What a strange day!  I received my last pay check from MiraCosta in the morning, and my first retirement check in the afternoon.  I know I'm ready to retire, but knowing that was my last check from the college was sobering.  Well..sobering for about 20 minutes.  Then I spent the rest of the day resolving a computer issue for MiVida, closing out my online class, and packing for Hawaii - now how hard can this retirement be!  I'm so excited to see how my priorities change and what is in store for me, and so grateful I get the opportunity to do it when the time was right for me.  Aloha...

This picture was taken at my last MiraCosta graduation ceremony, walking in with other faculty.  Among the pins on my gown, at the very top, you can see the pin my mother wore as Valedictorian of her high school class.  I'm so proud to wear her pin, follow in her teaching footsteps and be her daughter.  Can't you tell?

Aloha...no posts until I return from Hawaii!

Retirement - First days!

So...Today is May 30 - my second day of retirement.  I've decided to write down my thoughts as I enter this new unstructured phase in my life.  Here I am at 19 years - eloping with the love of my life.  We didn't have any plans, money or big ideas about our future - just a lot of love!  We wandered around Spain and Norway and a few more places for 5+ years...

Then we came home and....

had five children together by the time I was 35!  We had to figure out a way to support our large family so we both went back to school.  I earned my AA, BA and then Masters Degree (thanks Mom and Dad and Gramma Celia for all your love and support)

Here is the family at my graduation from National University.  I was the class valedictorian...now that is crazy with all these kids, but actually studying was my escape into an adult world that I hadn't been part of for many years.  :-)

I started working at MiraCosta College in 1973 as my husband's instructional aide.  I even got hired over the telephone.  Over an almost 40 year period, I worked as an instructional aide, an associate faculty member, a project director, a consultant, a full time faculty member, a coordinator and a department chair.

I had the best job in the world...teaching immigrants to learn English.  They taught me about their cultures and together we learned to respect and value our different cultures and ideas.  However, finally, it seemed the right time to retire.

I know I'm ready but it still feels slightly strange because my life has always been so structured and focused for so many years.  My main goals are to provide love and support to those five amazing, talented and very different Ramirez kids, spend quality time with the love of my life who I call "MiVida" and who has grown up with me, and share time and support my beautiful grandsons

Noah - 14, Lucas 12, Joshua 10, Joey 8, and Danny 5!  What a gaggle of boys affectionately referred to as "The Cousins"

So...here I come - Act III - May my life after be as rich and blessed as my life before!