I am 52-going on 53, and an 8th grade language arts teacher. My husband and I live on a small 44 acre farm/wooded area. We have two daughters, one a surgical tech in the Air Force and stationed in California and the other a sophomore at George Washington U in DC and studying arabic and Middle Eastern studies.
I love to read, knit-so far scarves only-sell on ebay for my charities I support. I am active with Adopt a Platoon and have adopted two soldiers stationed overseas and help send items to the numerous campaigns that this group sanctions. I am a Master Gardener. I volunteer with the local animal shelter trying to find rescues for our dogs and I help transport for them and other groups who contact me. I am working with the Friends of the Animal Shelter with hopes of setting up a no-kill shelter here also.
We have six dogs-one hunting beagle who is my husbands. The others are all rescues. Hunter-a girl got her for her dad who didn't want her. If we hadn't taken her, she was going to the shelter. She is a husky/shepherd? and has some neurotic tendencies that we have come to deal with. She will tear a vet office apart because when we had her spayed, the vet indicated the stitches would dissolve. Not true. What a mess. Since then, no vet's office and we can't even put flea/tick med on her back. She senses or smells it before and a shot--forget it. She would have to be sedated and how are you going to do this? Our new vet is kind and compassionate and says as long as she is healthy and she doesn't run wild, we won't stress her anymore than she has been. At ten years old, she can still drag my husband who is quite strong , if she is thinking we are taking her somewhere. She is happy and has never been ill a day. Garlic works for her in keeping fleas and ticks at bay. Luke-our Aussie mixed breed. The last of the litter and going to the shelter. He is so smart. Joey-a beagle/doxie that someone abused and dumped. He was trotting down the middle of the road, turned into our lane, up the hill and into our hearts. Koby, was left tied up at a farm when his family moved to Canada. He is a black lab/border collie and is busy,busy,busy. The last is Molly, who I adopted from the shelter last summer. She is a chihuahua/Jack Russell and she is the QUEEN. She is also busy,busy,busy. I don't have time to feel I have an empty nest. I have different dogs on different diets because of age, allergies, etc. and everything is ready to go in the morning before work and when we get home. At home, after work, everyone gets Mom and Dad time, time to run some energy off, a quick treat and then it is time for getting ready for the evening.
If I could have a 100 dogs, I would love it. I love the fact that I have the room here, but we are moving sometime in the next three years because of the economy and the cancer history of this county. Also, our neighbors are very careless with guns and I always cringe when I hear them firing aimlessly. I want my guys safe.
I am working on a new garden so that I can move some of my roses and such and put up a fenced area so the dogs can have outside time, off leash or out of kennel during the hunting seasons here in Ohio. People wander onto private property and don't care. That is one way I hope to keep these guys safe.
Also, we love to feed the birds and have 10 feeders and discarded Christmas trees up during the winter where we can watch them from our kitchen. I am a recycler/cheap ideas person and we had popcorn day at school on Fri. There were 50 extra bags of popcorn left over and I snatched them up for my birds. We also have deer wander in to eat from the feeders and the ground. We have a chubby little dwarf doe who will spend several hours eating off the ground under the feeders if the dogs don't catch sight of her. She comes in at about 11am every day.

I belong to a United Methodist Church that has become huge and does not focus on what I believe it should-helping the homeless and helpless. I hope when we move--and we want to come to Utah and check out Kanab and St. George-to find another smaller church who moves in the direction that I feel is important.
Both my husband and I are graduates of the Coshocton Leadership program and know a great deal about the community and try to help where we can.
I have a BS in Special Ed and Elementary Ed from Kent State U. and a Master's degree from Walsh University in Counseling, I have 30 additional graduate hours in the same areas of my certifications.