I think it's fair to say that most everyone has had one teacher who stood out from all the others. One teacher that made a difference by noticing something no one else did, understanding something others missed, or providing the right kind of motivation at the right time. A teacher that, quite simply, was better than all the others.

For me, that was my sixth grade teacher, Miss Evans. She was the first teacher that seemed to understand that being the smart kid in the class was, in nearly every way, a curse. She battled with school administration to help keep me from being singled out in ways that would only lead to mockery. She provided opportunities for each and every kid to shine, helping to level the playing field. She insisted on kindness in her classroom at all times, without making it seem she was taking sides. It's probably a silly thing to remember, but I distinctly remember her stopping at my desk one day and very discretely complimenting my hair. For the kid that was endlessly tortured by her peers, it meant a lot to hear a kind word or two during a particularly low time.

Alexis has been extremely blessed to have already encountered her own Miss Evans. While all the teachers at her daycare are fantastic, Miss Michelle has always stood out from the others. She is that someone who teaches not only with her mind, but also with her heart. She's fantastic with all of the kids, but most especially with Alexis. She's the teacher that "gets" my kid. She knows how to be Alexis cheerleader, disciplinarian, and best friend all at the same time. There's a reason Alexis talks about "Shell" all the time, and that's because she is quite simply an amazing person. I do believe she loves Alexis just about as much as I do, and that's saying quite a bit.

Miss Michelle's last day at our daycare center is tomorrow and I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for always being honest with me, whether Alexis was the star student of the day or the biggest brat around. Thank you for encouraging Alexis to communicate far behind her age by taking the time to not only understand her spoken words, but also asking her to teach you sign language at every opportunity. Thank you for helping to instill a sense of confidence in my timid little girl. Thank you for being that special kind of crazy it takes to work with 20 toddlers each and every day. Just thank you.

Michelle, tomorrow when I pick up Alexis, I will be in the biggest hurry you have ever seen. I'll be scooping up your BFF and running for it because I don't think I can do a long goodbye. I suspect you can't either. So, we'll be seeing you around town and you had better give us a call from time to time.

Thank you, from all of us.

(The photos are from May '07 -- Alexis' first week in the Toddler Jungle with Michelle.)