the lunch ladies

left to right: Vicki, myself, Haven, Janet & Pat

For the past 2 years [or the equivalent of me transiting from classroom teacher to homemaker], I have been privileged to be part of a group of ladies that meets about 5-6 times a year for lunch.  They are friends...former colleagues...and great ladies with lots of wisdom....collectively, I refer to us as the lunch ladies.

Our connection leads back to the days of teaching at Pekin High School.  Pat & Janet were great mentor teachers of mine while I taught there for 4 years and both retired one year before I resigned from PCHS.  Pat was a great Study Skills proponent & Janet could get any amount of rabble-rouses to pass her Global Studies class. Vicki, also a former teacher at PCHS, is a retired teacher with the Tremont district and has played an important role in Haven's life, being one of her care takers when she was a baby and I went back to work for a semester.

We usually take about a variety of things: teaching, education, being wives, being mom's, relationships, politics, past teaching stories & where are many friends & colleagues are now at.

One is a Catholic...one attends the Church of the Brethren...one is a Methodist...one is an Apostolic Christian :)  We have varying political views but such a love & respect for each other.  We have laughed tears of joy & cried tears of pain/disappointment.  These ladies have given me great wisdom over the last 2 years of my life and are some of my most fervant prayer warriors.  Jesus Christ is at the center of each of our lives.

This post is in honor of you ladies...thank you for loving me, helping me, encouraging me & laughing with me...especially now that you know which front porch to join me for coffee on someday :)