An Email and a Mr. Linky

As I mentioned in my post earlier today, today was the one-year anniversary of a life-changing day. As I was looking back, I realized that tomorrow is a special one too! I love dates and am sentimental about things like that...the events of a single day can change your life (actually, LOTS of life-altering events happen in a single day...or maybe ALL of them do?!...ha!)

A year ago today, on February 8, 2009, I received an email in my inbox from Laurie in Ca. She had been following my blog for a while and we both read some of the same blogs, including Kristy's as she met and said good-bye to her fourth son, Asher, on February 22, 2008. Laurie had received an email from Kristy's "in real life friend", Ginger. Ginger wanted to do something to surprise Kristy and her family with a gift for Asher's first birthday. But, she needed help to "pull it off". So, she sent Laurie and email who then forwarded the email to me and some of Kristy's other "blog friends". At that point, I was struggling with what I could do for Kristy since I live so far away and didn't "really" know her. I was, however, her friend on facebook, so I sent Ginger an email and let her know that I could do a little "blog" and "facebook"-stalking. I ended up sending messages to a number of Kristy's facebook friends and actually got a message from facebook warning me about sending spam--ha! I thought what Ginger was doing was SO great, like something I would do, so I said "when this is all over we have to become facebook friends!"

And as soon as "the secret was out", we became facebook friends...who chatted into the wee hours of the night until the one night we decided we were going to meet in Chicago in May. SO much has happened this past year, from our trip to Chicago (my slide show here, her really cool post about it here). She came to visit me in November. I am about ready to book my ticket to go visit her. There have been texts and facebook chats and emails and phone calls. There have been celebrations, exciting news shared, and lots of laughing. There also have been tough times, some teary times (okay, to be honest, the crying has only been me...me being "a crier" and all), some scary times (like her calling me after she nearly fell off a cliff...yeah, scary), and lots of times that were just "fun". Ginger, you are such a great friend, and I am so blessed that God brought you into my life...I could see your character in that one little email and I just knew you would be someone good to know...little did I know that we would end up becoming friends, or that we would meet and hang out not once, but TWICE in 2009!

I found that email in my inbox, but when I looked back at my blog posts from February 2009, I noticed that I didn't actually post on February 8. February 7 was the "Pizza Delivery People Party" I attended (that was funny!) February 9 was the first time (and, I believe the ONLY time) I posted to MckMama's "Not Me! Monday" Mr. Linky. Aunt Nikki found my blog that day and left a comment on my post. Since then, she has blessed me with encouraging comments, and she often posts "random" things on her blog that make me laugh (like this one she posted today...not funny for that guy, but made me smile!) It's people like Nikki (and Foster Ima and Steph and Laurie in Ca and Marcie) who I would have missed out on meeting, learning from, encouraged by, etc., if my blog was private (rather than being "private" as it pretty much is!)

I did get 10 letters written while I was at the coffee shop this morning. That is why it has taken me so long to send Christmas cards--I cannot just put a picture in the mail, and even writing a "Christmas letter" didn't seem like it would work for me, I have to make it personal. Just looking at the collage and writing my notes reminded me of how much happened in my life in one year! I know I have a year's worth of blog posts that could tell me that, but to see it in a couple pictures really puts things into perspective. And then, to realize that many of those great moments happened with people who weren't even in my life a year ago (including my nephew because he wasn't born yet!) is just amazing.

(This is a little different version than the one that I sent, but pretty close.)

Well, I'd better head to bed since I'm back to work the next two days. I didn't really get anything done around my house, but feel good about getting those letters sent. My head is a little sore after the shots I got at the dermatologist this morning, but pretty much just if I touch the bumps, so maybe I should not do that ;o)
Good night!