There is this Friend . . .

A rather wonderful friend. And she sent me birthday presents. 

Last year.

And I never said a thing about them. Until now.

She made this notebook for me. Isn't it wonderful?

Of all the things I wondered about getting for my birthday, such a wonderful thing as this I never expected.

Made it herself. And she put Narnia and books all over it and I can read and read and know what I'm supposed to say. G.K.C can inspire and remind me to keep going, and I can remember her. Every time I set the page to pen. Though, I'm kind of afraid I'll mar the beauty work of it with all my mixed words that aren't as good as they could be.

And Chai tea. I don't know how she knew. Just did, I guess. 

She sent me some Marzipan, too, 'cause she remembered from Christmas emails that I wanted to taste some German Christmas food. She's German. And I love German and Dutch and all those kinds of places. And she remembered that. Hmm. She makes me smile when she remembers these little things. 

There's no picture of the Marzipan because, well, it got gobbled up before I could.

 It's a notebook. For my notes about boys and girls riding the rails and about the things I want to tell them, and the book I'm going to finish for my mama so I can tell it to her, too.
It's good, because that's how I remember her. How I remember my friend. This way, with all the story telling and the meanings in the stories, and how a story doesn't really mean anything if it doesn't change the writer, too.

Yes, my dear friend, the dragons can be beaten. Thank you for helping me beat mine in the day and nighttime and sending me those long, endless emails that I just devour right up and beam this bursting gladness in my soul so much it pushes the smile clear across my cheeks. Sorry for not answering sooner then I do, but I hope I can give that smile back as big as you give. You can beat your dragons, too. G.K.C said it after all. Please know that. With all that loved heaped up inside you, you have got to know that the greatest of faith and hope and love is love.

Thanks for always reminding that "God is still good". I have that memory locked up tight inside me because you gave it when the summer was hot and the money low and the worry in lines tight on my brow, and somehow He helped you make it all right for me. Thank the Lord for you, and your wonderful gifts. Thank you.