Outside my window…
via Ohio Group on Flickr – Tim Fitzwater
I am thinking…
About a lovely woman that I knew who passed away last week.
Kym Calco was my Jazzercise Instructor for 12 years. I drove to her center, which was about 20 to 30 minutes from my house three to four times a week. Part of the attraction was Kym’s larger-than-life personality. She was always happy and pleasant and made every one of her students feel welcomed and appreciated.
When I first started attending, classes were held in this church on a hilltop. It had a HUGE worship space with no pews, so we jazzercised there. On Saturday mornings there had to be at least 100 people in this space, and Kym would have the music playing while we all gathered and started warming up. Then when she was ready she would sort of run to the front of the space and hop up on her stage like a rock star – and we were all pumped up and enthused to start class. I think she had to be working some kind of magic to get all of those people there on a Saturday morning just to work out together!
My oldest son fit in roughly with the ages of her daughters so we had that in common. Kym was always very supportive and helpful as I jazzercised my way through the next four pregnancies. She made us laugh too. But one of the images that I clearly remember is the look on her face when we were about to enter a very big cardio phase and how she would get this intense look on her face and in her body – as if she was going to will us all through it and we were going to be much stronger on the other side. Her determination was contagious.
I remember when she started offering step class and how hopeful she was that it would be a successful class. And I also remember when she sold me the Know More Diet book – That I still have today! Kym always brought her mom, Mrs. Korb, to class so she could babysit the children and I had a lot of good conversations with her too.
When she sold off her franchise she did it without disturbing classes or her students. It was a smooth transition. We didn’t even know about it until one day she announced she was doing something else and had all of her workout clothing in the back and we could help ourselves.
I didn’t see Kym any more after that although I continue to exchange Christmas Cards with Mrs. Korb. Kym became a teacher and taught for 10 years or so and then became a principal. I think the last time I saw her was at her father’s funeral.
Through the miracle of Facebook I reconnected with Kym in April and we caught up a bit on each other’s lives. I knew she was fighting cancer but her pictures looked very hopeful. When I went to her FB page last week to wish her a happy birthday, I found out she had passed a way just two days before. She was would have been 53.
Yesterday Mr. Pete and I went to the funeral home and waited in line an hour before we could pay our respects to her husband and family. By the time we got to do that, there was an hour’s worth of line behind us too. I saw quite a few faces from my Jazzercise Days. There were a lot of her students too and friends of her daughters and people who grew up with her. I’m sure her family was overwhelmed but grateful by all the love that came their way for this beautiful woman.
I am thankful for…
for having the chance to know her.
From the learning rooms…
The boys are starting the Theology of the Body Course from Homeschool Connections .
Sam is still getting ready for CLEP Analyzing Literature.
Izzy is doing great with the Diane Craft method of right-brain training – I can’t believe how much better she is doing.
Rosie is about to get to lesson 50 in 100 Easy Lessons!
From the kitchen…
Going out to eat with my sister tonight in remembrance of mama, whose birthday was February 8. We always did this when mama was alive, and we have kept up the tradition these past few years.
I am wearing…
Black pants, pink sweat shirt
I am creating…
an Irish music performance. I was asked to perform some Irish music on my flute and am getting the music this week. Wondering what that will be like. Have to learn the music and perform it on March 10.
I am going…
to get four workouts in this week if it kills me. Got in three last week. Also bought a new MP3 player so I can do some walking while Izzy is in art class this week.
I am reading…
I am hoping…
My Kids can get Moby Dick done this week because I have to get the CDs back to the library. There are two holds on them. Since they have been delaying with this looks like they are going to be stuck with the LibraVox readers!
I am hearing…
Noah getting ready to take the dog out.
Around the house…
Looks like Mr. Pete got the roof leak handled. So of course we would get a back up in the basement! It appears that even though I had those trees taken out and even ground the stumps out, those little roots were still determined to give me a hard time – and since it has been springlike weather around here, they decided to grow into the water line a little earlier this year.
Picture I am Sharing
