30 years of teaching proved rewarding, challenging and heartbreaking at times.  There is only so much a teacher can do when you see over 150 students a day.   Still, it was a place for inspiration, creative outlet, and humor.   

      I was fortunate enough to start out in the elementary grades - progress to middle school - then spend some years at the high school level.    Fortunate, because it gave me a much clearer picture of the progression of skills,  than just reading about it.   

Even during my student teaching days, I was intrigued with finding ways to get kids thinking and learning in a fun way.   Of course, FUN can be an ambiguous term.   But still, I was on the constant look out and constant dwelling on what could hook them just a little bit more and make them THINK just a little bit longer.

     What I noticed, too, was that there were activites that were done in school that were good but, would not be replicated or done at home.   And, there were some fun activities that were done at home that just didn't quite have enough content or thinking skills involvement that would allow for it to be justified in the classrrom.   What was MISSING were activities - games - books that families would enjoy enough to play and use together with OUT it being an "assignment" but teachers could use in the classroom.   

       I eventually went on to start Missing Piece Press, LLC.     A publishing company  that would publish those types of works.   Over the years I have encouraged MANY to create these types of works.        Besides books and games that got people THINKING, I also enjoyed writing verse.  It probably not only stemmed from insiration from my mom but, from learning how to play guitar and writing songs in college and later writing songs for the classroom.    I am MOST fortunate and SO blessed to have two wonderful, beautiful and talented daughters.  One, happens to now be a graphic design illustrator and illustrated a story that  I had written for the girls during my early years of teaching - Reindolphins.   She is currently working on illustrating another one of my stories - we are both VERY excited about it.