Monday, January 25, 2010

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood


I'll bet you're asking who these beautiful ladies are and what do they have to do with the blog title. Well, I'm going to tell you who they are. These are four of the many preschool teachers who have passed through the halls and classrooms of the St. Matthews United Methodist Church's preschool. The lovely lady to the left of the picture is a very good friend of mine, and is the former director of the school. The gorgeous woman to her left (the tall one) is another friend who I like to call "Misses Rogers."

This teacher is the female equivalent to Sesame Street's Mister Rogers (Remember the song; hence the title of this blog) because everything she did was done in calm and low key manner. She has since retired, but she was the first teacher that two of my children had for their initial preschool experience. She was perfect for any child's introduction to preschool. I haven't seen her for many years, but have kept in touch with Christmas cards and the Internet. I like to think that she still has the same demeanor. In fact, I am sure that she does, along with a very dedicated faith in God.


Above, is a picture of Misses Rogers with my son, Rock. This is how the day would start. Misses Rogers would be sitting at a table, ready to begin a project. As she welcomed the children, they would choose an activity somewhere in the room. Slowly, she would call over a few at a time to see if they would be interested in what she was doing. There were several parents who volunteered to help out with all of the activities.

There were many special days at school. One of these days was "Pajama Day." All the kids would wear their pjs, and so would all the teachers (and the director... as long as she wasn't meeting with any new parents that day). The classes would all make breakfast. The children would mix ingredients and Misses Rogers would assist them in cooking.


For the last few years, Misses Rogers has been fighting cancer. She has undergone chemo and surgery. Throughout this hellish journey, her spirits have been incredibly high. After appointments and/or treatments, she would email us with an update of what happened, what would happen next, and how she was feeling. The mailing list of emails has grown steadily. We have prayed for Misses Rogers and her family. As do many who make the journey through cancer treatment, she has taken two steps forward and one step back, all the time praising God and praying for his will.

This past week, she received news from her doctors that there is nothing more that can be done. She has come to the end of her life's journey and has accepted the fact that she will soon join friends and family who have gone before her. We pray for her comfort, and for her family, we pray for understanding and healing.

Misses Rogers has touched the lives of hundreds of children and their parents. I can only imagine the size of the group who will attend services for her. Rock, Ed and I will be there in spirit.

Misses Rogers will be fondly remembered for her amazing ability to communicate with every child, her tender and loving care shown to every child, and her adventurous spirit which she shared with all of her children.

God Bless you, Misses Rogers.

9 comments:

Chris H said...

I hope she has a peaceful and painfree passing.

Formerly known as Frau said...

Sorry such an amazing women will be leaving this earth.I hope her pain ends soon. Prayers to all who love her.

Claudya Martinez said...

This is inspirational and heartbreaking at the same time. I wish her peace and comfort.

Jeanie said...

A beautiful tribute to someone who was so important in the lives of your children and a good friend to you. All the best to her in this most difficutl time.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Big sigh.

Sending love and prayers for an easy and peaceful final journey.

I'm so sorry.
xo

Marla said...

How sad. This is a really lovely tribute. Well done.

jackiepascoe@yahoo.com said...

You are so right about Miss Rogers - her quiet presence was so reassuring to young children. She is not an unsung hero to those who were lucky enough to be in her classroom. Thank you for your tribute to her from all of us who love her. I know she is wrapped in His love and care.

Boozy Tooth said...

What a wonderful tribute to a special lady.

I just found out my uncle who has been battling throat cancer has come to his own crossroads. His condition is now inoperable and he has chosen to not pursue any additional treatment. It is terribly sad and would seem like such a tragedy, but he is 90 years old! On the grander scale, he has certainly beaten most of the odds to have reached that milestone. And at 90, how many healthy years could he expect to have? So, I applaud his decision to go forward into the next, albeit short, chapter of his life by focusing on the quality of however many more days, weeks and months he is granted.

Great touching post. Thank you.

Debbie said...

What a wonderful life to have touched so many people. This was a touching tribute to her.