"Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child."
The strongest steel has to go through the hottest fire.
Retirement
I haven't figured what retirement feels like as we've been so busy. Mike was called back to work at the Arsenal on November 1, 2005, after two years retirement,so life changed again. I did a bit of subbing my first year of retirement and was hired by St. Ambrose University for a year to supervise student teachers. I also worked with the SAU Irish Studies program and designed a tour for March 2007 of Ireland that was a delight.
Now it's 2008 and time seems to fly by. I guess it's true what they say about getting older and time going faster. While I am just as busy or busier than when I was working, I pick and choose what I want to do.
2004-2005 was my 34rd and last year of teaching at Rockridge High School in rural Illinois. Over the years I taught thousands of kids. My room moved five times and the subjects I taught varied. I started with all levels of English, then had a resource room for several years. My last assignment was to teach freshman English and World Cultures.
I was extremely honored in 2004 to be named a Home Front Hero by the Illinois Army National Guard for my work supporting our troops by having my students write letters and other projects. I don't think I'm a hero, but I do treasure the award.
Because I missed working with the military, I joined QC F.I.S.T. (Families in Support of Troops). They stand on a street corner a couple days a week in support with signs--that's one activity. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of boxes have been packed with donated items sent to the military in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as cards and letters. For a weekend in August they've organized the Healing Field for all veterans, military, and families.
Mike and I also have become active in helping welcome home members of the military at the airport or riding escort with the Patriot Guard Riders. They accept us even though we don't have a Harley!
The latest venture is starting a Navy Families support group and network in the Quad-Cities. Marines Moms of the QC have been supportive and helpful. For Valentines Day our project was "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts." We collected hand warmers, cards, and chocolates to send to Iraq and Afghanistan deployed troops.
My Travels
Yes, it's me in a shopping cart with my best friend Val pushing me. I was taking a carriage ride in Vienna at the Residenz. We didn't want to pay for the horse drawn carriages!
Below are my parents, husband, cousin, and friend ready to fly to Scotland in 2003.
Since 1988, I've organized tours. It's a great summer job!
History of Ireland left March 2, 2007, in a snow storm. (More to come.)
Essential Ireland left July 07, 2005, for 11 days. Every day included something educational, something cultural, and something fun whether my participant was a high school student or senior citizen.
Mike and I enjoyed three weeks in Ireland in July. It was absolutely fabulous! We took a group of 20 (two recent HS grads, some teachers, and lots of senior citizens) for eleven days from Dublin and back again with stops in Cork, Killarney, Galway, and Derry. We�d seen most of the itinerary, but walking the walls in Derry was new to us. We were there July 15, so we saw evidence of marching season�I found it very sad. Mike celebrated his birthday in Donegal. The group was great�we had a lot of fun with the bunch this year.
After tour Mike and I rented a car when the group flew home. Our first and last night with the car was at Trim which we loved. Braveheart was filmed there. The B&B was wonderful. The first night there, the owner Ann told me about their daughter�s wedding the following Friday. When we arrived for the last night, she invited me into the kitchen to show me just a few of the stack of pictures that must have been six inches high! It�s all about hats! Just like the queen�wow.
Three nights were in Gortin just north of Omagh. We arrived for the highlight of the week�the sheep market! We spent our days just being lost and loving it. We were on roads where the grass was growing in the middle. One night was in a B&B near Navan Fort outside of Armagh city. Mike�s mom�s family came from there. We ended up paying a man at the genealogy center to see if he can find out what parish they were from.
Three more nights were in south County Down near Kilkeel, and we drove to Bangor for a day. We still haven�t seen the Glens or Belfast, so we saved some for the next time. We loved Northern Ireland and even in July found it quite peaceful and safe. There was only one place that the locals warned us not to go into certain pubs for supper because we were driving a car with the Republic�s license plates.
Because our daughter studied in Carlow at St. Patrick�s College for a semester, we went there to see the town and meet some of the people she met. She left a lasting and good impression there, we found. I took lots and lots of pictures that I�m using to put together a power point for St. Ambrose U. to use.
So that was our July. In August we went to Milwaukee Irish Fest, but it couldn�t beat being in Ireland as great as the fest was. We also went to the Peoria Erin Feis the day after our own Celtic Highland Games.
Anyone of any age can continue to learn! As long as you are willing to do that, you can come with me!
St. Andrew's, Scotland on the Old Course Bridge
I first traveled to Europe in 1976 on my own because I was encouraged to see Germany by the man I was dating at the time. He�s now my husband of 25 years. Then in one of my first World Cultures classes, my students expressed a desire to see the world. Since then, I have been lucky to have many opportunities to travel.
It probably isn�t a surprise with my interest in cultures and history that I am always searching for family genealogy, both mine and my husband�s. My genealogy includes Scotland, England, Slovenia, and Prussia. His includes England, Ireland, and Switzerland.
The picture above is where my dad was born in rural Poweshiek County. My g-g-g grandparents are in the middle of the picture, Alexander and Agnes Dick Brownlie, both born in Scotland and then living in Ontario before coming to Long Grove, Iowa. Their daughter Christiana married Archie Graham, also in the picture.
At the Kirkin' of the Tartan in October 2003, I met a cousin Eloise whose g-g-g grandfather and mine were brothers! And further coincidences, my husband and her son-in-law were classmates, and her granddaughter has substituted in my classroom!
In 2004 I was invited to join the Scott County Pioneer Settlers Descendents Association. Another cousin, Carol Sachs, was installed as the president for the year in September 2004. I am a vice-president now and will one day have my name on the gold headed cane.
The Clayton family is from Indiana, but we've traced them to Ohio and New Jersey. We are beginning to suspect that the Claytons are Scots-Irish. This is my grandparents' wedding picture.
