Jodi and I met in 1998 when she first came to Atlanta for a job interview.  We both attended the School of Education at the University of Michigan, but I was one year ahead of her.  We didn't know each other at school, but we had mutual friends.  By the summer of 98, there were a group of five UM grad teachers living in Atlanta, and we were a great support system for each other.  Jodi eventually got me a job at Oak Grove (the school she interviewed at when visiting me years before) in 2002 and we taught together for several years.  Along with our friends and eventual spouses, we went to weddings together, played tennis (and won TWO ALTA city finals), traveled to run marathons (I was the cheerleader!), visited Shannon and Emma in Germany, celebrated birthdays and eventually had children around the same time.  In fact, my daughter Anna was born while Jodi, Dave and her parents were in China to bring Ava Mei home.  I remember saying goodbye to her before they left and us laughing that, "When you get home, we'll both be moms!" We were close friends during an important and fun time of our lives.  I will cherish the memories of those years.