The last three years of work for Mom has been challenging. She's struggled through some really difficult days, each of which she managed through with a smile on her face and an unbelievable perspective on it all. Her positive attitude and outlook has never ceased to amaze me.
When I think back on Mom's 28 years of service, there is really one main phrase that comes to mind when describing her management style, one thing she constantly tells me when I struggle with a career decision:
"There are three priorities in life you need to remember, and they go in this order exactly. Your faith is first, your family is second, and then it's your career. If you consider the priority of each of those, you'll never make a wrong choice."
That's how she managed her office the last 28 years, and that's how she has managed our house (especially) in these last three years. It's a true testament to the type of manager she is, and most importantly, the type of person she is.
She ends these last 28 years with many friends she has met through her job as Child Nutrition Director at BISD. Friends that have laughed and celebrated through the good, and friends that have been there to love her and cry with her through the bad. She has been so incredibly blessed.
I joke that Mom and Dad may have survived cancer these last three years, but can they survive being with one another each day, all day long? And it's truly a joke because, if anything, they will thrive being with one another each day.
Everyone has commented on how great Dad is looking- and I couldn't agree more. If you just looked at him, you'd never know the fight he's put up these last three years. He's a pretty amazing fighter, and most importantly, a pretty amazing dad.
So after 28 years of waking up early, barely eating a lunch, and working late- Mom gets to set her own schedule. She can wake up at 7 am, or sleep until 10 am. She can make a sandwich for lunch or meet friends downtown. She can work on her own to do list until 8 pm, or stop at 3 pm. Her schedule is just that, HER schedule. And I know both her and Dad are thrilled.
We have no idea what Dad's next MRI will show, as we were told that 7-9 months post surgery the tumor would return- and here we are 38 months later with no recurrence. After being given just 14 months to live, I think it's safe to say God has another plan for Dad. I know he's using him in ways that I couldn't have ever imagined- and all because of cancer. If you look hard enough, you truly can see the good in it all.
Tomorrow at 5 pm, I'll be celebrating with Mom as she ends her chapter at Brenham ISD. We will probably have a glass of wine, or two...ok maybe three. We will talk about her favorite things about Brenham ISD, we will laugh (Mom will probably cry a bit), and then we will look to the future at all the wonderful things that are still left in this lifetime. We know from experience these things will involve laughter and tears, trials and triumphs, but most importantly amazing friends and family each step of the way.
Congrats Mom on 28 amazing years at Brenham ISD!
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