memories

 Today is my mama's birthday, and I'm just always grateful to remember and celebrate and share her a bit today. A few weeks ago I randomly got a letter from a woman my mom used to teach with and it let me in on some things I never knew...

Your reply to my email got me thinking about your mom.  I still think of her often at the beginning of every school year for many reasons, but the big trigger is that I started teaching Fourth Grade in 2001, the year and day of 9/11, and your mom's tutoring schedule was on my cabinet with a magnet. I still have it. 

I got the First Grade job in 1992 when my husband suddenly got fired and I needed to work full time.  I was handed a completely empty room (Not even a desk or chair) and no materials whatsoever. LOL! All the other teachers started handing me their extra wall decor, etc., and I had to order student desks and even a whiteboard.  I mean, that room had walls, a floor, and windows and NOTHING else. Ha! I had taught Jr. High science, then stayed home for 10 years with my kids and taught a few years of preschool.  I was totally overwhelmed with my home situation (No job, no money, three kids and a mortgage) and now starting from literal scratch at Madison.

I was standing in the middle of my room looking, I'm sure, near tears, when your mom popped in and introduced herself. She brought a card with a teabag in it, which I learned through the years she often did, and lots of encouragement and offers of support. Your mom gave me the idea that I could do that job and that I wouldn't be alone in doing it. She had a way of encouraging, as you know.

Over the years, she always stayed a few minutes to talk when she picked up or delivered a tutoring student, and I often found a card in my mailbox. My kids all have learning challenges, and your brother did, so we would often encourage each other, though she worked a lot harder with your brother than I did with mine. After teaching all day, I wasn't so good at homeschooling when I got home. 😑

When she got sick, I felt ashamed because I had often envied her about her part-time work schedule and time with her kids; and her energy to stay up half the night coloring your applesauce green for St. Patrick's Day, etc. 😉. Then things got serious so fast and she was gone, and I had envied her life. Just goes to show you, you never know what another is facing or living with when you think they have the perfect life and you don't. It was a good lesson. The other lesson was how she handled it.  Her emails to me after she was sick are priceless treasures in that her faith and courage shone through.

Anyway, there are some memories of your mom as I knew her. I still miss seeing her, and I can hear her voice so plain when I think of her. She was a good friend to me, and she adored your dad and all you kids to the max. 

Isn't that precious to have? 

It's also precious that Aunt Sharon is coming in today for a few of the days we had planned to be in Haiti with her...Thankful.

Keep praying for all our family in Haiti!