About the author

I had awesome parents and a wonderful family. My dad and mom were both in the education world and taught me to be a life-long learner. 

My dad was a language arts instructor before he became a college administrator, but in his spare time, he loved hiking and sailing. Of course, he passed those on to me, my sisters, and my brother. He died when I turned twenty-one. 

My mom was a free spirit. She loved arts and crafts, and we were always messing up the house with them. She generous was a volunteer in our community. When she got her master's degree, she taught college classes to PTSD vets using recreational activities to develop coping skills and reconnect with others. 

My grandmother was a writer, and she taught me to write my thoughts down. It does two things she’d say. It gives them longevity and it is a window into one’s mind allowing growth. 

Both my parents and my grandparents were a powerful influence on me, ahead of their time, and gone too soon.  

 After losing my dad at twenty-one, I joined the military where I met my husband while we were working on the same aircraft. Together we raised four, self-sufficient, amazing children. I got my master's degree in education and taught LA and science at the middle school level for two decades before retiring. 

We have added a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, and three grandkids to the family. We love retired life with our border terrier, Nikki, but it's not all lounging. I think the word retire says it all—tired again, I still work hard, I just get to choose my endeavors.

Roxanne Ward lives in Northern Idaho with her husband of forty-one years and their Border Terrier, Nikki.