We just saw a need there because these individuals can understand a lot. They just need people with patience to show them. It's a feel-good type of thing just to know that you can accomplish something.

It's a Bible study of the basics for individuals who are at their own level. Even though they are mentally challenged, they have adult needs, and we teach them at an adult level they can understand.

I think they've learned a lot about difference and tolerance. In school 'retard' is a common, negative term that my oldest daughter, Amy, quickly stopped her friends from using.

Our house had an extra bedroom or two after we had to rebuild because we were hit by a tornado in 1985, so it worked out well.

We were kind of going through a transition. I wanted to be home for my daughters more. Even though I had a degree in teaching I was working more in the marketing and public relations field, and the crazy hours get really rough when you have younger children.

We've learned where people came from, how they got water. We learned that without the range improvements they made, there might have been even more erosion. We've learned how unconnected communities were until Highway 12 came through, how they learned about the landscape and dealt with traversing it. We've learned how much courage it took. It's just a beautiful web of stories.