My mom's family is still somewhat of a mystery, but eventually we'll figure it out. The census records seem to indicate Slovene and Prussia, but Poland and Hungary may be my heritage, too. (Chicoski, Kotchmar, Beshock, Gerdosch?)
Mike's family on his mom's side is Irish mostly. We discovered that his great grandmother had Swiss heritage (Brubaker). In 2005 we took a drive to Roanoke, Illinois, to see where she came from. The Irish part of the family (Riley, Hickey, and Powers)left Armagh, went to Scotland, then Pittsburgh and finally Boone, Iowa. We've been to Boone several times just to see the town. It's a beautiful place with great parks.
Mike's dad's family is mostly English and probably Welsh, but we have research yet to do. Family names are Davis, Channon, Brewbaker, and Speed. Mike's great grandfather Shorty Brewbaker was a fireman in Davenport.
Even with all these things, I have time to enjoy the most important thing�family.
On February 26, 2005, we welcomed our second granddaughter, Skyler Elizabeth, who is now almost three. She was born on my grandma's birthday.
Happy sixth birthday to our granddaughter March 16, 2008! Since her graduations, she went to Ireland with the SAU group in March and then began work at Kelly's Grill and Eatery. Recently she took a job at the German American Heritage Center in Davenport where she does research for displays and will eventually take over the content of the newsletter.
His two little girls are living in town. We enjoy seeing them more.
Gabby has gone to basketball games with Poppa and Granny since she was a baby. She's crazy about "bass-ball" whether it's an auditorium, on TV, or on the driveway. Now we take Gabby and Skyler to basketball games at Rocky or St. Ambrose.
They loved it if food is involved. First semester of 2004-2005 we sampled Vegemite from Australia and German chocolate and stollen for Octoberfest. We observed Day of the Dead with food and some activities for the beginning of November. The day honors ancestors or loved ones in the Mexican culture. We wrote about someone and told about the person in class.
New Email: [email protected]
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
Updated February 1, 2008
1988�Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and France
1989�Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy
1990�Tahiti, Australia, and New Zealand
1991�England
1992�Germany, then England with my husband
1993�England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland
1994�England, France,Germany, Switzerland, and Austria
1995�England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland
1996�Italy and Greece, then Scotland with my friend Val
1997�Germany, Switzerland, and Austria
1998�Australia
1999--Ireland
2000�Italy and Greece, then Sweden and Norway
2001�Germany and then Ireland, Wales, and England
2002�Family trip to Michigan; Canada; NY; Washington, DC; Virginia, and Ohio
2003�Scotland
2004�London and Greenwich
2005-Virginia,Ireland and Northern Ireland, Arizona
2006-Virginia, Texas, Virginia,Arizona
2007-March 2-11, Ireland and Northern Ireland; Texas, Virginia with stops in West Virginia and Ohio; Alaskan cruise in September; Arizona in October; Texas and Arizona again in December and January 2008.
2008, Fort Riley, Kansas the end of January; February-March, San Diego and a Mexican Riviera cruise; maybe Germany in September
2009, February or March, Italy; July, Scotland
Iowa American Legion Auxiliary Girls State
In mid-June 2008 I will again attend Iowa American Legion Girls State on the campus of Iowa State University at Ames. Over 300 soon-to-be high school seniors participate in this model state government. In 2003 I was a counselor in the mythical city of Ladehoff and in 2004 in the city of Glynn with 48 great citizens. They elected city officials, then county and state officials including a new governor who presided over the 2005 session. In 2005 I took a job as receptionist/photographer. The job evolved in 2006 and 2007, so this year I am the official "PR" person.
Family Genealogy
Follow this link for our other interests in heritage.
My Family
My husband Mike retired in January 2003 from his job as a manufacturing engineer at Rock Island Arsenal, but was called back. He enjoys playing golf and working in his woodshop when he can get into it around all the bikes and strollers. He builds and restores furniture. The Celtic Cultures Alliance also occupies his time.
Our daughter graduated May 2006 from St. Ambrose University. She majored in history and minored in Irish Studies, theology, and psychology. In 2005 she studied at Carlow, Ireland, for a semester. Since 1995 she has been an Irish step dancer. She�s competed all over the USA, danced in Ireland, and in many shows and on TV in the area. She loved the university life, and we're very proud of her academic and community achievements. She presented her senior history thesis in December 2005 and was asked to submit it to present at Purdue though she passed up the opportunity. Her topic concerned Bloody Sunday and the civil rights movement in Ireland. She did her student teaching in the fall and graduated again in December 2006.
March 12, 2004, at the St. Patrick's Society "Gathering of the Clans" where Katie accepted one of two scholarships awarded. It made it possible for her to study in Ireland through the St. Ambrose University Irish Studies program.
Our son was a student at Scott Community College, studying heating and air-conditioning in 2003. On December 19, 2003, he took the oath to join the Navy and left the end of February 2004 for boot camp at the Great Lakes Recruiting Center. The end of April 2004 he graduated and went to Pensacola for further schooling. We are so proud of him serving our country. It's something he's always wanted to do. Since he was assigned to the USS Roosevelt in Virginia, an aircraft carrier, he's been to Spain, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Greece since September 2005. He returned in March of 2006 to Norfolk where the ship went into the dockyard. He was assigned work in Newport News until November 2007 when he was sent to Ft. Riley, Kansas, with other individual augmentees for training. February 2, 2008, they left for Afghanistan.
Andy's division graduates from boot camp April 2004.
World Cultures I
(Despite this being old, I can't seem to delete this because I loved this class so much!)
World Cultures was a different class every semester because of the different interests of my students. We did try to have fun though!
