Framing My World - 4

 I Follow Rules

I value tradition and laws and have a well-defined set of standards and beliefs.

I avoid confrontations, usually acquiescing to others.

I go along to get along and try to cooperate not stepping on other people’s toes.

I’m practical like my mother, stay within my boundaries and within my means.

I don’t like to make mistakes, do it right the first time.

When someone gives instructions, I do what they say, I try not to deviate. I’m a pleaser.

I don’t commit to something unless I can carry it out. If I commit, I’m dedicated.

I believe that God’s Laws are the ultimate rules.

Framing My World - 3

 Kind Hearted But Not a Push Over / Family Experiences

I’m good natured. I don’t blow up easily. I carry it on my shoulders until too much pushes me to consider myself done. Exception to that is family. I yield to family, hoping for stronger relationships now that I’m older. Family has always been important to me. I thought we were always close. Maybe I lived in a fairy tale. Without children, I enjoy being a part of their activities. I’m saddened now as adults how we have grown apart.

Though I may seem like a push-over because I don’t fight back, I have an inner strength from absorbing life’s lessons and taking them to heart. I was the baby of the family, making some think I was spoiled, I was more the product of a family that fell apart, living in a situation after my siblings left that only I witnessed. My parents became embroiled in alcohol and a troubled relationship. At that point in their lives, they chose not to battle me because I was an easy child, learning from other’s mistakes. I didn’t want to create more conflict. I used my experiences to grow wiser and stronger. I overcame a lot of hurt, trying not to inflict pain on others which is why I took the back seat. This gave me a good sense of reality, making me vigilant, watching things from a distance and seeing through disguises. A comfort in all of that was the fact that I was still surrounded by agape love. I never felt that I was the problem. I knew how much each parent loved me. It was never directed at me.

One thing that impacted my self-image was something that Daddy often said in his conversations with other people when I was present. Though he didn’t intend to be hurtful, over time it became that way for me. He was usually referencing someone’s ignorance.  He would say, “so and so (whoever it was) doesn’t know any more about that than… (look around, point at me) than Nancy does.” I shouldered it, wasn’t hurt, was fully aware that I was young with no knowledge of that situation…. but the older I got, the more I resented that statement.  It took me a long time to realize that this may be why I feel inferior to others, less deserving. But it may also be why I look out for my own interest.  I’m kindhearted, but not a push over.

Framing My World - 2

 Being A Teacher

I was passionate about teaching but being a perfectionist had its drawback in a classroom situation…but it had a plus side, as well. I sometimes told my students, “There’s one chief and many Indians in here.” I also know that you can please some of the people sometimes, but you can never please everyone all the time. I was a conservative teacher and class management was high on the list. I’m sure it was because of my own learning style.  I can’t function in chaos with lots of distractions, and providing that for my students was imperative for me.  Therefore, I was a friend for the parents who liked discipline and a foe to students who enjoyed chaos. There were days when I could handle situations with humor, but more often than not, I chose to not let my guard down, probably being perceived as biased and cold to my students, though in my heart I felt lots of compassion to do the right thing as their teacher.  I enjoyed teaching the whole child in the form of large projects that were multi-faceted in achieving skills. It was fun when we were not teaching to a test. The students in Eanes were very capable of learning skills this way. I started out in a low socio-economic neighborhood with difficult and challenging students, Pearce Middle School in North East Austin. A student stabbed a substitute in the hand in the cafeteria that year. That was enough for me.  Our move to Red Oak enlightened me as a teacher and was a good move for me. We had regular students from a small rural area near Dallas.  I gained experience and confidence, earning the award of “Teacher of the Year.” We moved back to Austin and settled into the Eanes district. I often told Derek that I would have never been able to stay in the teaching profession if I had not had students and parents who were much like myself and motivated to learn.

Framing My World - 1

My Viewpoint

A viewpoint is all in perspective to the experiences that you have had, the people who have influenced you, the paths that God has led you down. We frame our world by those experiences, and they mold us into who we become and how we develop our belief systems. I find it intriguing and often wish that I could go into someone's mind and see life through their lens. I try to live life in my lane, and with God's help, I try to do what is right and wholesome and helpful to myself and others.

Being a wife

As a wife, I have loved deeply the one that I chose to spend my life with. There have been no regrets. He taught me much about life with his genuine love for others and his sense of right and wrong. Two lessons I learned from him early in our marriage come to mind. 1) “Don’t remind me of my mistakes, I have not forgotten them”….and 2) After we make a decision, we don’t look back and say ‘what if’ we had done something differently.  We move forward and do the most we can to be happy and grateful.  Mother often said that we have a marriage made in heaven. Wherever you find one of us, the other is not far away. I can be happy anywhere as long as he is there, too. We are soul mates; we lift one another up with respect. We are faithful, honest and considerate of each other. We communicate our thoughts and feelings well and we share everything. Derek understands my sensitivity.  I am so very thankful for his gracious spirit. He reminds me of my mother, never placing himself first. He has a great sense of what is right or wrong. There is no gray area.

I spent much time alone as a coach’s wife. It was tough at first for every weekend to be taken up with his work. I fought hard not to be jealous of his time spent with his job or hurt at the extra time he had to spend as a coach. Once I adjusted (probably more because I grew up)…I threw myself into my job as a teacher and embraced all that time alone, using it as prep time….countless hours planning lessons and grading writing assignments. I grew accustomed to being alone and operating around my own timeline without interruption. So in retirement, that had to play itself out in reverse, growing accustomed to having someone around. But, what a blessing to spend each waking moment with my best friend, loving and sharing all of what is good and all of what is bad.

Life in a Nutshell - 4

 Adult

Met the man of my dreams at Baylor, married in 1978 and began our life together in Austin.
Camp counselor/Camp Fire - first year in Austin during the summer, looking for a place to fit in.
Pearce M.S./Yearbook sponsor - only stayed one year, it was a rough school
Embraced at Red Oak/Teacher of the Year/UIL coordinator
moved by to Austin
taught in Eanes ISD 1983-2007
Sponsored UIL spelling/NJHS

National Award for Teams That Make a Difference/Spoke at Nation Middle School Conference in St. Louis- this was a great privilege and a huge honor.

During the summers, Derek and I travelled the world/ 23 Countries

Genealogy/DAR

Yellow Lab/Beau/field training achieving Junior Hunter

Head Coach's wife/Friday Night Lights

Life in a Nutshell - 3

College:

 Honor Roll/Dean's List

Started in Speech Therapy

was torn between business and education

switched to Journalism/English major

eventually switched to Education

Pledged sorority Pi Beta Phi, we were originally AO's then went National my Senior Year. This was one of the best sororities on campus.

still loved music/loved to dance

Dance chairman of SING at Baylor

Life in a Nutshell - 2

 Teenager

Choir - girls choir under a driven choir director. We had the privilege of being selected to travel to Austin to sing in the Rotunda on Texas Independence Day. 

Honor Thespian - participated in the One Act Play and made it to State. Placed 3rd

Drill Team - Sophmore and Junior Years

School Mascot - School wide election

Homecoming Court - Senior Year

Teacher program - Senior year, participated as a teacher's assistance to Mrs. Boger, my 7th grade English teacher. I would travel daily to the Junior High School and she let me help with the students. I loved Mrs. Boger. I also helped her by grading, compiling things in her office, etc.

Newspaper/Yearbook Staff - Junior year we produced the Newspaper, The Roar. Senior Year we produced the yearbook, The Yamparika. I was part of the advertising department, and we left school often to sell ads....and most likely ended up at the donut shop 😂

Loved to dance/hard rock music