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I spent my college years at Marquette University in Milwaukee, graduating in 1997 with a Masters of Arts in Teaching in Spanish. Ironically, I never wanted to be a teacher. I knew I liked Spanish, and I was even set to study in Valencia, Spain, during my junior year. But life happens, and that year we lost my father to lung cancer. It was only after I finished my Arts & Science undergraduate studies, that I realized that I had no idea where I was headed. Just in time, Marquette offered to pay for my Master's degree in exchange for teaching undergraduate classes in Spanish. And so I became a teacher, teaching three years-worth of undergrads who'd stumble into class at 8AM, unkempt hair carefully concealed under baseball caps, while I simultaneously took a full load of graduate classes. Eventually I did my student teaching at Marquette University High School, Mike's alma mater. Oh, and then there's Mike! I met him at the end of my first year at Marquette. Neither of us was all that outgoing, often heading home on the weekends to escape (and do laundry). But one weekend we each agreed to go out with friends to a big Triangle fraternity party and were introduced by a mutual friend. We got married in 1996. Mike graduated from Marquette Law School the following year and I started my first teaching job at The Prairie School (K-12 independent school in Wind Point/Racine). Two years later, I was expecting child #1 (Alex) and decided to try my luck at being a stay-at-home mom. The following year I picked up an evening job teaching English as a Second Language a couple of nights a week at Waukesha County Technical College. I really enjoyed that. My adult students were always so warm and gracious, a big change from the middle and high school students that I'd taught. During my years at WCTC we had two more children, Katie (2002) and Ben (2005). My job enabled me to still be at home during the day with the kids, as Mike and I "passed the baton" 2-3 evenings a week. Three years ago we moved from our first home at 90th and Capital in Milwaukee to our current home in Whitefish Bay. We were trying to sell our home, of course, at the beginning of the decline in the housing market. It took nearly a year, and we're still suffering the consequences from that ordeal (sound familiar). My now even longer commute to work (during rush-hour traffic) was really getting to me, as was not being home for now older kids in the evenings. So, I decided to look at other options. I'm now back to teaching Spanish, now part-time at University School of Milwaukee. Ten years and three kids after having last taught K-12, it's a challenge. As my husband's a real estate attorney (not much work coming in there), I'm just thankful for the extra income.
I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone. It's hard to believe that that many years have passed. I still get the heeby-jeebies when my kids have to dress up in 80's-wear for special themed weeks. Did we really look like THAT?!!
