a big day around here

today's a big day around here!
the guys and i get to meet patty!

if you've been hangin' around long enough you'll
remember patty is the woman who did volunteer work
in south africa.

i actually heard about patty from someone who gets
our quote of the day. i never had interacted with
this woman before. she wrote to comment on a quote
that came in her mail box one morning. she liked it
and told me she sent it to her friend in south
africa. and THAT was how i heard about patty.

when i asked a bit about it, she forwarded me a bunch
of patty's letters.

i remember that day. one of those busy days. i didn't
plan on getting into a dialog. i had things goin' on.
all these letters came in. i'll just stop and take a
really quick peek, i thought.

i ended up slowly reading every single one as the tears
poured down my face. the world stopped for me that
morning and i knew i had to help.

i was so moved by her stories that i decided to
build a tiny website that would let people know
what she was up to.

me. website. yeah. that's a stretch.
well, i was inspired.
i'll tackle anything when i'm inspired.

i took a gazillion pages of letters and things i
had from patty, printed them out and sat on my
studio floor surrounded with them. i was trying to
figure out a layout of the site.

the guys were really busy with other projects and
i knew that i could make a basic thing for her.
i asked them if they could guide me thru a few links,
but other than that i wouldn't bother them.

as i sat there reading these letters, noah and
zakk came down to fill some orders. i started reading
bits and pieces to them.

i didn't do it to 'hook' them. i had already told them
i had this project covered. and i wanted to do it.
but as i read, noah got drawn in. he sat down on the
floor with me and told me he wanted to help.
i insisted that i had it. he had too much on his plate
already. he insisted he wanted in.

i looked up at his face. he wasn't kidding. he was
moved too. and really.......how could you not be?

and you know.......thank goodness he was.
cause he has the most beautiful touch. and this so needed
that.

so noah built patty a website. i helped organize it and
figure out some of the mundane things. and before i knew
it, zakk and josh were involved and helping out too.
zakk, who i could never get to design anything for bone
sighs, was designing a card with his photography and
josh's lyrics to a song josh wrote just for this site.
their hearts were moved as much as mine. they helped out
on some behind the scenes things...and before too long...
we had a site up and were workin' on spreadin' the word.

patty is one of the most inspiring women i have ever come
across. her writing is gorgeous, her heart amazes me.
and she's beautiful on top of it all. i mean, beautiful
inside for sure.....and beautiful outside.

and now.....today........we all get to meet her in person!
she was travelin' in the area, and actually came in a bit
early to meet us. she actually came early for us.

i am so completely honored and soooooo looking forward to this.
i think i kinda need it.

if you've missed patty and the site, or if you just want
to go back and re-inspire yourself......check her out here!

i think she's heading back to south africa!!!
i'll get the full story later today...