How I realized that once a teacher, always a teacher — just in new and unexpected ways.
I used to think teaching ended when I left the classroom. Turns out, I never stopped.
This season’s been humbling, a little uncertain, and surprisingly full of lessons.
I guess the classroom just looks different now. 🍎✨
Every season of life has its own kind of classroom — right now, mine looks like a mix of family dinners, storybooks, open houses, and everyday conversations that keep teaching me something new. Sometimes my lessons come over pancakes and messes, sometimes between showings, and sometimes from the smallest voices calling me “Mom.”
I’ve learned the classroom isn’t a place — it’s a way of moving through the world with curiosity, care, and connection.
And if that’s true, then I’ll be a teacher forever.
And the truth is, I’ve had some amazing teachers outside of any classroom walls.
My Fellow Educators
In this new classroom of life, I’ve found the best teachers sitting right beside me — friends, family, and the people who’ve shaped who I am today. These are just a few of the lessons (and the teachers) that have stayed with me along the way.
My mom taught me that doing your best matters more than perfection. She’s my constant — protective, grounding, unafraid to tell me when I’m wrong, and somehow loving me even harder afterward.
My dad taught me manners, confidence, and to always lead with a smile. Time has softened him, but his lessons never changed — be kind, stand tall, and remember that rejection isn’t failure; it’s just redirection.
My sisters — my first and forever friends — remind me that love doesn’t always mean agreement. Our differences teach me patience and the beauty of seeing the world from another view.
My brothers have each shaped me differently — one through childhood adventures, the other through growing friendship in adulthood.
Leigh Ann reminds me to be fearless, to laugh, and to remember that sometimes, “it’s not that deep.”
Kera has always been my opposite — the yin to my yang. I used to focus on our differences, but now I see they’re what keep us balanced — always learning from each other.
CG taught me to see past sarcasm — to recognize the heart of gold behind humor, and that strength and softness can live side by side.
Frankie has taught me timing, patience, and communication — and that sometimes it’s best to keep quiet (especially when the Italian in me wants the last word). Together, we’ve learned to stay true to ourselves and to each other — to protect our peace, keep family first, and not let outside opinions cloud what really matters. His family has shown me how to slow down and savor life — where dinner turns into stories, laughter fills the room, and there’s always time for one more cocktail and one more conversation.
And maybe that’s what I love most — that every season has its teachers.
At work, Jeff and Nicole have taught me that learning doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom. They let me ask every “quick question,” every “this might sound dumb, but…” without judgment. Their patience reminds me that the best leaders teach through kindness, not criticism — and that leading with grace is its own kind of education.
These days, my kids remind me daily that learning never ends. Whether it’s through their curiosity, their honesty, or the way they see the world — they’re constantly teaching me to be better, softer, and braver than I was yesterday.
Maybe that’s why my thoughts always drift back to my Mammaw — my very first teacher.
She taught me to stay curious, ask questions, and make friends wherever I go.
She began as a teacher, became a mom, and later a realtor — a path I never realized I’d follow.
Real estate found me in the same way teaching did — through people, stories, and connection.
The Classroom I Didn’t Know I Still Had
The lessons look different now — not test scores or report cards, but patience, perspective, and grace.
I’m still figuring it all out — motherhood, change, and what comes next.
Maybe that’s what learning is meant to look like.
Maybe the real classroom is just showing up, even when the answers aren’t clear.
And maybe that’s why I’m drawn to what I do now — because every story, every family, every conversation teaches me something new. I’m still learning, still growing, and hoping to help others feel at home along the way. 🍎✨
From one learner to another,
Laura 🤍
Where the worlds of housewife, mama, and real estate agent collide.
The Real Estate Housewife 