Judi –
Who Am I?
That’s a very large question! I like to think that I am an ever-awakening spiritual being, capable of loving more and judging less – curious about the world around me. I’m earnestly trying to apply these concepts more every day.
But if I had to put it in limited material, temporary terms, or descriptors in time and space, it might look something like this:
• Native of Escanaba, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula (UP – Yooper).
• Formal education from Grand Valley State College – BS in Arts & Media (It is where I discovered photography!)
• Married my husband Jim (now an insatiable researcher of Candia history!) in 1979
• Two grown children – Nate (architect in Detroit with wife Mariwyn), Jesse (Santa Rosa, CA with wife Laurie and grandkids –Oscar and Juliette)
• Transferred from Grand Haven, MI to Merrimack, NH in 1982 with Jim’s Gardner-Denver job. So began our love affair with NH! Kayaking, enjoying the outdoors, making great friends.
• At 40 it became obvious to me I wanted to be a teacher so I went to Rivier College, Nashua, to earn my Master’s Degree in Elementary Education.
• Joined the Moore School family and Candia community in 1994. Taught Chapter 1 Reading/Math, 6th grade Science/LA/Social Studies. Then created the Minds in Motion program (Enrichment/Challenge for all students), which became my fulfilling career position for the last 23 years.
• Retired in June from teaching. Continued on as a student of life long learning…
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Barb –
Whatever you can do, or dream you can; begin it.
Boldness has genius power and magic in it.
– Goethe
My 92-year-old mother introduces me this way, “Barbara is my daughter who runs marathons,” or “This is my number 1 daughter,” meaning oldest, not favorite. (My sweet Mum loves all of her daughters very much.)
But how would I introduce myself? I’d say I am a person who makes decisions and sticks to them…teacher and reading specialist for 35 years, runner and vegetarian for 40 years, resident of Candia for 45 years, and wife for 49 years. I’m retired now and savoring all the benefits of ample time to read, run, and enjoy my husband and family.
I’m nearly seventy and still love the same things I did when I was eleven: reading books, sunny days outside, and sweets. I’m a joyful and appreciative daughter, sister to Bett and Peg, wife to Dick, mom to Meagan and Chuck, mother-in-law to Vasu and Kelly, and grandmother to Jaitin, Anjali, and Rory. How lucky can one person be?
Judi and I taught together in Candia, and she has been my treasured friend for many years. I’m blessed to have her accompany me on this trip, which will be a true test of perseverance for both of us as peregrinas, pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, following in the footprints of hundreds of thousands and making our spiritual journeys.