She joined co-workers at the memorial service for a young neonatologist who died. "He was a good doctor and a good man," she tears up while telling others, "and he's with the Great Physician now."

      She mailed in her retirement papers.

      Retirement is a tough decision. She's not sure how she will spend her retirement years, but she believes it's time to close a nursing career that spanned 45 years.

     She has loved nursing, from the hospital emergency room to inner-city streets as a public health nurse, to a major medical school as a senior research nurse in neonatology.

       If she could do it over, she would specialize in child development. She loves children.

      On Saturday she helped choose books for third graders at her neighborhood school and bought books for two foster grandmothers who read to children at the hospital. She bought her husband a pair of shoes for his birthday, expensive shoes he would not have bought for himself. She phoned two widows to see if they'd like a ride to a church party Saturday night.

      On Sunday afternoon she will wrap gifts for co-workers, mulch part of her flower garden, and plan for Monday night cookie baking with her 4-year-old granddaughter.

      Her husband is sure she will have no problem finding things to do in retirement.

      She misses the activity of the past when the preschool Sunday School room was full every week. Today it won't be full, but she's ready. She will love any child who walks through the door.

       Love is what she does.

       She will always be busy