End of an Era

After 9.5 years as an upper-elementary teacher at our local Montessori school, Josh, is moving into a new career in law enforcement. We are incredibly proud of him as he moves toward an opportunity that has been calling to him for as long as he can remember.

While Josh completed his Montessori training in the Pacific Northwest in 2005 before meeting me and was teaching when I met him in Seattle, he still had the intension of joining the police force in Seattle.  However, life moved us forward together in other ways, with Josh continuously choosing jobs that supported our family.

For the first 10 years of our marriage, Josh worked in faith-based community organizing, creating positive change and often partnering with local police departments. When Alma and James were school-aged, he returned to teaching, which allowed them to attend the same private school where Josh taught. For their elementary years, Alma and James either had Josh as their teacher or very close by. When the pandemic hit, the Chisholms made up nearly a quarter of the classroom population, which -- if you are going to get through a global pandemic -- is a great way to go.

Josh created such a lovely base for the kids both academically and socially. They are good kids because of his loving influence and delaying his own plans for the family's benefit. For that, I will always be grateful.

Now that our children are more independent, it's time for Josh to follow his own dreams. During the break, we had one last visit to the school to clean out his binders and bring home some of our plants. This week, he is starting at the sheriff’s office, and next week, he’ll begin his journey at the police academy. 

It’s not easy to take such a significant leap.  We are excited for him to learn about the profession and support him through any challenges. We are certain that his compassion, dedication, and integrity will make a lasting impact on the community.

Congratulations, Josh! We are so proud of you.