Tag Archives: memories

My First Graduates

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My First Graduates

May10-4August 1998 was an important month for me.  This was when I took my first steps into a first grade classroom for my first day of teaching.  When I was a child, all I wanted to be was a teacher.  And now the moment was here.  Twenty-four eager first graders sat wide eyed and looked at me, wondering what type of great things we would learn.

A seasoned teacher advised me “not to smile until Christmas”.  She must not have known me very well, because I always smile.  And, within 30 seconds on that first day of school, I flashed my smile, welcomed everyone to my classroom and said I was going to take them on amazing journey!  I’ll never forget the moment where I looked up and everyone was quietly working.  My room was quiet.  24 six-year-olds were silent.  Then I realized, I hate complete silence.  So, I turned on some music with the volume very low.

My first year of teaching was fantastic.  My students were brilliant both academically and with their extra activities.  They made me laugh.  They cared about each other.  We were a community.  I missed them over Christmas break.  At the end of the year, I was so proud of their success that I moved up with them and taught them again for second grade.
This was 12 years ago. Now, my first group of first graders is graduating from high school.  My babies are grown!  I searched for some of them on Facebook to see what their future holds.  Many of them still looked similar (with the exception of body parts and facial hairs not normally found of six-year-old kids).   The interesting thing was the path of many of them, were characteristics I noticed back then.   Juanita Araque was an amazing dancer.  We even watched her as Clara in the Nutcracker.  She is now working with a professional ballet company and following her passion.  Braea Tilford was a social butterfly.  She’s graduating from Central High and was a cheerleader and Homecoming Queen.  Joey Coombs was very smart at solving problems.  He’ll be attending UK to major in business marketing.  Bethany Welch was one of the smartest students I had ever met.  She had just moved with her family from South Africa and I was just proud to be her teacher.  She’ll be attending UL and studying cultural anthropology.

And the list goes on and on.   I am just as proud of them now and I was twelve years ago.  Back then, boys and girls didn’t like each other more than just friends.  Now, they all have their prom pictures with “the love of their life”.  (If only they knew it’ll be more like “love of the next couple of weeks”!)  Although I’m still the only person that looks the same as in 1998, I feel as if they have the same spirit, love and drive that helped us all survive those two years together.  I’m excited to follow them over the next decade and although it was a long time ago, I hope I made some type of difference in their lives.

M.Y.  May 2010

One Wish

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One Wish

May10-1She’s the only one I ever knew.  The one person that believed in me when everyone else had doubts.  She was the person that felt I could do no wrong, and even when I did she still loved me unconditionally.  She let me know I was special, intelligent, gifted and beautiful.  And she loved to brag on my accomplishments.  She was proud to see me flourish and find my way.  And then May 23, 2001 came.  That’s the day my mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer.  In addition to fighting the disease, my mother’s main worry was what would happen to me – her only child.

I didn’t know until years later, but my mother initially kept a journal of her battles with ovarian cancer.  She also talked about overcoming different obstacles.  And then one day, she stopped writing.  The same day she stopped writing in her journal, is the day I moved out of her house and into my own apartment.   I never knew that my move affected her.

For the five years she battled cancer our relationship blossomed.  I made sure I took one day each week to spend the night at her house.  As her health declined I stayed more nights.  As I saw her become more weak, yet still look elegant and a symbol of strength, I knew there were many questions I always wanted to know.  So, I had someone interview her and discuss things like how she met my father, why she chose our church and what advice she has to offer me.  I cherish that video.

My mother passed away on May 23, 2006.  I was at peace with her death because she and I had a special bond that still lives within me.  Since my mother’s death I have made it my mission to give back to the Louisville community in the same way my parents did.  If you knew my mother, she was definitely one of God’s angels sent to make a difference on everyone that came in her path.  And while I will never be Dr. Lillian Yeager, I will continue to strive and make my own personal mark.

This Mother’s Day I ask everyone to do one thing.  Make amends with the ones you love.  We can’t pick our relatives but we can definitely support them and let them know we care. So often we think so much about ourselves and hold grudges against people that have caused us harm.  Realize, though, that nobody is perfect and tomorrow isn’t promised.  Ask anyone that has lost a parent, sibling or child that they never made amends with.   It’s a feeling that can haunt you and one that you can’t reverse.  So this Mother’s Day, reach out to someone and tell them you love them.  Maybe you’ll call your brother that you haven’t talked to all year.  Why not send your childhood friend a text message just to say hello.  And even though you and your mother may fight like cats and dogs (or maybe your father was never there for you) – reach out and show you care.

