Retirement

After teaching Kindergarten for 21 years, my Mom decided to retire from teaching.  It was something she was thinking about during the last school year, but every time I would ask her about it she said she would like 1 more year.  Well, I guess Demetri was enough for her this year, and in May she told her principal she wouldn't be renewing her contract (Demetri is one of her students that for the first few weeks of school every time he went #2 my mom would hear "Mrs. Doooouggghhhhertttttyy, I'm all done! I need you to come wipe!" TMI, yes. and hilarious).

Since there are 2 elementary teachers in the family, Michelle and Karen (and Jamie) all helped to go through all of my mom's crap.  Yes, I say crap.  There is a room in their current house that all of the nonteachers lovingly refer to as "the Teacher Crap Room."  It rivals a teacher store with all of the crap that is in there (and the room is at the most 12x12).  It took them 4 full days to go through everything.  And they were nice enough to give all of the nonteachers some items as well.  The highlights of my pile: Sharpie markers (b/c there was enough to go around, and then some) and every alligator book that my Mom owned (since I have a fear of alligators, they thought it was fitting).

But what better way to celebrate 21 years of teaching 5 year olds, other than go through 21 years of crap?  A surprise party in my Mom's honor.   We held it on Friday July 15th.  My Dad convinced her that she was going to the church for a Knight of Columbus gathering.  But instead she walked into this (except with people).  

We definitely surprised her and there were a number of people from her current school there to honor her.  She also got a call from her principal from Daphne as well as many sweet letters from partner teachers, parents, and friends. 

We were also able to give my Dad a surprise in the process.  My brother had to "play Army" in Atlanta on Saturday July 16th, so after landing in Atlanta at 4pm Friday he hopped in a rental car and made the 3 hour drive to Knoxville.  Even though it was only a few hours that we spent with him, it was such a great time.  It's been since May '10 that I've gotten to see him.

Marybeth and Shane had just made the trip to Knoxville (a 7 hour drive for them from the MS coast) for July 4th so they weren't able to join us.  Tina was on a plane from Philly to Seattle (they had been in Philly to see U2 in concert and visit family) and Robert was in California for his grandmother funeral. 

Oh yes, and remember how in one of my last posts I said that my Mom had lost a lot of weight? Well she's still going strong.  Doesn't she look fabulous?