We had experienced so much loss in the last ten years. Now, during our first three years in Lexington, 1985-1988, we experienced so much change, so much was added in. Life was full of treasured people, and challenging experiences.
Our much-loved kids were growing and changing so quickly during their teen years.They did normal stuff like take gymnastic classes and do camps during the summer. Jenny did a drama camp one summer. We still joke and call her our "drama queen." We even caught them studying sometimes! Both were and continue to be very creative individuals.
We bought a home near my sister Nancy and family, our friends for life Mary Fleming and Dow and Lois Robinson. All our houses were no more than a block or two from each other! We left our ten acres of land and got acres of blessings instead -- more than we could imagine. Plus we still had our cute toy poodle Muffy, here in the arms of Mary Fleming.
And we discovered that it snowed more in Lexington than in Norman. Fun for all! One thing that wasn't much fun was working to find a fix for Jenny's orthodontic challenges, But she was a trooper with whatever came her way.
When it wasn't snowing, Bill enjoyed making a huge garden in our back yard. We all enjoyed the produce it gave us--so did all our friends and neighbors!
Jonathan graduated from our church's school, NCA, New Covenant Academy, in 1987. He was the only senior guy along with 7 beautiful young ladies. Both kids were excellent students and had moved ahead one grade over the course of several years, so graduated a year early. Jonathan decided after graduation he would begin his college career at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, receiving a scholarship to help out. We helped him move in to his dorm, went home and found our nest half empty. Jenny continued to be a joy and big help in many ways.
When our third year wrapped up, I also had finished my masters program in literacy. During the last year, I was invited to move on to a doctoral program at UK and was offered a job as a graduate assistant. This was a VERY hard decision, to leave the kids I so loved, but God's instructions were very clear. It was with tears I told the kids about the new plans (I had taught some of them for at least three grades, 1st-3rd grades). We cried together. I still remember sitting on my teaching stool with tears running down my face.
These years at the school were full of blessing for me, and challenges. How much I needed God to change my heart to meet the swirl that happened. The principal's job and leadership kept changing every year. After the first year, Tim Mitchell, a wise and loving principal, left for another calling in life. After our second year, the principal was not an educator and not rehired. Instead of a principal, the next year Mary Fleming and I got to work as co-Master Teachers to train children and teachers. She had responsibility for working with grades 7-12 and I with K-6. It was an amazing partnership. We prayed together every morning before school. The school board served as principal with Harold Hodgkins as administrator. However, after three years, the school board decided that the school would close down and all 200 kids would need to find new school homes the next year. This was a shock for all.
By the time the school was permanently closed, Jonathan had already finished his freshman year of college, but Jenny was only a junior and would need a new school for her senior year. She chose to complete her last year of high school studies at a magnet school in Lexington public schools that focused on Japanese. She went to Henry Clay in the morning and transferred to Bryan Station in the afternoon for the magnet school. She studied Japanese and International Studies and is still in touch with some of her classmates on Facebook.
Meanwhile, Bill was working hard. While back in Norman he had started working for SAS Institute, a company that makes data analytics software, as a contract instructor. This continued in Lexington and took him around the country. As that began to taper off he took a short-term position with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation to provide a tracking system for animal subject experiments. When that was complete the Foundation wanted him to come on full time but Bill was reluctant and declined. Shortly thereafter a position came open for a federal contractor, CDSI, that was providing support to the federal Office of Surface Mines and the state counterpart. Bill was hired on and in a few months was managing the office. When the 3-year contract came to an end, it was extended with other contractors taking over for short periods. The nice thing was that each contractor wanted to retain staff so by the time a new contract was awarded salaries had gone up markedly.
30 years ago this August I wrote, "How grateful I am for a loving husband, though Sunday he had a word in his heart that his greatest work of service would be his death and the way in which he dies. I trust the Lord for many years together before that!" And so he has given us many years. Our lives are in His hands.
Our church family was amazing, creative and lively! Many great talent nights were enjoyed. Here you see Nancy Kennedy, Claire Sawyer and Lois Robinson all on the trampoline singing their hearts out. They called themselves the Happy Heartbeats. Bill had his singing debut during this event. He dressed up as Kenny Rogers to sing a Dolly Parton song. Now Bill has three notes and they're all off-key. Barb Munz, a voice with dulcet tones, was his partner as Dolly. Together they sang a variation on Islands in the Stream:
Here we go traveling from place to place(As a footnote, Bill and Barb practiced so much that he eventually started singing on key. This was bad. Really bad. But by performance time he was back to his off-key voice and all was well.)
Looking for church where they speak of grace
Don't want to hear about tithing or law words or nothin', uh uh!
Islands in the stream
That is what we are
No one in between
How can we be wrong
Sail away with me
To another world
And we rely on each other, ah ha
And we rely on each other, ah ha
Vacations often included Grandma and Grandpa Leal. We loved spending Christmas with Grandma, Grandpa and Bill's sister Mary Ellen and their growing family in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And sometimes we got to spend it with my sister and family too.
Summer vacations usually included renting a cabin near a lake, or driving to see important places, like Kentucky's caves or Abraham Lincoln's birthplace. You can see three of us in front of his log cabin birthplace. I think I told you in an early blog that he is my great, great, great.....uncle.
.There are lots of beautiful places in Kentucky and nearby Tennessee. We tried to visit as many as we could. Goofing off at home with Paul and Ana Hills was also fun.
We love our family, still do, and give thanks for each other and our two amazing kids!
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