06/16/2026
This is a long and reflective post.
When I was still in the classroom teaching my sweet students, I always said, “I can’t imagine retiring because I don’t know what I would do!” I REALLY meant it! I loved teaching. ❤️I loved watching my students learn and grow. I loved getting to know the parents and I was blessed with so many amazingly supportive parents, many with whom I remain friends today. But teaching was ALL I did. Literally! Even my weekends and most of my summer and every day from the time I got up til late at night(grading papers, returning emails, planning.)
Today, I was talking to someone who said, “ You are busier now than when you retired!” I said, “ Yeah, but it is a different kind of busy. I am having the time of my life!! “
Since retiring, I get to spend every day with my precious son, Tyler. (If you haven’t met Tyler, he is 30, has Down Syndrome, and is my daily sunshine!) I have started leading a group at church once a month for parents of kids with special needs. I have learned to make beaded jewelry, resin jewelry, create resin tables, resin clocks and other resin items. I set up a non profit, Mountain Hope and have been blessed to help hundreds who were impacted by Helene. Thanks to 6 wonderful hairstylists, we were able to offer free hair cuts to a hard hit community. With the help of many, especially my dear friend Tammy, I was able to collect 750 pair of brand new shoes this past September and got to fit 480 middle school kids with shoes that fit and that they chose! Many of these kids lost family, friends and homes. I continue to donate monthly to a local nonprofit who supports those still struggling with profits using a portion of profits from my booth at Putter’s Trading Company. I started Mountain Hope Creations, set up a booth as a vendor at Putters, work at Putter’s about one day a week, volunteer at Bible School(didn’t have energy left after finishing up a school year when I was teaching.)
Today, I discovered the joy of taking an old piece of furniture that has been layered with years of stain and paint, strip it down to the original wood and bring it back to its natural beauty! I will share it soon once I’m done.
I know some people think you should retire and slow down. But today, as I reflected on the past few years, I thanked God for allowing me to be healthy enough to do what I do. My autoimmune diseases do limit me at times, like this Saturday when I had to rest all day because my body lets me know when it needs a break, but I have decided that when I have good days, I will live my life to the fullest! I will love my sweet grandbabies! There will come a day when I HAVE to slow down. But until then, I will continue to learn how to do new crafts an take on new hobbies. I consider it good for my mental and physical health.
As a Christian, I do recognize the need to slow down long enough to spend time in God’s Word and “be still” and stepping away from life's constant distractions to focus on God.I am working on getting better at that too! I’m a work in progress!
I will share the two cabinets I am redoing soon! One will be for sale and one is already sold.
