~THE GIFT of FRIENDSHIP~

Christmas Day is getting closer and closer and like many of you I'm working on the final plans for celebrating the most beautiful event of the year.  For us it is the birth of the King of Kings, our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I've wrapped up selling my wares early  for the first time in years and it feels good to say "enough" a few days before I actually needed to.  Just about everything has sold from my website shelves and I'm so incredibly thankful so many of you found my work worthy of purchasing again this year.  Thank you never seems enough, but I offer up my gratitude with a very full heart just the same...  I love what I'm blessed to do in my life and I'm looking forward to continuing in 2012! 

 

About a week ago UPS delivered a very big box to my doorstep which around this time isn't all that unusual.  My Mr. AGPMan pushed the enormous thing inside and I stared for a second or two at the return address.  It came from an Oklahoma town and so that made it all the more unusual because it was from a 'company' and not a 'person'.

As I cut open the box inside I found eight more boxes neatly tucked inside...  Still not realizing what each of the boxes held I lifted out the first one and opened it up.

When I opened up one of the inside boxes and slid the contents out I was shocked out of my mind.  Inside each box was one of the plates I had been longing to find.  You may remember my post from a couple of weeks back where I talked about the charming Poinsettia plates from Andrea by Sadek I'd been searching for.  The local store where I found them went out of business and I hadn't been able to find anymore...

To tell you I was speechless and overwhelmed by the generosity of this gift doesn't even come close to telling you how I felt.  Not only was the box unexpected but it came from one of my most beloved friends of all time.

Although I moved to selling consistently on my own website a couple of years ago, one of the side benefits of offering my wares on eBay for so very long was the meeting and forging of several lasting friendships.  I've worked with more buyers than I can say and it blesses me to share with you that several of those ladies have become very, very close friends.  And, one of those longtime friends was incredibly generous and sent me those eight Poinsettia plates giving me a total of twelve...enough to set my Christmas table for my family this year.

When I started selling on eBay back in 2001 I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, how to do it, what it would become or just who I would meet along the way.  Meeting Miss C and learning about her life and her family has been such an encouragement to me and I've been able to share with her the best and the worst of events in my life in return.  Lots of happy moments, the weddings of my two kids, celebrating victory with my Miss K, tearful moments surrounding my father as well as the passing of one of her most beloved family members... 

Isn't it amazing how God is always on time with His love and encouragement in our lives?  He's never too early or too late to send us people who will help carry our burdens and celebrate with us our greatest joys.  Thank you, C...you mean the world to me!  Honest.  You do!  Your generosity takes my breath away and as always I have much to learn from you!  Thank you again... xoxo


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My friend, Miss F, recently sent me a collection of vintage bottles, perfumers, talcs, antique lipstick holders, jars, baskets and bits of trim.  I've already used the baskets in my own home (more about this soon) and I gifted one of the lipstick holders to my DILove because she absolutely loves the colors of yellow and orange.  The two white lipstick holders (which are little lady figurines) I kept for myself because they look just lovely in my master bathroom.  Miss F is also a friend I originally met because of eBay and one who has blessed my life in more ways than I can say.  And, just like Miss C we've shared stories of family love and family loss over the years...again...I'm incredibly blessed.  Thank you, Miss F!  Can't wait to chat-chat again when you are feeling better!  I'm honored to be your 'adopted' daughter and to call you friend! :) xoxo


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Tonight my daughter, Adrienne (AdrieGirl) and her big brother, Brandon (my BKN), are hosting a little dinner party for my birthday.  Yesterday I had lunch with my beautiful Momma and tomorrow my Mr. AGPMan and I are going to Tulsa for dinner and a weekend getaway.  We've had sooooo little time together since he started back to school last May.  If you are keeping up with me as I share his schooling-saga then you'll be happy to know in November he'll graduate with his degree in Computer Science and Software Development...  Come On November!  It can't get here fast enough (for him or me!).

More soon as the Season of Light and Love continues on...

Love to you...