Happy Birthday to a Life-Long Friend!!

 

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.”

This quote is embroidered on a handmade quilt that is hanging in a 7th grade English teachers room. It was chosen for the quilt because she is the kind of lady who truly impacted my life and continues to do so years after I had her as a teacher. I was assigned to her homeroom in 8th and 9th grade because she was our Student Council Advisor. I had her for 9th grade English. And my senior year I spent every afternoon in her 7th grade classroom in the Career Study program. We always got along when I was in middle school but we became even closer during my senior year.

Diane is the most vivacious, witty, down-to-earth, and hardworking woman I know. She’s an AMAZING English teacher - she makes grammar fun. She’s a great mom of two kids. She goes to all of their practices, games, and events. She runs half-marathons and also does triathlons. She’s super trendy – in the good way. Her clothes, her hair, EVEN her car – they’re all fabulous. I have so many memories of the time we’ve spent together in the past and I know she’ll be one of those people I keep in touch with my whole life. She was always a listening ear when I needed to vent or needed advice. She always helped me to laugh about the things in life that weren’t worth being too upset about. And best of all – she always encouraged me to do my best, to be my best, and to live my life to the fullest.

A Few Favorite Memories

Middle School:

• James Blunt’s song You’re Beautiful had just come out and she sang it almost ever day before class started
• Calling her mom multiple times during school and having her answer every time without missing a beat
• Reading Romeo and Juliet in her classroom and making a mental note to always weigh the pros and cons of my decisions in life
• Cleaning out her closet a few times a year – and signing it before I left in 9th grade

High School:

• Being completely obsessed with Twilight at the same time
• Taking off our rings, putting cuticle oil on our nails, and lotion-ing up every day before classes ended
• Wearing her engagement and wedding rings just for fun
• Her use of the word “snarky”
• Walking out of the middle school on my last day of Senior year – she told me not to cry because I’d see her again. I remember walking down the end of the hall and looking back one last time. And I did cry. It was a bittersweet moment…
• Having to call her by her first name for the first time and not by her Mrs. name after graduation. Pretty sure we both cracked up cause it was too weird :)

I’m sure there are many more that I can’t even remember at the moment but these definitely are the highlights.

Some people just make you happy, make you smile, and make you want to be around them. She is one of those people – such an infectious personality. I’m thankful every day that I can call her a friend. Happy Birthday Diane!