About Me

Hello and welcome to my blog!

My name is Kathy and I have been a teacher for more than 25 years.  I've taught preschool (3 years), kindergarten (1 year), first grade (17 years) and third grade (7 years)!

I love teaching third grade.  When I was a kid, it was my favorite and most memorable year of school.  I had an amazing teacher that year....Mrs. Stubie.  She was one of the great ones.  The thing I remember most about her is that she read to us every single day....she'd pull us back to the big rug and we listened to James and the Giant Peach, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Ramona and many more!  She remains to this day my first teaching mentor.

Me in third grade!

I teach in Farmington, Michigan where I have been at the same school for 16 years.  It is a special place and my greatest wish is to be able to stay until I am ready to retire (if that ever happens!).  Different teachers, principals and families seem to come and go....but I just stay!  LOL!

I have two children, Abbey and Brian.  Brian is 16 and starting eleventh grade this fall (2016).  He just started driving and well....that is an adventure!

We lost my beautiful Abbey in May of 2014, when she was just seventeen.  I don't want to dwell on that here, but her death has changed me in a profound way .  Those who have lost a child know what I mean.  She will always be my daughter and though I miss her so very much, I know she walks with me in my journey each day and I do my best to keep her memory alive by often thinking of the joy she brought to our lives.

I am married to my soul mate.  We don't always see eye-to-eye, but he makes me laugh and is always supportive.  Through good times and bad, my hubby has my back and is there to catch me when I fall. Losing Abbey has been so hard on us, but I am so grateful that we are getting through it together.  When one of us is having a really bad day....the other one helps to pick up the pieces.

I can't forget these two!  I love my dogs...there is nothing like coming home to a wagging tail and a furry face at the end of a long work day!  Gizmo (right) is about the sweetest dog in the whole world.  He is a Lhasa that we adopted about 7 years ago.  Baily (left) is a new addition.  She is a Shih-tzu and is blind but that doesn't slow her down one darn bit!

I love being a teacher.  I often feel like this profession chose me, rather than the reverse.  I love how there is always something new to learn and another challenge to overcome.  I love that I have a constant outlet for my creativity and need to solve problems.  I also love the teaching community as a whole.  Teaching is not a "family business" for me, but my best friends are teachers, and are some of the most supportive and inspiring people in my life.

This job can be tough.....that goes without saying.....but I wouldn't want to do anything else.

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by.  I would love to connect with you on Facebook or Instagram.  Follow the links on my home page!

Love and peace,
Kathy O.