Mama and Ms. Anne

So the two ladies in my title never met one another.  They were very much the same and completely different all at the same time.  Their love for me and my love for them - absolutely certain.  Their lives intersected this afternoon.  Allow me to explain . . .

My morning had a routine start.  Some reading; emails; a couple phone calls.  Then it was off to the imaging center for a mammogram I had put off too long.  Oh, Joy!  I took two Tylenol and was out the door by 10 AM.

(Oddly, I could NOT find my car keys and after a desperate search, I gave up and used the spare.  When I came out of the imaging center and reached into my purse,  the keys floated right to the surface from a pocket where they'd been hiding all along.  Perhaps my subconscious mind just refused to see them hoping to avoid the procedure all together.  Sigh!)

I decided to make a quick stop at a consignment shop and one other store before heading back home for lunch.  Many of my friends call this "Retail Therapy" but if I spend too much time shopping, I need therapy when I've finished.

The consignment store yielded an item Meagan needs for baby Andrew.  And as I had suspected, the other store had a couple of sections marked 75% off.  My kind of section!  I'm traveling to Pennsylvania this week to do a women's conference and to speak for a church.  If a new outfit happened to be on the 75% off rack, it would certainly merit investigating.

Unfortunately, the two dresses I tried on both left me less than thrilled.  But there was this pair of pj's that had caught my eye.  I must admit, pajamas are a special delight for me at this point in my life.  These were soft and snuggly.  The bottoms were just long enough to cover my feet and the top had short sleeves which I especially like.  One problem, the top button was missing.

I took the pj's to the register and asked if they were reduced any more because of the missing button.  It may surprise you that I would ask given the pj's were already 75% off.  But I happened to know this store is great with customer service.  The manager came over, paused a moment then asked me, "Would another 20% be okay?"  "Absolutely!  Thank you," was my prompt reply.

When I got home, I decided to look for a button to sew on right away.  I was afraid that waiting would allow me to settle for a safety pin and that would never do for such a cute top.  Now please bear in mind, I'm no seamstress!  But I do keep a Tupperware box under my bed which had belonged to my friend, Ms. Anne.  It was among the many things she gave to me before she died.

There were a few buttons in the box but none that would fit.  I started scrambling to find a button.  (Some of you will be appalled to learn that I typically toss spare buttons because I so seldom need them.  It's my attempt to keep clutter at bay.)

Finally, I spotted a tiny ziplock bag in the corner of my jewelry box.  The bag held one earring and a tiny blue button.  I knew immediately, Mama had given me the bag.  She had found the earring at her house and thought it was mine.  The button had such a lovely pearl look she had saved that for me, too . . . just because.

I used the needle and thread Ms. Anne had given me to sew on the little pearl button Mama had given me and got tears in my eyes thinking how they'll both be remembered every time I wear my new pj's.

Don't you find yourself hoping you do things that will cause people to think fondly of you even when you aren't around?  Mama moved to Heaven almost eleven years ago.  Ms. Anne moved there last year.  But today, both ladies felt very near because of small acts of love they probably considered insignificant at the time.  (Yes, I'm crying again in case you're wondering.)

Mama and Ms. Anne . . . feisty, funny and forever etched in my heart.  They didn't meet here but I look forward to introducing them some day in Heaven.  When I tell them the story of the button, they will both make fun of me for being so sentimental, I feel certain!