Farewell teacher - you did a fine job

Shawn and fiance

As one goes through life...priorities change. Until I had school-age children I didn't really consider how important it is to have quality schools. When that time rolled around for us - we were blessed to be in Creston - where there is a good public school system, and there is a Catholic school. St. Malachy.

I wasn't sure I wanted to send my children to parochial school. I grew up in Atlantic where that wasn't an option - we attended Catechism on Saturdays and Wednesdays instead. Catholic school required tuition. The children would attend church each week on Thursday. There would be tradeoffs compared to attending public school.

To help decide between the two school systems, I decided to volunteer to work in the St. Malachy Library - situated right across the hall from the Kindergarten class. During that time period the school was floundering a bit at the helm. There were a couple principals who didn't work out so well. Especially the one they let go during the year. She had the bright idea of purchasing a traffic light for the lunch room - when the noise level got to high...red light! Bomb.

But, as I sat at my pretend librarian's desk I could hear what was going on across the hall - in the Kindergarten room. Ms. Shawn Milligan lovingly interacted with the young students while teaching them. She was firm when she needed to be. I liked her approach. I was sold. Paul and I attended the St. M Open House and our decision was made. Amy would attend the Catholic School followed by Jud who also had Ms. Milligan. He was in the "Big" class - 24 students, so they had a teacher's aid.

This was Shawn Milligan's last week at St. Malachy after 24 years. She is moving to Omaha and is soon to be married. Congrats to her! The town of Creston and the school will miss certainly her! I'm glad Amy and Jud had Shawn as their teacher and that I was able to known her. What a great person. Here's what she said on Facebook:

Today I closed the door on my classroom at St. Malachy for the final time. I am incredibly grateful for the past 24 years. I was blessed to have a job I loved and to work with people I enjoyed and came to love like family. Thank you for the many wonderful and sometimes stressful memories. You have left and indelible mark upon my heart and soul.

The auction

You can't tell - it's a buttery color - leather. Note said $300 value - may be more like $285, but I paid dooo do do dooo $125!

Insert self-important memory here: I was instrumental in the birth of the St. Malachy Foundation Auction. I served on the Foundation Board back in the early 1990's. The board oversees a good sum of money donated by the good people interested in the wonderful little Catholic school here in Creston.

The board not only watched over the investment portfolio, we were tasked with growing the fund. the people of Holy Spirit Parish along with tuition pay for operation of the school, but the interest from the investments make a nice addition to the budget. Our dilemma - how could we bring money in without necessarily taxing the very people we already got money from? Our idea - a charity auction similar to one the Atlantic Rotary did. To check it out Paul and I went to the Atlantic auction along with Bob and Frieda Berner. Then, along with Dennis Hilger and Cheri Finken, we set about putting together out own version of this event - a Valentine's Auction.

All these years later, (and after I burned out some 8 years or so after I started) some of the same people are going strong. Bob and Cheri - you rock! Last night's event was great! Good crowd - and I think they made lots of $$. Some from me.

Back when we started, one of the things we came up with to auction were baskets - it was a "stone soup" idea. Everyone could bring a little bit so nobody was stuck investing a lot. (I'd like to claim that I thought of this idea...but I don't recall). One early year, when $ were tight for our fam, Paul and I purchased a "Holiday Basket" put together by the St. Malachy teachers. When the kids got up the next day, it was like Christmas all over again - they were delighted by going through the basket to discover each holiday representative item!

It had been a couple years since Pablo and I had purchased anything. Imagine my surprise and delight to discover a Dooney and Bourke purse on the silent auction! I tried to resist but my bidding hand worked independent of my body (it was like a scary movie...!) MUST HAVE.

I had to chuckle in bed last night as I tried to go to sleep. I was the proud owner of a lovely medium east/west satchel. And Pablo - soon to be birthday boy is the proud owner of a - dehumidifier. Yeah, didn't he score big?!? Awe. I'll make sure he gets something good. But prolly won't be tax deductible like this stuff was...

First day of school

I took a short walk tonight when I got home - still trying to loosen up that tailbone injury ya know. You know what looks worse than my thighs in Kohls mirror in a swimsuit at the end of winter? My ass with a bruise.,

Anyway, while walking, the late August sun on my back made me feel like "Back to School" time. I got a bit nostalgic for the days when Amy and Jud were school kids. They each started their educations at Creative Beginnings - a pre-school in Creston run by two sisters, Mrs. Drey and Mrs. Weeda. They are awesome teachers and get the kids more than prepared for kindergarten. In fact - Kgarten was still half day when our kids went, and it seemed boring after Creative Beginnings (CB)!

Amy attended CB with Krissy McFee, Ryan McKim and Brett Peterson. Jud went with Kimmy McFee, Keith Peterson and Katie McKim. We all carpooled, which made it more convenient. Parents took turns bringing a healthy snack and kids also had to take other homework assignments like a map of Ireland - not so easy back in the pre Internet days! We lived for "parent teacher conference" so we could hear how wonderful our children were!

Then the kids moved on to St. Malachy. We were so fortunate to have such a great school in our town - it was one of the things that kept us in town. We had planned on moving on - staying in Creston for just a few years and then Paul would apply for a job elsewhere. I hadn't planned to live an hour from my hometown! But a good education for our children (and fun and quirky people for us to drink and hang out with) trumped that other stuff. So we stayed.

I'm glad we did. And we went through lots of "first days of school" for the kids. New backpacks, new shoes and outfits. Amy would label all the school supplies (for both kids) in her neatest handwriting. Sometimes even individual crayons! Jud wasn't ever that excited. And on the first day Moki and I would walk the kids down the street to the bus. I'd watch until the big yellow buses took off. Then I'd go home and have a big bloody mary. haha just kidding! I should have though!