Miss Kathy

Jeremy's preschool teacher passed away last week.
She was also Jared's teacher.
And a teacher to hundreds of other children over the past 13 years who are all the better now for knowing her.
Kathy had Cancer.
For many years.
I cannot remember how it started (although she had told me) but it metastasized. She was in and out of remission for a long time.

Last summer I had a mastectomy.
When I saw Kathy a few weeks later she greeted me with a huge hug.
"How are you?" She asked me. So sincerely.
We discussed Cancer.
We discussed my boys and how they were handling things.
We discussed motherhood.

Kathy was probably 90 lbs soaking wet yet she was a woman filled with bounds of energy.
And life.

When I was waiving weather to send Jared to Kindergarten or to continue at the preschool; she was the one who told me "he's ready"
"He will be fine"


I went to her wake last week. My first wake actually (and was thankful it wasnt open casket)
There lined up was her husband, her mother, and all eight of her children (plus a grandchild)
She was a mother to eight.
And a surrogate to all her students.

It was a sad morning today to return to preschool knowing she is gone.