thanks for noticin’ me
I haven’t been truly surprised very many times in my life. But last week, someone surprised me with something that made my breath catch and my eyes well.
I hadn’t seen Stacey since we were roommates in ’97 when we interned together at a missions organization. We’ve kept in touch off and on over the years and when Stacey joined Facebook recently, she found me and added me as a friend. Following the link over to the Grit, she got caught up on my ramblings of the past few months and realized I’m in Ohio.
She lives in Ohio.
After a few messages back and forth, we realized we’re only 45 minutes away from each other. So we met up for lunch on Friday. It was so great to get caught up, see pictures of her kids, meet her husband and sister. Stacey seemed just as I remembered her, from the way her eyes disappear when she laughs to the warmth and love that radiates from her. We had a great visit.
We walked out to our cars to say goodbye and Stacey said she had something for me. The tuft of black “fur” peeking out the top of the gift bag seemed so familiar. A quick peek inside confirmed it. I couldn’t contain myself. “He’s the same as the Eeyore I had at the internship!”
“It is the same. It’s the one you gave me.”
In that instant, my dam(n) memory wall broke and it all came flooding back. The day we said our tearful goodbyes to each other, I took Eeyore off my bed (where he’d lived all year) and gave him to Stacey. I wanted her to take him with her, kind of like a hug to-go, and I’d hoped he’d remind her of how much I love her. I hadn’t even remembered doing that until she spoke those words.
All these years later, Stacey still had Eeyore.
And she gave him back to me for all the same reasons I’d given him to her.
What a wonderful surprise.
@danielleH says:
this is a great story. i am so glad you reconnected with a friend….what a happy story.
i have some pictures with eeyore in it. :)
you do???
i wanna see!
@danielleH says:
you did! from our DC pictures! but we looked at so many pictures that night. i should still post those on FB… you think?
(what happens if YOU get your 20,000th comment?)
eeyore was in there!? [shawn gave him to me... maybe that's when??? i can't imagine why else he'd have been there. hmmm...]
and i will hopefully be able to intentionally avoid getting the coveted 20K comment!
Oh, friend. This made me tear up. I’m so glad.
(The tears might be mostly because of a looooooong day working on Jimmy’s grad party, but still.)
Love.
Now Eeyore needs a shalom tattoo!!!
And I need that 20,000 comment!!!
Oop.
I should have said 20,000TH** comment.
Cause my snowman rug melted years ago.
But Eeyore never melts.
Cause he’s Pooh’s friend. Heh.
Or was that Piglet?
Or Goofy maybe?
Hey, what is Goofy anyway…?
I mean, Pluto was the dog, right?
And since I’m on the subject…
…trying again for the 20,000th comment…
…I forgot what I was going to say.
Well.
That’s a great photograph, Alece.
And I’m sure Eeyore is happy, too!
So. Is this the 20,000th comment…?
Or…this…?
Hey, when are we gonna know anyway…?
And if I lose, can I still win something for my efforts?
Like jelly bean or something…?
Or maybe I’ll just write a post called “The Grapes of Jelly.”
Beans, of course. Heh.
My dog had a headache the other day so I have him some mustard ’cause that’s what you put on a hot dog.
And I got some new carpet. Shaggy, of course.
Actually, I don’t have my dog back yet. I couldn’t afford him. So I had to give him up for a while. But I really want to get him back soon. Cause, like, I don’t have an Eeyore.
oh man… sorry you don’t have your dog right now. that sucks.
A man without his dog. That is depressing.
But I know he’s being well cared for. ;)
Which is just so totally cool.
;)
Do I lose points for asking if I got the 20,000th comment?
Like, maybe I got to pay for the postage for the prize or something?
The price of postage went up again.
In fact, I remember in 1973 the price of a stamp was 3 cents.
Or was it 1972?
Something like that.
Ike had just passed and they put him on a stamp.
I remember that, too.
Hmm…Am I getting close?
Maybe I should treat this like that puppy competition.
Boy, that was funny. Heh.
Especially when Tam “accidently” got the 1,000th comment.
Ah ha ha ha!!!!
