an unforgettable woman

I want to remember Lois Hautamaki who died on Tuesday. She was 57 years old.

She was my principal/co-worker/friend/teaching mentor for the 6 years I taught at Heritage Christian Academy. I have known her now for 9 years.

She was a single woman who poured her life into teaching and being an administrator at HCA.

She was incredibly foundational in launching my teaching career. I cannot begin to number all that I have learned from her.

I regret not expressing to her enough how much she impacted my life.

A Conglomeration of Thoughts and Memories of Miss H.

• She watched me teach and encouraged me.
• She hugged me and told me she loved me and that she loved my family (even though she rarely saw them).
• She expected excellence from her teachers and herself.
  
• She came immediately to my classroom very early one morning after I left a tearful message on her voice mail about a difficult situation I was in. She then prayed with me and did everything she could to fix the problem and stood by me the entire time. I was loved and supported.
  
• She wrote Christmas cards and "end of the year" cards to each teacher. She didn't just sign her name, she wrote lengthy and thoughtful words (in amazingly neat handwriting).
• She prayed for each of her teachers daily....and if they had a spouse and kids, she prayed for them too.
• She worked hard at doing things that did not come naturally for her.
  
• She made it a point to learn each child in the entire school (300-400 students) by name.
  
• She embraced her singleness and lived it fully.
• She never gave up and stuck to her guns...even if it wasn't always popular.
  
• She called me up one year after I had my first baby and told me she had the perfect part time teaching position for me. She was right.
  
• She often shared personal things.
• Her eyes welled up with tears a lot. She was a passionate woman.
  
• Her life evidenced a deep love for Jesus.

I know God's timing is perfect. I rejoice with her being with Jesus RIGHT NOW. I know there are many who wish they could have told her something or given her a hug before she left. I am reminded that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Miss H, you are missed!