My sunshine friend~

Today was filled with house cleaning; food preparing; cake delivery; canning; and the usuals, but it had one unusually bright spot in it---that being, when I heard my dear, dear, dear friend, Dorena W's voice on the other end of the phone line this afternoon......

I remember very clearly how Dorena and I met that afternoon--11 years ago... My family and I were attending the home-school graduation of some friends' of ours daughter (the same graduation I mentioned yesterday--where we met the people who are now our neighbors.) The program was over and the ladies were in the church-basement kitchen preparing the meal to serve to the large crowd. My mom was one of the busy ladies, and my dad and brothers must have been visiting with someone. Anyway, I was sitting all alone at a large table, watching the newly graduated young woman, Ruth play violin with Ben--a friend of hers (whom I later found out was Dorena's brother and whom Ruth eventually married!)

But, back to my story... I was sitting there, feeling very lonely, when a smiling girl walked up to me and introduced herself as "Dorena." We started talking (I don't remember what about), and pretty soon she asked me if I wanted to be her pen-pal. I said, "Yes, but I'd better ask my mom first." So, we walked over to the kitchen together and asked my mom. My mother tells me now that she remembers looking at Dorena's smiling face and thinking--"This is just the kind of friend I want for my daughter." We spent the rest of the day together, sitting on the church steps and getting to know each other.

So was the beginning of a long and dear friendship! We don't write letters very often like we used to, but when we do write them, they could be counted as small books. :) When my mother was very sick 3 years ago, Dorena came and spent 2 weeks with us to help with putting up the garden produce and everything. We got to be very close during that time, and had many early morning talks. :) Unfortunately, our families live about 4 hours apart, so we don't get together very often. In fact, in October it will be a whole year since I've seen my dear sunshine friend! There was a chance of seeing her twice, but things didn't work out. However, there's a possibility that we can celebrate our "One-year-of-not-seeing-each-other" anniversary together, as Dorena and one or two of her brothers may come to our Appleseed event!!!!! She said the only thing she knows of that would keep them from coming is that her sister is expecting the arrival of her/their 2nd child right around that time and she'd want to be there for the birth... I wonder if it would be alright for me to pray for the baby to come early? :)

It was just such a treat to talk to my old friend... (I'll try to find a picture tomorrow of us together at Ruth's younger sisters' graduation over a year ago--and then will share the picture here...)