patty!!!

ohmygosh........
i could not have loved her any more!

she's beautiful. her entire being shines.
she's loving, she's open, she's soooo real.
her eyes are so deep they just pull you in
and you get lost.

i bet every man in the world falls in love
with her, and i bet every woman in the
world wants to be her friend. and yeah, i'm
sure some women fall in love with her too!

she got off the elevator JUST as we were
walkin' by it to figure out where to sit.

it was such a surprise to me as we were a
few minutes early, and my head just wasn't
there. it never occurred to me we'd bump into
her like that. bam. right there. smack in front
of each other.

i looked up, saw her, gasped, and ran to her.

i think because it caught me by surprise,
i wasn't thinking, and i just ran to her.

it was like we just knew each other immediately.

i don't remember ever scoopin' anyone i hadn't met
before like that into my arms. i don't remember
ever runnin' to anyone i didn't know like that
before......

she gives awesome hugs. and she just didn't
let go. we hugged like we hadn't seen each other
in lifetimes......

she hugged all my guys and i just stood their
grinnin'.

we sat at a table and talked and talked and talked.
my plan was to go out and grab some lunch, but i
forgot what we were doing. i lost all track of time.
i lost all track of everything except the conversation.

we just talked and talked and talked.

she told us her stories.
i asked questions. every time i asked about one of
the women or children i teared up. the guys joked about
not bringing the tissues. i couldn't believe i didn't!

mary, i asked about the girl with the purple flowers!
she's doin' great according to patty!

lady fair JUST got into her house! patty talks to her
weekly.....

as she filled us in, she'd look over with those eyes of
hers, and i would just tumble inside of them. i truly
truly love this woman.

somehow patty will make her way back to africa. she's
figuring that out right now.
she'll be having an art show to raise funds to do that.
when i know the details, i'll post them.

there's something incredible about her.
there's something really really really incredible.
to be that open and that loving after having seen all
she's seen.....

she reminds me so much of the power of an open heart.

we're hopin' for a family gathering before the weekend's
over. a dinner with the gang....there will be more time
together before she goes away.

and i can tell ya, she will forever be in my heart.
once again for anyone who missed it......if you don't
know who she is......check her out here!