I am finally seeing results of all these years of work: My credential for Special Education has come through. Now comes the job search. Wish me luck!

Today I turn 65 years old, retirement age for most men. So what do I do? I start a new career. In 11 more days I return to student teaching to earn my credential for special education. I've been looking forward to this and it's finally happening. It was my late wife who discerned before I did that I had a gift for working with students with special needs. Now I am going to put that gift to use, and yes I'm excited about it.

Today I had to say goodbye for the last time to my kitty, Loki. He was born on Halloween with big orange pumpkin eyes and lived with us since he was a kitten. For 18 years was a wonderful friend and companion. Goodbye Loki, you will be missed. :`-(

It was one delay after another. Now we finally seem to be getting somewhere. I start my student teaching in September and by the end of the year I should have my credential.

I'm finally nearing achieving my goal: I have the units I need to start my student teaching. If all goes well I should be a credentialed teacher of special education by June. It took me until I was in my 60's to realize that this is where I belonged, so remember: It's never too late to be the person you were meant to be.

At the Winter Solstice, the darkest time of year in our northern hemisphere, may your holidays (Solstice, Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa) be filled with light, love, warmth, family, and friends. And may you and yours be blessed with–and work for–justice, peace, sustainability, and prosperity for all in 2012.

I saw this video on my Facebook page and it's too good not to share: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc8ZbVcdHpg&feature=youtu.be. It shows the right spirit and is a breath of fresh air amid all the bad news lately.

Well, my courses are finished for this term. They start again in January. Meanwhile I can focus on other matters, like my Chrismas shopping. I'll be out of town for the holidays, spending Christmas with one daughter, and the New Year with another. It will be great to see the grandchildren again. The baby you see me holding in my profile picture is now 4 1/2 years old, with a 13 month old baby sister. It will be good to see them again; they grow up so fast.
Happy holidays to all my friends. Best wishes to you all, and may Santa be good to you!

A Facebook friend of mine posted this and I can't resist sharing it: "Three apples have changed the course of history: The apple that Adam and Eve ate, the apple that fell on Newton's head, and the Apple that Steve Jobs built." RIP Steve!

So I’m going back to school. My Masters program did not include student teaching or lead to a credential, so I’m going to fill the holes in my program and get my credential. I have found that nearby Ottawa University has a program where I can take the missing courses and get my student teaching in by next May. (I don’t know how a U.S. university based in Kansas and with two campuses in Arizona got the name Ottawa University). If all goes as planned, by next June I’ll have my credential in special education.
For the first time in months I feel like I’m finally moving forward. My friends, please with me luck.