I had the wonderful opportunity to be a keynote speaker at Westby Area Middle School & High School to kick off their “kindness week”.

I realized I had a lot more to say with how the first 10 days of being off of social media is going.

I told her “Grandma if you send me signs I will know it’s you”. She squeezed my hand tighter and smiled at me. Then I quickly said “but don’t strike me with lightning or anything!” and then she giggled.

That’s what I thought I was doing at that young elementary age. Let’s bury the memories of feeling stupid, feeling dumb, feeling that you’ll never understand what’s being taught.

More than just a date of birth date and date of death, Donna was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, foster mother, mother-in-law, grandma, great-grandma and friend. She had a big heart and never turned down anyone in need.

I didn’t cry just because NASA decided to stop launching. It was because my parents always said to me “Katey, you can do anything you put your mind to. If you want to be an astronaut we will be there for you, cheering you on and watching you launch into space!”.

I wear a mask in public not just for myself but for everyone else around me. You think I’m over dramatic, being ridiculous or better yet, crazy? Well good. I’m glad. Go ahead think it… but read on!

As they sat there, the first words out of her mouth to her husband were, “Now you need to leave her alone and not talk too much, she’s trying to get work done”.

I laughed and said “Oh I don’t think we need to worry about him talking too much, I’m the one that you need to worry about, I’m in sales, I’m a talker!”

He laughed back and said “So am I!”

Walking on a dirt trail through the campground, following my cousin Michele to her car, I couldn’t help but think “what does she have for me that’s so important?”

I cried the entire drive home. January 20, 2020 was a day that I’m having trouble recalling all of the details. But what I do know is it was a very emotional day.