Happy Birthday, Abby

Twenty three years ago today I watched as my little

1-day old daughter was wheeled from the hospital where

I was recuperating from a C-section.

She was airlifted to Denver in hopes that the surgeons might

repair her tiny heart. As I touched her little face,

I wondered if I would ever see it again.

How good is our Lord!! He spared her life & blessed us greatly.

That day I wondered if she would ever see her first birthday.

Who would have thought she would spend

her 23rd in the jungles of Panama?

Yesterday was the first birthday we've spent apart.

A quick phone call from her the night before as she was in transit

through Panama City offered up this latest info.

This past weekend each Peace Corps volunteer-in-training

was given the name & location of a current active

volunteer somewhere in Panama.

Trainees had to find their way to their particular volunteer,

spend a few days with them and then return to their own village.

Since volunteers are not permitted to drive, they must walk or get

public transportaion that is not always modern and speedy.

Abby was delighted with her "assignment" on the beach with

a woman working on turtle habitat & teaching environmental

lessons at the local school. Ironically,this volunteer

has requested a helper since her region is large and

it takes her over 2 hours to walk between villages. Could it be Abby??

Riding horses & hiking the beach was how she spent the time.

She said it would have been a "romantic" weekend---

if it hadn't been two girls.

She was suspicious that there might be a

small celebration for her birthday.

Evidently, her host family indicated that a "special birthday dish"

is potato salad!! Never one of her favorite dishes.

Wonder if they could mix some chocolate chips in with the mayo.

Or maybe add a few Jelly Beans!!