A Loving Tribute To Missey Gray

I've added a new song to my blog in honor of Missey so remember to turn up your volume, and as a tribute to her for those of you who did not have the pleasure of knowing her, here is a letter of rememberance from just one of her many, many on-line friends who only got to see her heart instead of her face, which is the only part that truly matters anyway.





Missey was a friend of mine, someone I never met face to face but knew from words and pictures sent across the internet. Girls in Easter dresses, Missey standing at the zoo, the baby in his stroller, the girls standing beside her holding hands smiling, a picnic in the new yard, by the stream, Missey holding her youngest daughter who needed comfort from a boo boo, Nathan after surgery, his scar healed. Birthdays, presents piled, character cakes, all four of the children piled into a riding toy, their beautiful faces smiling for Mom. All Missey, all family.



We met five or more years ago, in a preschool homeschool group on line. Our children were similar ages. She had so much to share about Ruth Beechick and skills list and Early Education at home. As her knowledge of home school methods grew so did her files of how to combine this program with that, the best way to write your own Beechick LA lessons, how to use dictation and narration and what AO history books fit into what time period. She had a love of making lists and forms and a love of sharing and teaching, not only her own children but other HS Mom's as well. It was contagious and glorious and inspiring to read her words, her enthusiasm, her desire to help.



Missey and I were both teachers before home schooling, we shared that experience. That love of learning and desire to encourage.



I will never not think of her when I hear the name Ruth Beechick or dictation or narration or Charlotte Mason or Ambelside. When I see black composition books, I will remember Missey saying the children brought just one book and pencil to sit with her each day.



When I see home made planner I will remember the time she bound hers at the office supply and was so happy to have it done her way. When people share pdf files I will remember Missey who first showed me fine print a program that allows you to make pdf's. When I see Zorro I will think of her and how much she enjoyed staying up late to watch that with her oldest children. When I see juicy juice I'll remember a perfect day she wrote about and ended with saying how all the children remembered to throw their juice boxes in the outside trash. Missey shared pictures of how she decluttered her dryer top in a email group we were both on for cleaning and she was so proud, the dryer looked good too. I remember how happy she was to declutter a room she wanted to clean up for a long time.



She was so happy to have her Mother in law close and spoke of how blessed she was to have the farm for the girls and how her Mother in law helped her by watching the children in the afternoons. I remember how excited she was that Tom gave her money to spend at the HS convention and how thrilled she was he got a library card in his name for her to use.I remember how proud she was of her daughter's Columbus narration and recently her youngest coming along so well in reading. She taught a Five in a Row book to her HS group and her Mom helped her prepare the materials I remember the excited email she wrote about the day and how well it went.



Missey was the one I wrote to when I needed to know about curriculum, it was her advice I wanted. What did she think? How did she do this? Did that work and why? I counted on that, I want that . . . and am overcome with grief...



I know God has a plan and I'm trying to understand... I'm praying for
you all, Tom, for the girls, for sweet Nathan for baby Melissa.




Love in Christ,

~ Susan