My husband and I have been married for almost 30 years. We have four of the most amazing kids ever! We recently became grandparents with the arrival of our first little grandson in November. My husband is the owner of a family-owned auto repair shop in a small, rural town. His grandfather started the business in 1935 with a set of hand tools and $25 that he had to borrow from his father-in-law. He learned the value of hard work from his time with his father and grandfather in the shop. Not only did he learn how to work, but he also learned the value of building lasting relationships with the people in the community. Now, 86 years later, the business is still going strong. Life wasn’t all work and no play. The family is very close-knit and has enjoyed many camping trips, cook-outs, and vacations. We have learned that the best place to be with your family is together; it doesn’t matter what activity or event is happening. We hope by starting this online business, we will be able to help others with their do-it-yourself automotive projects, as well as provide ways for families to come together to make lasting memories. I am a 15-year veteran teacher. I have a passion for education and the opportunities that a good education can offer someone. The drive for education was ingrained in me from stories I heard growing up. My mom lost her father to a fatal mining accident when she was 10 years old. Her widowed mother was expecting their 6th child. Three weeks later, her mother lost her father. So, mother and daughter were widowed within three weeks of each other. My great-grandpa left a large dairy farm and more hands were needed to keep it running. Therefore, my mom’s brothers, ages 12 and 8, left home to help their grandmother on the family farm. Grandma worked hard to take care of her children. Eventually, she realized that she needed an education and a career to support her family. She moved the family to married student housing at a college and began to pursue her degree in education. Grandma told herself that she would try it for one quarter. She kept going, one quarter at a time, while also taking care of her young family until she finished. My mom and my grandma graduated within two weeks of each other; my mom from high school, and my grandma with her bachelor’s degree in education. Grandma taught for 20 years, but the greatest lesson was one that she taught her posterity about perseverance and hard work. I followed in my grandma’s footsteps, in a sense. I earned my Associate’s degree before we started having children. Then, when the youngest was in kindergarten, I went back to finish my Bachelor’s degree in elementary education. The kids and I spent many nights gathered around the kitchen table with our stacks of homework. I like to think that our kids learned the value of an education by watching me. Now, as empty-nesters, we find ourselves at a crossroads for another
opportunity. Starting this business together will be the next chapter in our lives. We will be able to work together for a common goal, as we did while raising our children.