When she came into Season 6, she was a completely different person.
Not just a slightly different user name, but almost unrecognizable from who she is today.
In a lot of ways, she was someone who was "becoming". There was the raw talent, but also an eagerness to please everyone around her, instead of looking out for her own well-being. Over the course of that first season, that started to change. Her talent started shining more and her confidence seemed to build over the seasons.
From the period of Seasons 6-8, she was an Idol staple - and then she went off to forge her own path, to work professionally as not only a writer but an editor and publisher as well. I was extremely happy for, and proud of, her. But of course, I wished she would come back to Idol. (To paraphrase Bruce Banner That's my secret, I always wish they'd come back to Idoll. :D)
Life has it's challenges, and she continues to evolve, she continues to "become" - once again shedding the old life and starting a brand new adventure, this time across an ocean.
She left Idol to pursue that path just 6 weeks shy of becoming a member of the 100 Weeks Club. Had she remained, she would have been in contention for having one of the fastest paths to that mark of all time.
I'm glad that she decided to make Season 11 part of that journey, and that I am finally able to say
Congratulations
pixiebelle and welcome to the 100 Weeks Club!