honoring Dewey mini-challenge

Eva's mini-challenge asks us to share a favorite memory of Dewey, the founder of the read-a-thon. And for many of us, a dear friend.

I'm not sure how to pick a favorite memory...there are so many things, big and small, that I cling to these days. Everything from the one hour she actually posted her picture during the read-a-thon. Of course, she took it back off after an hour, but I can't tell you how much it still means that I can "see" her in my mind! I loved when she posted the scrumptious plates of foods James fixed for her during the read-a-thons. So many little delicacies to choose from...and I always felt guilty because my eating was never quite that healthy during the read-a-thons. And I loved when she posted the pictures she would take of her walks.

I "met" Dewey when she started planning the first read-a-thon, and thus the read-a-thon is very, very special to me. It was then that I started reading her wonderful blog. And that led to e-mails. At first, just casual stuff. Then more and more just for fun kind of e-mails. And much more personal e-mails. And just your average everyday stuff, like the very last one I got from her where she told me how she managed to snag the perfect turkey at the perfect time from the store. She was about to host Thanksgiving at her house. And she said she loved hosting because then they had all the leftovers.

Those of you who know me might remember when our computer crashed last November. We lost a year's worth of pictures and loads of homeschool stuff and the novel that Annie was working on for NaNoWriMo. Of course, we were devastated, but we couldn't afford the money it was going to cost to have the data retrieved. You know what Dewey did...she had us send it them so James could see if he could retrieve the data, and they refused to even let us think of paying them.

Just a few days before she died, Dewey sent Rich and I a link to a photo album of a walk she and James took in the woods behind their house. I'm so thankful I still have that e-mail. I love that I can take that walk and see the world she saw during that one afternoon. I think it may be one of the most precious gifts I've ever received...and I didn't even know quite how special it was at the time I received it.

I'm sorry...I didn't do a very good job of editing this down to one memory. I don't know how. And face it, it doesn't help that it's 4:30 in the morning.

Thank you, Eva, for giving us this chance to remember Dewey.

Dewey, you are so missed, and you are so loved!