the best teacher we never had

Today I joined close to a couple thousand family members, friends, and former students of Robyn Ward to say an unexpected goodbye. She was a kindergarten teacher for the past 17 years at the boys school, and it was apparent by the standing-room-only in the large concert hall that she was loved by so many. Robyn passed away last Sunday "unexpectedly from a pulmonary embolism." She is the teacher I wanted so bad for Jake this year, but because of Will's crazy school schedule, I had to put Jake into another class (though I am excited about his teacher this year too).

I got to know Robyn through a mutual friend who invited me along last year to do digital scrapbooking, which for me meant showing up with a computer and then basically just chatting the rest of the evening away, or working on my blog. Robyn was so creative and so fun, and was such a neat person to know. This past time we got together to scrapbook (end of April I think), she was so excited to show us the scrapbook she made for her daughter, Lainey, who was soon graduating. It was the coolest book about all the years Laniey has played soccer, including photos and newspaper articles, culminating with the school team winning the girls soccer state 3-A championship in the fall. Robyn also made Lainey a quilt with all the soccer shirts she's had since she was a little girl, and it was a masterpiece!

What I remember most about that night, though, was the help and advice she gave me about Will and his adhd, because both her son and daughter had adhd, and to talk it over with a parent who had been through it was so helpful. I expressed my concern for Will and this coming school year, and she suddenly lit up and had several great suggestions on how to help Will. She spent most of her time that night talking to me, not bothered that she wasn't getting much scrapbooking done, and I will forever be grateful for her genuine care and concern.

One of the speakers at the memorial today read one of Robyn's favorite quotes, by John Wesley:

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

Thank you, Robyn, for "all the good" you have done for so many people--you were the best teacher we never had!!