Today marks the beginning of Teacher Appreciation Week. I started thinking about it today. My life has NEVER been "teacher free!" I was born to a teacher (my mother was a public school teacher for 30 years), I spent a number of years in school myself (surrounded by teachers) and I am currently employed by a local school district and assigned to a middle school (again surrounded by teachers). Essentially I have spent my entire life among teachers and in schools. Mom and Dad got me started VERY early. I was enrolled in school when I was four years old. I have absolutely no memory of that teacher...but I do remember that is where I "picked up" Najla and she's still hangin' around! My kindergarten teacher was my least favorite teacher of all time, God bless her. She was mean and nasty and didn't believe in me at all. She tried to fail me because my fine motor skills were underdeveloped. (Look at me now Mrs. Westerkom....I am a cardmaking, scrapbooking bandit with relatively good handwriting skills!) As you can imagine my mother, the educator, took issue with that and I was moved along to first grade with the rest of my classmates. I remember Mrs. George (first grade), Mrs. Schill (she was like a barbie doll in heels) and Trudy Garza (second grade teachers), Mrs. Ray and Mrs. Cowan (third grade), Mrs. Putegnant (fourth grade and winner of scariest teacher on the planet), Mrs. Rupp (fifth grade and winner of angriest teacher on the planet) and Mrs. Frizzel (sixth grade)! WOW! I hadn't thought about them in years. Middle school is less clear...more teachers...all with "Sister" in front of their names. One teacher stands out and her name was Sister Patricia. She taught me US History in 8th grade and we really enjoyed her youth. My high school teachers were amazing! McAllen Memorial High School employed the very best teachers. I have consistently said my high school teachers, were by far, the BEST teachers of my life. These individuals made such a profound impact on my life. Many of them became lifelong friends and mentors. Plus, my mom taught there which allowed me to get even closer to a lot of them. In fact, my mother was my typing teacher in 9th grade. It was a random scheduling thing....but she taught me the one skill I have found most beneficial in my lifetime....proper typing skills. She would die if she knew my feet weren't resting flatly on the floor right now! (She used to make us type in the dark...on those old IBM's that made a humming sound when you turned them on.) I can't celebrate teachers without mentioning Ms. Gevock (journalism), Ms. Sandoval (computers), Ms. Callahan and Mrs. Johnson (English), Mr. Baus (science), Mrs. Olivo (US History), Mrs. Garza (Algebra I), Mr. Rah-Rah Ramirez (cheerleading), Celso Gonzalez (golf coach), Mrs. Flor Salinas (Spanish)....these are just SOME of my favorites! And then there was college.....Dr. Meyers (English and Women's Studies), Dr. Hilliard (Sociology of Sport), Dr. Rheiner (Abnormal Psychology), Dr. Villa (Biology) and graduate school, Dr. Dewlen (who is now my boss!). Then there are the people I work with and am friends with....Christine, Rebecca Senger, Carolyn, Julie, Sara, Sofie, Larry, Danica, Jace', Karen, T. Camp (I know you read this, girl!), Amy Haywood, Deonna, Jack, Stephanie, Rose, Lynda, Alma, Adam Schaab, Sorensen, Huffstickler, and that list goes on for miles, as well! I have been shaped and molded by each and every one of these individuals. I could not celebrate teachers without naming each of these people. Thank you for indulging me. So, go out and hug a teacher today. They work so hard and rarely get the praise and recognition they deserve! Imagine managing 30-150 different personalities a day all while trying to teach a lesson! They deserve a million dollar a year salary. Funny how life works, isn't it?
I am lovin' Luke Wright and his first birthday! Luke belongs to Holly and Greg. Holly and I went to graduate school together and currently work together. Luke is a precious, precious little guy with such a sweet personality. Happy 1st Birthday Mr. Luke!
This is simple.........THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Goodnight friends and remember early voting ends tomorrow! Election day is Saturday, May 9th.
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