Hooray for the Teachers at Odyssey!

As most of you know, I work full time, so Jack and Duke are enrolled at a day school called Odyssey Early School. Jack absolutely loves it, stomps his feet at our back door in the morning as soon as we tell him it's time to leave for school. Duke of course is a bit young to know the difference, but he loves "Aunt Kay" who cares for him and was a favorite of big brother Jack last year. I can't say enough about how wonderful our experience has been at Odyssey and how special the teachers have made my kids feel.

So this year, when the annual school fundraiser for Camp Smile A Mile (a summer camp for toddlers to teens facing a diagnosis of cancer) came around I figured we would do a small donation toward the "egg hunt"...basically for a $5 donation, you "buy" an egg for the kids to hunt. I wasn't going to ask family and friends to contribute, I mean come on...Jack's only 19 mos. and I'm not starting to ask for money for school stuff already!

Well that changed when I found out the teachers in each room would be creating an art project on a 24x36 canvas based on a children's book. These would be auctioned with the proceeds going to Camp SAM. Duke's teachers, Christi, Kay and Janelle, came up with a lovely and painstakingly accurage reproduction of "Brown Bear Brown Bear" and included the footprints of each child in the room. It is one of Jack's favorites, especially PURPLE CAT!, DUCK-DUCK-DUCK! and Goldfish, which thanks to Grandma Ruth now sends him running to the pantry signing his ASL sign for eat (but it is cute so don't worry Grandma!) So of course, I had to place a big on their piece.

Then I see the amazing painting that Kelly and Michelle, Jack's teachers, created. It was based on a book that we do not yet have, but that Kay and Christi had mentioned to me last year when Jack was having trouble with me leaving in the mornings, "The Kissing Hand", by Audry Penn. It's the story of Chester Raccoon who wants to stay home with his mommy and the fears he has of going to school. To help ease his fears she shares a family secret to give him the reassurance of her love anytime his world feels a little scary. Kelly and Michelle did an amazing job on their piece, they used the kids' hands for the tree leaves and it even matches Jack's room decor with the fallish colors. But the real clincher was the quote they included,

"mommy loves you,

mommy loves you,

and that very kiss will

jump to your face and fill

you with toasty

warm thoughts."

Needless to say, I won both of my bids. So we have new wall art for the kid's rooms and you are safe from any future fundraiser requests this year, we've done our part for 2008!