And now a word from our sponsor.
“Raggy! Raggy! Relp re Raggy! Raggy, ry read’s ropped off!!! Raggy!!”
(I guess it was funnier on video.)
And here’s the 50th comment!
And one more for good luck!
And just in case #51 is the 20Kth comment! Heh.
(I know this would have been more entertaining if I could think of a joke, but it’s late and I’m really tired. Sorry.)
Goodnight.
wow.
thank you for that humorous comment monologue!
Ah, Alece. That was a gift from the heart….. both times.
Your eyes in the picture say it all.
Yeah, Stacey, good one.
@knights_lady says:
more healing in the remembering
@moweezle says:
That is awesomely wonderful!!!!!!! My heart is melting :)
“It’s snowing still,” said Eeyore gloomily.
“So it is.”
“And freezing.”
“Is it?”
“Yes,” said Eeyore. “However,” he said, brightening up a little, “we haven’t had an earthquake lately.”
thinking of you…
oh that was so perfect! thank you, TM!
I love that! I love friendships that are so precious like that! You are most blessed of women sweet Alece! :)
Came here from Soliloquy. I love Facebook. We recently had lunch with some friends we hadn’t seen in years, because we hooked up on Facebook.
ked’s told me wonderful things about you. thanks for coming over to visit! can i get you some coffee? sparkling water? glass of wine? i’m nothing if not hospitable.
sometimes i get frustrated with the connecting power of facebook… because i suddenly become “friends” with old friends, and then nothing progresses beyond that. so… what’s the point?! gah.
That is so sweet!! What a great friend…she knew what you needed. :)
very sweet!
@coloraturajoy says:
although this is quite a cute story, it’s hard to think of anything cuter than that picture.
really? ha. thanks.
Aren’t people amazing, Alece?
The things they will do to surprise us…the love they give just by being a friend…for life.
I pray God’s blessings for you today.
Crying …
@cassgirl says:
breathless.. WOW
She loved you fiercely!
spectacular….really.
Oh, and for reals, your hair is smashing in this picture. I didn’t know you changed it, but you look Gorgeous!
thanks, motts. i dyed it “egyptian plum”. it’s non-permanent so it’ll just fade out (yay for no roots). i’m lovin’ something different. especially since i hate this tweener stage of my hair growing out!
@atangie says:
Wow!
@nateonamission says:
Yeah, I have to agree with them. The hair is lookin’ fab. Love the picture!
wow…how cool is that!?! Makes me tear up…jeepers creepers.
Oh Alece, thank you! I am so very glad you liked “him” :) I do think, if I recall correctly, that he might be missing an earring though :) His piercing grew back :) I love you and hope you are having a great time in Atlanta!
(Hi Stacey!) Awesome story, Alece.
look at you checking my blog on vacation! so glad i made the cut! :) get tan for me, ‘talia.
Hey Natalie! How are you?
WHAT!? did i have an earring on him?! seriously?! oi vey.
I always though it hilarious! It was a gold hoop :) Who else but Alece would put a hoop earring on Eeyore and wear her Nike hat backwards :) LOL!
sorry that was thought it hilarious oops :)
ha! if only i were so cool. now that you mention the gold hoop… i am almost positive it was shawn who put it there!
even the nike hat wasn’t all me. i skeefed it from someone. don’t think even then i would’ve bought myself that hat! ha.
You still say “skeef”. Was it Monica who started that? I say it too, and it=love.
i grew up saying it… maybe it’s an east coast word? hmmm…
i like that skeef = love to you! :)
But you were working it :)
I think I remember this story about the giving away ‘o Eeyore.
Wow.
rilly?
That is SO cool! Brought tears to my eyes. What a great friend, and what a great gift.
Well, well…internship friends- (Hi Stacey! and Nat) so cute. I actually remember E’yore on your bed all those times I crashed in your room….too funny! Glad you got to reconnect….missin ya.
eeyore’s seen some good times. and now he’s living it up in wonderbread, ohio!
Hey Charlene! How are you? I’m loving it that there are so many people on here that I know! I remember you “crashing” in our room whenever you guys were in town! Good Times!