You see... one of my really good friends died yesterday. Her name is Teresa, and I would like to tell you a little about her...
When we returned to school after our Christmas holidays in January of 2012, I told my co-workers about a fabulous blog I had discovered and this great looking little teacher store called Teachers Pay Teachers (better known as TPT). I had a desire to start my own blog and store, but all the other teachers were skeptical, except for Teresa. Teresa, with her quick wit and infectious laughter was always up for anything and willing to follow me on my hair-brained ideas.
Turned out that this wasn't one of those times. Little did we know that day when we made blogs and opened stores that this was a journey of a different kind. We were going somewhere we had never been and oh, what a journey it has been!!! When we made our first sales, we celebrated together. Teresa was forever doing her money dance for us. Our new favorite catch phrase became "cha-ching!" What fun we had learning how to make our units. We couldn't wait to share our new savvy computer skills with each other.
Teresa became very sick in the fall of that year. So sick, that the doctor's didn't give her family much hope. She was placed in a drug-induced coma. I went to the forums on TPT to ask for prayers and boy did everyone deliver. There were prayers being said from all over the world. Because that's the kind of friends we have in our TPT family. Many were quick to offer to help financially, and we set out to do one of the first-ever fundraisers through TPT.
Teresa's health rallied and she came home. She wanted to return to the classroom so badly, but her health wouldn't allow it, so she had to retire just a few years early. Through her blog, Facebook, and TPT she was able to feel that she was still in the middle of her love of teaching. A close group was even formed from some of those who helped contribute to her fundraiser. We became super close, even though most of us have never met.
Unfortunately, Teresa's heart gave out on her yesterday, and Thursday will be her funeral. My heart is just broken. We have had so many laughs and good times...especially with our TPT journey. We had no idea when we started that it would end up being less about money and more about sharing and caring. That because of the fundraiser, a group would be formed that would become the best of friends who would talk daily in our fb group and even make a blog together although most of us have never met and live all over the world. We had no idea that TPT truly has a community that rallies around each other to support each other in the good times and the bad. We had no idea how much we would be BLESSED because of TPT.
To all of you out there that ever supported Teresa's store, read her blog, encouraged her through the forums or the Facebook groups, please know that your encouragement and support to Teresa meant the world to her. She really loved what she did. I only wish you could have all met her in person. She was a bright and shining star no matter what her life entailed. She could laugh the best laugh you've ever heard!! That was just her way.
Go dancing into Glory, Teresa, my dear, dear friend! I love you and will miss you dearly! "CHA-CHING!!!"
