I'm 80 Today, And I Earned It

 Today, July 17th is my 80th birthday. I figure since it has actually happened, I should just celebrate it!

For the first 18 years of my life, I was an Oregon farm girl.

When I was 18 I went away to the big city of Seattle to attend Seattle Pacific University. I became an elementary school teacher in the Highline School District. There I met my husband to be, Tom Reeder. We married in 1969.

We have now been married 55 years. 

I left education for a while to raise a family, daughter Jill and son Jacob, soon to be just Jake.

After about 30 years in education I retired. I had become a grandmother.

Photo taken in 2011, with daughter Jill, my mother Violet and grands Irene and Isaac. 

After being an active mother I was now priviledged to be an involved grandmother. 

Everybody grew up, we survived COVID, and I finally got to get a haircut. 

As retirees, Tom and I became avid soccer fans. 

But the farm girl was still a part of me, as attested to by our glorious garden. 

Besides respite in the garden we had a retreat at the family cabin on Whidbey Island, where as a couple and as a family we spent many wonderful get-away days. In fact I was just there yesterday for the beginning of my birthday pageant.

It has been a grand life so far. I intend to laugh and love and eat chocolate through my 80's as long as I can.