 in the middle school), I have a deep appreciation for all that Deb has done. She is the reason I went into teaching. Being 19 years older than me, I looked up to my big sister and always marvelled at her positive, caring, and helpful attitude. Look at that smile. She has that smile for EVERYONE! (Even the challenging kids...I know. I've seen her teach.)
She saw things in me that no one else saw, and she encouraged me with my writing from a very young age. I can only imagine how many more children she inspired to reach their potential! (We were figuring 50 new students a year, times 31 years = 1,550 young people. WOW!!)
Here she is with a gift from her teaching team. What an awesome moment!
I had so much fun putting together a retirement book for her. Thanks to everyone--family members, friends, co-workers--who contributed!
Deb's party was held at the village park, a place she took her little sisters when we would visit her in the summers. The pool and a few pieces of play equipment were still there, and this beautiful lake. Cy and his cousin/buddy Gabe just had to test the strength of this hollow tree hanging over the lake. (Local men reassured me that the lake was only about 3 feet deep at most.)
A trip up to Deb & Arlie's almost always means an ATV ride in their beautiful coulee!
And so, even though Deb is ending her teaching career, there are so many doors opening up for her. For example, she is going to be president of her church women's organization. And she will be able to babysit her grandchildren more often. And she will have more time to dabble in her new square foot garden!
Yesterday we celebrated another "ending". Our little bait shop/gas station downtown closed its doors. The kids just had to have one last soft serve cone there. Gone are the wonderful 25-cent baby cones! Can't buy em anywhere else!! (I've looked. Believe me.)
Even though the Sportsmans Shack is not much to look at, it has always been a comfortable reminder of smalltown America. Helpful people, friendly conversations, a place for the older folk to sit and have their morning coffee. Not being a native, my entrance was often met with a silence, but I never felt unwelcome. (More of a "who's that?" kind of silence.)
I guess the Sportsmans Shack is moving uptown to the Hometowne Grocerette. Most of the store contents will remain, but no more gas pumps. And I'm not sure about the ice cream. I sure hope they keep the ice cream. For even though I know the saying holds true--"When one door closes, another one opens"--you can never shut the door on ice cream!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. --1 Corinthians 5:17
She saw things in me that no one else saw, and she encouraged me with my writing from a very young age. I can only imagine how many more children she inspired to reach their potential! (We were figuring 50 new students a year, times 31 years = 1,550 young people. WOW!!)
Here she is with a gift from her teaching team. What an awesome moment!
I had so much fun putting together a retirement book for her. Thanks to everyone--family members, friends, co-workers--who contributed!
Deb's party was held at the village park, a place she took her little sisters when we would visit her in the summers. The pool and a few pieces of play equipment were still there, and this beautiful lake. Cy and his cousin/buddy Gabe just had to test the strength of this hollow tree hanging over the lake. (Local men reassured me that the lake was only about 3 feet deep at most.)
A trip up to Deb & Arlie's almost always means an ATV ride in their beautiful coulee!
And so, even though Deb is ending her teaching career, there are so many doors opening up for her. For example, she is going to be president of her church women's organization. And she will be able to babysit her grandchildren more often. And she will have more time to dabble in her new square foot garden!
Yesterday we celebrated another "ending". Our little bait shop/gas station downtown closed its doors. The kids just had to have one last soft serve cone there. Gone are the wonderful 25-cent baby cones! Can't buy em anywhere else!! (I've looked. Believe me.)
Even though the Sportsmans Shack is not much to look at, it has always been a comfortable reminder of smalltown America. Helpful people, friendly conversations, a place for the older folk to sit and have their morning coffee. Not being a native, my entrance was often met with a silence, but I never felt unwelcome. (More of a "who's that?" kind of silence.)
I guess the Sportsmans Shack is moving uptown to the Hometowne Grocerette. Most of the store contents will remain, but no more gas pumps. And I'm not sure about the ice cream. I sure hope they keep the ice cream. For even though I know the saying holds true--"When one door closes, another one opens"--you can never shut the door on ice cream!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. --1 Corinthians 5:17
posted by Amy Siegert | 6:07 AM
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