My First Day of Retirement

I haven't painted or written on my blog in over a month... 
Life has just... well it's just kept me from it.

😊Click Here to see a little video.😊

😊It's at the end too, but just in case you don't make it to the end... 😊

I've been retired now for about 24 hours.

Has it sunk in?  No.
Am I completely emotionally drained? Yes.
Have I got my thoughts about it together? No.

I've been shown so much love.
I have felt so humbled and so honored.

I have always believed that writing is the physical act of organizing thoughts, and right now my thoughts are a scattered, jumbled mess.
Honestly, I don't think I'm quite ready to gather them.

So... for today, I'll let pictures rather than words tell the emotions.

It began before I was prepared for it (or I would certainly have worn something besides a school t-shirt and jeans!) when I received appreciation for my work with the intern program from the University. 


Oh, how I love working with interns, and how many have become wonderful teachers!

Whenever anyone would say, "You can never be replaced!" my reply would be, "Then I've failed as a mentor because I've worked really hard to train countless young teachers to do just that."

...With my two interns from this year.  They are going to be such fine teachers.







My district provided a beautiful banquet to honor retirees.

I got to invite my most important people to join me.

Of course, my favorite...
He really is the best.

My dad. He's 90.
So glad he could come.
He and my mother taught Agriculture and Home Economics for 20 years.

My son and daughter-in-law.  

I missed having my daughter and son-in-law. Maryland is just a little too far away.

My people...
Melanie - my 4th grade teaching teammate, my friend
Mona - our school secretary, my friend
Julie - my 3rd grade teacher down the hall, my friend

My assistant principal came to support me. Love her so.

Wow... once my fourth grader, now a teacher and mentor herself.

 My former principal, now assistant superintendent.  I learned so much about professionalism from him.

My first principal, way back when I was just a student teacher.  He took care of me.  

 Then...When I got to the school early the next morning...

This was right in front of "my spot."

Later that day...

Surrounded by 56 of my favorite people.

To reveal this...

And just when I think I cannot possible cry any more...

Click for a little video of this...

love, Love, LOVE!!

These people... my school family!

Love them so...

After I warned that if they ever noticed the stone missing, they might think to check my own garden at home...

At our fourth grade graduation, they presented me with another to keep...

... and yes... I cried again...