Linda Haas Mitrik
Brookpark, OH
Photo - 1969
Information - 1999
High School Activities - Pep Club, Varsity Band, Future Teachers of America, Friendship Club, Dramatics Club, Art Club
Occupation: Substitute Teacher (K-12)
Spouse: Joe
Children: Christopher 20 Mos...Born 10/01/97
I have been very busy since the last reunion. My husband and I waited from day-to-day, month-to-month, year-to-year to hear from our adoption agency to begin our family. We had other things going on in our lives.
About a week after the last reunion, my husband and I took a trip to San Antonio to visit my brother, Bill (MHHS Class of 1976), and his family. While there, we visited the Alamo and the Riverwalk for starters.
I continued to substitute teach and recently, in February-March 1999, completed a long term substitute teacher in Lakewood in my area of certification of Visual Art (K-12). I also kept myself busy with work part-time at Kaufmann's to give us income to supplement the income of substitute teaching and for the summer. Our vacations were limited to around town, visiting Kelly's Island, riding bikes around the island and visiting family around town and in PA.
In April 1995, my husband and I went out to CA to visit my sister, Patti (MHHS Class of 1974). While there, we visited the Nixon birthplace and Disneyland and a lot of other local sites. Also during that summer, we managed to see a movie with Gary Ragonese and his wife, Gail, and had a meal out.
1996 was a year that was very eventful. We made the local high school theatre docket viewing productions of Oliver at Valley Forge High School, West Side Story at Maple Heights High School and then Stomp, the improvisational dance troupe at one of the downtown major theatres. In May 1996, my mother came down with pancreatic cancer and passed away within two weeks. My brothers and sister were in town before her passing and then had to come back for the funeral from their respective places of residence that included CA, CO and TX. Later that year, we celebrated my father's 75th birthday with a big party at Quinn's in Solon. My two brothers and their sons were home for the celebration.
1997 became what has been the biggest exciting time of our lives outside of graduation from high school, college, and marriage, etc. I found myself pregnant and it was staying and looked good the whole time through. We were at risk due to my age but everything went along just fine and then on October 1, 1997, five weeks early, our son, Christopher, was born. He is 100% normal and the "love of our lives". We would still like to adopt but the adoption agency has not been as receptive to us as we would like them to be. Most likely due to our age.
In 1998, I went back to substitute teaching working for the schools again. In the summer of 1998, I went to Kent State University to take classes for renewing my teaching certificate. I took a class in Art Ed Theory, Fabric and Color Design and a class in Internet. The very next day after my classes ended, we left for a week's vacation in Toronto. Joe spent time at a conference. Christopher and I spent the time eating and shopping around town and even taking in an afternoon at one of the major Art Museums located in Toronto.
Upon our return, we found my father in the hospital. We nursed him back to health and life returned to a realm of normalcy till a recent decline in his health. So we have spent and will be spending the rest of the summer getting him back to a better health and possibly a change in his residence.
Well, life goes on. I will resume substitute teaching in the fall again unless some teaching opportunity should appear. Miss you all and look forward to the next reunion in 2004!! Also look forward to talking to some of you on the Internet.
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