How others describe me

Emily, or Mama to those closest to her,  is profoundly genuine, exceptionally compassionate, and endlessly understanding. I think this is due to the millions of books she has read as they have helped her develop empathy and the ability to see the good and support the struggles of every person she encounters. She is so very respectful of her students and is the most passionate teacher I have ever witnessed. She accepts every student and encourages them all, and by the end of the year has reasons to love each of them. She parents the same way. She has helped our children process their feelings and emotions in constructive ways because, just like her students, she respects them. 

I love that she loves learning and, as a history teacher, she has a special love for our past and our country. I saw her eyes glistening with tears at Disney’s Hall of Presidents show. That’s the type of subtle passionate greatness that I love most about her. She has an incredible sense of humor, and is always willing to laugh with me about all of the amusing things our kids do. This is why parenting with her is a joy instead of a chore. 

Colleen is the heart of our family. She creates magic for the kids everyday. She has had the honor of producing the first and biggest belly laughs from each of our kids and is the absolute best when it comes to kissing booboos and creating blanket forts to alleviate stress during a thunderstorm. She can explain the most difficult topics from the loss of a pet to losing baby teeth with honesty, simplicity, and grace. Colleen is the ultimate cheerleader, encouraging our kids to be adventurous and to be excited about learning, exploring, trying new things, and meeting new people. She has taught our children to love the “unlovable” creatures like spiders, toads, and snakes which allows our kids to have tremendous respect for all life. Because of her, we have confident, capable children who are willing to try anything and make mistakes. She knows instinctively when to push a child and when to allow them to take their time when learning a new skill. She is their biggest advocate and fierce protector.