M.Y.  May 2010

Fit For a King

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Fit For a King

Apr10-4I remember as a child, that whenever I would make the trek with my family from Louisville to Lexington, I always wanted to drive the route that had the castle. I thought it was the most amazing creation. Who would have imagined that a castle would be in the middle of some horse parks?

The history said to be behind the castle is: Rex and Caroline Bogaert Martin got the idea for the castle during a vacation in Europe. The Martins initially had trouble finding suitable acreage for the new home, but finally purchased 53 acres along U.S. 60 and Pisgah Pike. Plans were drawn in 1968 and ground was broken the next year. But in 1975, while the castle was still under construction, the Martins divorced. Whether the castle’s progress had anything to do with the separation is part of its mystery. Divorce records give only an oblique reference to the castle acreage.

Tom Post recently purchased the castle and remodeled it into “Kentucky’s Premier Luxury Tourist Inn available for nightly accommodations, weddings, corporate events and personal occasions.” I was honored to be invited there for a fundraiser this month for the Home of the Innocents.

It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. As a child I dreamed of being a princess who gets rescued by my prince in that castle. I had to see what was behind those walls. I just needed one sneak peak.

And here’s what I saw – beautiful chandeliers, fabulous artwork and “old skool” furniture that looked like medieval time. It reminded me of a fancy hotel. It also reminded me of when you visited a nice store as a child and your parents said not to touch anything.

But here’s the thing – the inside didn’t mesmerize me. I wasn’t trying to plan my honeymoon there. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice inside. I would recommend others to visit. However, it’s the outside of the castle that gave me something to daydream about on an otherwise boring drive. It’s the outside of the castle that contains all the magic. While my prince was not found inside the castle, my fantasies remain on the outside.

M.Y. April 2010

Snow Stress

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Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovers, those that believe in love and those seeking love.  Remember love exists in many ways so spend this weekend with the people/things that bring a smile to your face!

Snow Stress

Feb10-2

I have a love/hate relationship with snow.  I love it because it is an amazing sight to see.    To see the glow of the snow in my backyard, especially before it is touched with footprints is simply peaceful.  The way the snow sits on top of branches and rooftops looks like the page out of a perfect storybook.  There is also the joy that my job operates on the school schedule, so when they are out – so am I!

And then there’s my reality – the steep driveway that serves as my sole distraction between me being stuck at home and being reunited with the real world.  It’s not a basic, flat driveway.  This driveway is on an incline. If it’s not shoveled, I will either slide right down it or not be able to get back up it.

On Tuesday we had about six inches of snow. As the garage lifted, I knew I was in for my some major work outside.  I HATE SHOVELING SNOW!!!!! Now living in my childhood home, it’s become an instant thought associated with snow.

As I shoveled the snow this week I started to become very frustrated. I thought to myself, ‘whoever prayed for snow, please tell God you’re satisfied and the snow can stop coming’.  I kept thinking about how much I hated doing this.  Life was just so horrible.

And then I had a flashback – my mother and my father used to shovel this same driveway.  Not once did I ever remember them complaining.  I then remembered one particular snow day.  I moved back home for a couple of years after college and was an elementary school teacher.  My mother had ovarian cancer, and had just had some lymph nodes removed from her neck with surgery.  As I slept in, I heard my various neighbors shoveling their driveways one morning.  When I finally got out of bed, I realized the noise that I heard was my own mother shoveling our driveway.  I remember asking her what she was doing.  Her response was, “I didn’t want you to be late for teaching!”  Here is this woman that was battling cancer and just had a procedure done on her neck and she’s outside shoveling snow for me.

At the remembrance of that memory, I instantly stopped complaining. If she could do that for me, I had no reason to complain about doing it myself.  I also realized that I was blessed because she had purchased the most super-duper snow shovel ever invented.  I don’t have to lean over to pick up snow, it’s large enough to shovel standing up.

By now my complaints seemed juvenile and I instead concentrated on the songs on my Ipod. As I got to the last scoop at the bottom of my driveway, I breathed a sigh of relief.  I looked down my street and saw a family outside.  They had built a large snowman and we admiring their finished product. Tis the season to make memories.  I am glad that my temporary negativity didn’t affect that family from creating a new memory those kids would never forget!

M.Y. February 2010