Bright beginning

In a little over two hours a monumental event will occur. It's monumental in the lives of Aaron and Stacy Rief. It's bigger than that for Jenny Jacobson Meyer and her daughter Grace. It's also an exciting day for Melisa and Melissa.

Melisa's last name is Kennedy; she's starting the first day of her teaching career as the kindergarten instructor at Selle Valley Bright Beginnings. Melisa said yesterday, while showing me around the new school with its walls of magnetic paint and whimsical murals, that she has long dreamed of the day when she could teach in a country school. Her dream will come true today as she welcomes six kindergartners to her classroom.

Melissa's last name is Peck. Like her older sister Stacy, she's part of the Wood family, and she'll be supervising day care at the school as well as taking on receptionist duties. Melissa has already had that kind of experience with her work at the Lake Pend Oreille School District office. Sister Stacy says she's very good at it too.

Stacy and Aaron will be realizing their dream-come-true after weeks of long days and nights readying the "little red schoolhouse" for this big day. The big day was supposed to occur Tuesday, but some plumbing issues delayed the start. Plumbing issues continue, but apparently they're at a point where the bell atop the school can signal in a new era in the Selle Valley this morning at 8:15.

As for Jenny and Grace, this day represents a huge emotional milestone. Maybe Grace doesn't grasp the situation quite like Jenny whose driving goal has been to lead her daughter to the school house door. She set that goal five years ago, the same year she learned of her inflammatory breast cancer. The disease changed her life and the life of her husband Jeff. The life of their daughter Grace has been a precious motivating gift ever since.

Today part of that gift will be unwrapped as Grace begins a new era in her life and Jenny, in hers. With the goal met, Jenny hopes to be a part of Selle Valley Bright Beginnings along with the other parents who will bring their children to the school house door for the first time. She told me the other day she'll volunteer at the school. From what I've seen after visiting last night, Jenny's volunteering duties will be a pleasure.

I'll be there in the next hour, armed with my video camera and doing my best to film all the happenings, not only for our film maker, Mr. J.T. Bock, but also for the Meyer family and for the Riefs and Kennedys who have put so much of their talents and passion into this project.

I'm sure it will be a bright beginning for a lot of young people today and for their young parents and teachers who have laid out such a beautiful school for dreams yet to come.