Last Sunday Mary took me and my mom to a concert. Gordon Lightfoot. I like Gordon Lightfoot for a long, long time and I love concerts. Gordon Lightfoot is good looking and he is a good singer. He sang Fitzgerald, Sundown, If You Could Read My Mind, and lotsa things. My favorite is Sundown. I sang along with him. I clapped and I stood up.

Gordon Lightfoot and 2 of his band members at his concert in Bristol, TN

My favorite concert was Tom Jones. My mom and my dad took me to Charlotte  a long time ago. Tom Jones sang She’s a Lady, Green Green Grass of Home, Daughter of Darkness and Delilah. My favorite is What’s New Pussey Cat. The girls screamed and threw their padded bras at Tom Jones. He wiped his face with those padded bras and threw them back. That was gross. But it’s funny.

I saw the Eagles, Seals and Crofts, and Linda Ronstadt a long time ago, when I live in North Carolina, at WCU. But I never saw Gordon Lightfoot until Sunday. My sister is good to me. I love concerts.

Jane and Billy Schulz, featured on the cover of Western Carolina, The Magazine of Western Carolina University

Dear Followers of my blog,

We have moved this blog from blogspot to our website for easier access and ability to interact. We’re glad to have you join us here!

We do have some exciting news! We are featured in the Western Carolina Magazine, which you can see on the website. The author of the article, Teresa Killian Tate, came to see Billy and me give a presentation at Western Carolina University in April. She was interested in our story and wrote a beautiful article, commenting on our book Grown Man Now and adding other observations. We are very grateful to her and hope you will enjoy her point of view.

One of the most exciting results of the article is the response I am receiving from some of my former students at Western. They bring back memories of my interactions and friendships with them and of their involvements with Billy. I am so grateful for those years, for those dedicated students and their evolving careers.

I hope you will join us in our journey. We cherish your friendship and your interest.

We hope to hear from you here on our blog!

Jane and Billy

PS:
We recommend that you read another of Ms. Tate’s articles in the same magazine. It’s about Special Education at WCU and it features Dr. David Westling of Western—we have enjoyed giving presentations to his classes for many years.

I have never been a morning person. I wanted to rise up singing, but had to force it. My husband always brought me a cup of coffee to my bed, which I am sure made our first contact more pleasant. Of course as a teacher I had to go to work early and learned to manage it. However, when I retired, my first thought was “Oh now I can sleep late!” The choice is what makes it so nice.

Billy goes to work at noon, so our mornings are wonderful. I snuggle into my sofa nest, he heats the thing to warm my back, brings me a cup of coffee and we watch his favorite TV program, Regis and Kelley. After the first cup he goes back to his apartment and I quickly change channels. Then I am ready for the day. But I did take a cake out of the oven last night at 11:30.

What gets you moving?

I see myself as a mother, a teacher, and an advocate. These roles merge into a lifetime of seeking solutions and sharing ideas, dreams, and answers. In the space of more than eighty years my family has expanded to include all those whom I have taught and who have taught me. Even the advocacy role began with my children and grew to include all persons who have been disenfranchised. So it seems that all of us are family and as family have much to talk about.

Let’s share!

This is my son Billy, who has Down syndrome. I have learned more from him than you can imagine. You can learn about our relationship and lives at grownmannow.com. (click here).

Eddy Kieffer was a student of mine at Western Carolina University. This picture was taken at his retirement party, where his merits as a special education teacher were celebrated. Click here to see Eddy’s comments.