My wife is an absolute rock star! I don’t really know what that means, but it sounds good. I think it means that if someone refers to you as being a rock star in terms of your work, it means you are seen by him (or her) as totally rocking it out, doing a fabulous job, having an impeccable work ethic and outstanding performance. That describes my wife Roxie very well. At the end of the school year she will retire from teaching 3 and 4 year olds at Madison/Marietta/Nassau, a job she’s done for the last 34 years!

Thursday was her last graduating class. Her co-workers invited me to surprise her in the gym after the graduation ceremony. With parents and grandparents in the stands I pushed a large cake onto the gym floor to her surprise. She said later she tried not to cry. It was emotional for her and me. Roxie has dedicated most of her life to spending quality time with young children and helping them to learn and grow. She has done this for 34 years at the school! Before that she did daycare in our home for 12 years. So, really she has been working with young children for 46 years.

We were boyfriend/girlfriend in high school and we talked about everything. She mentioned often that all she ever wanted to be was a mom. She really didn’t have a desire to go to college like the rest of our classmates, she wanted to be a mom! I always jokingly told her that I could help her with that! That was always my comeback. I was such a good boyfriend. Roxie became a terrific mom and now grandmother. She really cares for her own children, grandkids and school kids. One of her best attributes is her patience with children. I played Santa Claus for a few years for her class and that was enough for me. I don’t know how she does it.

She has had a big impact on many of her students. Her first students are 30 some years old now and with families of their own. Roxie and I were out to eat at a restaurant out of town one night and the young woman that was waiting on us was so nice. When she brought us our bill, she asked Roxie if she taught at Lac qui Parle Valley? Roxie said, I am at Madison/Marietta/Nassau and am a preschool teacher. Our waitress, who I’m guessing was 20 years old, smiled and said “You were my preschool teacher!” Roxie and I were shocked. As they talked Roxie told her she remembered her because she had the biggest dimples and she remembered her beautiful smile. Isn’t that a cool story. Love it.

Roxie begins her day reading her Bible and praying. She spends a half an hour each morning before she goes to work spending time with the Lord. She has prayed for her students for 34 years. On Thursday I posted on my social media sites pictures of Roxie’s surprise retirement party and we are both overwhelmed with the response to the posts. The wonderful things everyone said about her makes me very proud of her. She has always loved spending time with children. It sure will be different when school starts next fall and she’s at home. There goes my quiet lunch hour! Happy retirement dear and happy Mother’s Day!….love you very much.