How do I condense forty years into a few lines?

I have been living near Bemus Point, New York, for most of my adult life (Bemus Point is on Chautauqua Lake in the rolling hills of southwestern New York and near Chautauqua Institution). My husband, Tim, and I have been married for 37 years, and we are the parents of two: Angela, nearly 24, who just graduated from The George Washington University with a master's degree in international affairs; and Ethan, 21, who is currently a senior at Houghton College. Tim is a retired social studies teacher and guidance counselor. I have been an elementary school teacher ever since graduating from Houghton College in 1969, with the exception of 3 years in the late 1980's when my husband and I moved our family to Flagstaff, Arizona, so that Tim could get his doctorate in counseling. At that time, I worked for Northern Arizona University as its student teacher coordinator. I earned a master's degree in education from SUNY Fredonia in the 1970's.

Teaching was definitely not in the cards for me--or so I thought. I remember the time that 6th grader Chip Porter put chewing gum on an unsuspecting classmate's chair; he was royally reprimanded by our teacher, Miss Dunham. I had a hard time restraining my laughter because I thought the whole situation was very funny--and I knew that I could never be a teacher if keeping a straight face was a requirement. I have since discovered that there are many ploys to deal with such situations, one of which is facing the chalkboard long enough to regain one's composure!

Traveling has been one of our joys through the years. B.C. (Before Children) Tim and I traveled throughout the western United States and Canada several summers in a row with our CJ5 Jeep and a tent camper-- from the Fourth of July to nearly Labor Day. In the past few years we've been more sedate about our travels--cruising in the Caribbean or flying to Europe to visit Angela, who spent 5 months in France during a study-abroad program, or Ethan, who lived in London with Houghton's Honors Program.

Music has always been a passion of mine; if I had to do things over again, I might have chosen to major in music in college (as Mrs. Flatt suggested). Instead, I have to content myself with singing occasionally with music groups at my church, playing handbells there as well, and taking piano lessons (for fun!) during the summer. I recently spent a few weeks substituting for the choir conductor and church pianist at a country church nearby.

Life has had its ups and downs. Dealing with the deaths of my parents and my husband's parents has been a difficult emotional journey. On the plus side, I am in good health; and I am looking forward to a meaningful retirement in a couple of years and watching with interest and excitement as life unfolds for our children.

It will be a pleasure to reconnect with my classmates from 1965!

2015 Update:   I love this quotation attributed to Terry Pratchett: Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened. Can you relate? I certainly can!

A lot has happened to me in the ten years since I wrote the last update. I finally retired from teaching, at the age of sixty, and I am now unencumbered by weekly lesson plans, report cards, and parent conferences. It was a rewarding career, and one that taught me a lot about myself and about life. My daughter, Angela, was hired by the French government to become a teacher herself, teaching English to French boys and girls (who are every bit as naughty as American children!). She was assigned to a small city in Normandy, named Lisieux, where she met the man she would eventually marry—Romain Dupont. Angela and Romain were married here in Bemus Point in the summer of 2009. Over the next five years, they lived and worked in Paris. However, last summer they moved to the States so that Angela could start a doctoral program in clinical psychology in Pasadena. Romain is teaching chemistry and physics at a private French school in Burbank, CA.

As soon as it became obvious that my daughter was going to marry a Frenchman, I started taking courses in French—in order to be able to communicate with Romain and his family, as well as with any little Duponts that might come along. I began learning French at the tender age of 60. I spent four years in language study at SUNY Fredonia; I got as far as I could go academically—now I’m looking for an immersion program!

Son Ethan is an attorney, having graduated from Regent University School of Law last year and having passed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. He is living in Stroudsburg, PA, where he works for a judge on the Court of Common Pleas. Not yet married, I have an idea that he is saving up for a special engagement ring for a particular young lady in his life. Ethan is an avid gun collector and second amendment rights enthusiast. And—primarily thanks to my son’s enthusiasm—I just got my concealed carry permit.

Angela and Ethan will turn 34 and 31, respectively, before our class reunion. I am very proud of the adults they have become—competent, caring, compassionate people.

This is a difficult paragraph to write. I lost my husband Tim last year, and I am facing life without the man I expected to have by my side for years to come. I miss him terribly. The learning curve has been steep—what I didn’t know how to do, Tim usually did, and vice versa. Now, all the decision-making and responsibilities are mine, and the partnership which existed for 45 years of marriage has been dissolved.

My faith in God is very important to me, and I enjoy volunteering at my church. I serve there in varied roles: I’ve been an actor/singer in several musical productions; I sing in the contemporary choir with our praise band; I join the traditional choir and hand bell choir for special occasions. I’m in charge of leading a ladies’ Bible study, and I am a member of the Prayer Ministry Team.

I have become somewhat of a long-distance driver. I drove with Tim to Texas in January of 2014, and I drove Angela and Romain to California in the summer of the same year—and yes, I did most of the driving. Pretty good for someone who learned to drive in Middleport and who was nervous at the thought of driving in the big city of Lockport!

It will be good to see everyone again in just a few short weeks. I’m looking forward to our reunion weekend!