This past Saturday we celebrated my Mother's retirement from teaching. 40 years in the making, it was a bitter-sweet event. The retirement is well deserved and welcomed, but I know she's going to miss the classroom and the students. I think she'll find some consolation in her grandkids, though.
Alder, Mimi's cousin and partner in crime, came down from Oregon to help us celebrate.
Alder brought his mom, Julie (my sister), along with him. Here she is talking with my cousin Alisa, whom we just don't get to see enough of. She brought her son Frankie and daughter Lilly. Unfortunately, her husband was working (just like my wife). That meant she was charged with watching both her little ones (Mimi alone was more that enough for me).
At one point, Lilly, who is about to enter Kindergarten, walked over to Alisa and handed her an empty juice box. "This is mommy's trash," she proclaimed. This was a rather brilliant maneuver. It had been Lilly's while there was still juice in it, but as soon as that juice was gone, it instantly became her mother's. Alisa didn't agree.
Handing off her garbage gave Lilly the opportunity to run off and play with Mimi's cousins, Nana and Lilly (they can't get over having the same name). It's rather amazing just how much 5 year old girls conspire together.
Mimi was a bit more reserved than her older cousins that afternoon.
She did attempt the slide all on her own...
...but, true to form, chickened out at the last minute.
That was OK, though, because before we knew it the time had come for Randy, Julie, and I to give our speeches celebrating my Mom's retirement. Mimi and Alder cuddled up with Grandma in the world's largest camping chair.
The speeches over, Mimi insisted on sitting in her own chair. Both Grandma and Mimi kicked back. Grandma thought about what her retirement years might bring...
...and Mimi contemplated how she might take over the world.
After the party, Julie and I stayed over at my Mom's (joined by Sumie, who had had a light call day) and enjoyed some quiet family time, much like we used to after she'd come home from school 20 years ago. My Mom was, and still is, an amazing teacher. Over the years she's equipped countless students with the skills, support, and inspiration to make their dreams come true. And no two students more than her own son and daughter. Sumie and I are so thankful that with this next chapter, Grandma will now have the time to play an even larger role in Mimi's life. We're almost as excited about it as Mimi!
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