I used to roll out of bed on January 1, head to the kitchen to start the coffee and stop in my tracks in front of the refrigerator. There it was, that big piece of paper clipped front and center. Bold, underlined words spelling out the changes I was going to make in...
The other day I received a text from a friend. It read, “My last 24 hours have been the happiest and most fun I’ve had in a long time, thanks to you.” After reading it, I paused for a moment, reflecting on what we had done that made such an impression on my friend. We...
I retired February 3, 2022, and left for a two-week trip on February 13. My family hosted a retirement reception for me on March 25. On March 26 I woke up and realized there were no more celebrations, this was my life now. It was up to me to create a new road map for...
As with every family, challenges arise. Ours is no exception. Actually, the Beans family might hold the record! From birth through infancy, parents work to identify these challenges and find solutions. As our babies become toddlers, the expectations shift a bit. ...
The word “neighborly” keeps popping up in conversations this summer. It’s a word that is not commonly used these days. My parents and grandparents were more apt to use this word than my children and grandchildren. I feel like I’m in the middle – growing up, hearing it...
I’ve used lists my entire adult life. In college, at work and at home, I’ve always had a list of things to get done. As I check one thing off, I add another. Often, I rewrite the list just to make it seem new! The one thing about my list that has always held true – if...
I’ve never been one to ask myself the “why me” question when something doesn’t go as planned in my life. Thankfully, when times have been difficult I’ve been able to skip past this question and look for solutions by asking “what if”. Often, when life presents a...
My daughter-in-law was sorting through cards and letters that their family had received over the past five years and sent me a picture of a card she thought I might enjoy. Upon receiving, my first thought was, “Wow, cheers to Emily! She’s tackling this after five...
Retirement. I never really thought too much about the word or the idea of retiring. I truly enjoyed and appreciated the work I was asked to perform at Bryan. It felt challenging, purposeful and fulfilling. I loved my co-workers and volunteers - they were like family...
