I am ...

I am the daughter of parents who are long deceased. For better or for worse, their legacy continues to live on in me, and though I treasure the memories of the laughter, joy, and creativity of my childhood, I’ve also struggled through the consequences of the secret dysfunction in my home. My love for them is a delicate balancing act between the two.

I am 'two-times' a wife. My first marriage began at age 19 and ended when I was 40—my second marriage began at age 42 and is ongoing. Though the experiences in each relationship were vastly different, both have molded me into a better woman.

I am a mother, who I will love her children forever, a mother-in-law to their beautiful spouses, and grandmother to a growing number of grandchildren. The bond of family is strong between us and keeps me grounded in what really matters in life: grace, forgiveness, and love.

I am a retired elementary school teacher, who counts the years spent in the classroom as a blessing. Knowing I provided students with the guidance and encouragement to work through problems, and celebrated with them when victory was achieved, was incredibly rewarding. Better still was seeing students use that new-found confidence when faced with the next scholastic challenge.

I am an average musician with an above-average passion for music. Over the years I have played the piano, recorder, French horn, and guitar. I’ve also been a part of numerous vocal ensembles, the earliest of which was singing in the car on long family road trips. My love for melody and song includes Mozart, Vivaldi, the Beatles, the Eagles, Stan Getz, and Ed Sheeran.

I am an author who recently published a science fiction novel. The writing process, with its arduous proofing, editing, and revising, represented three years of long challenging work. But with the help of my publisher, I know every ‘hair-pulling’ day at the computer was worth the effort. I am very proud of the final product. It’s a great book!

I am a pet-lover and outdoor enthusiast. Canoeing, biking, long walks in the woods, snowshoeing, and swimming have all been experienced with the faithful friendship of a dog by my side. I love rosy cheeks from a day in the summer sun and frosty pink cheeks from spending hours in the wintry air. I love sitting by a fire with my dog at my feet, and reading a book with my kitty in my lap. My pets have been, and continue to be, reliable sources of companionship and unconditional love in this crazy mixed-up world.

All these experiences, and more, have formed me into the woman I am today; a woman whose heart says we are more alike than we are different, and that sharing the journey will help keep us connected instead of pulling us apart. I look forward to sharing bits and pieces of ‘me’ with ‘you’ in 2018.