In honor of Mother’s day  recently, I wanted to share a memory I have of a really wonderful mother. She’s not my mother, but her daughter was one of my best friends growing up. I’m actually not sure how we became such great friends, other than our mutual love of her mother. We went to entirely different schools, lived in different towns, and grew up with different circles of friends.

Kaycie and I were virtually inseparable in our formative years. We spent our after school time choreographing dance routines to Roxette, pirating push-pops from her freezer, and giggling about boys. Our weekends were slumber parties, trips to the Salem Center mall, and more giggling about boys. Mrs. Keeton was more than just my best friends mom though… She was one of the best teacher’s I’ve ever had.

Patty was the music teacher at Sublimity Elementary and Middle. In her almost 40 years of teaching, she has instilled an appreciation of musical education in hundreds, probably THOUSANDS of children in my community. She personally taught me how to read music, to sing, to play the flute, piano, and oboe. An amazing woman, mother and educator I am also proud to call a friend is retiring this year. Last year when I offered up a free session to someone who loves deeply, Kaycie nominated her mom. I cannot think of someone who has loved  more deeply or broadly, someone who has given more to the most.

Here is Kaycie’s nomination:

Miss Laura,
I would like to nominate my mother, Patty Keeton. As you know, she is an incredible woman. She’s touched so many people and children in her life through the art of music. This year is her 35th year teaching Music and she will be retiring very soon. (Though she could have retired after 30 yrs, she wasn’t quite ready to bid adieu to her passion for teaching music and touching people’s lives) Her positive energy and indisputable selflessness is infectious to everyone she is around. TODAY is actually her 57th birthday!!! Don’t let her age fool you…each year that goes by she doesn’t miss a “beat”. :-) I am so grateful to have a mother as wonderful as her. I have never encountered a person that has so much unconditional love to give and share with the world, with no expectation of any type of payment in return. She is a beautiful person, inside and out. I believe that this would be the PERFECT gift for her (to tag her birthday/retirement)…and I believe that your uncanny creative ability to capture moments and love through photography would illustrate her beauty inside and out. Furthermore, I personally believe no one would appreciate this gift more than my mother. On behalf of the hundreds upon thousands of children she’s touched (including both you and I) – thank you for considering my mother for this awesome opportunity!
~Kaycie

And their most deserving session for their awesome and growing family…

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