I have to share a very TRUE story of my own! Our youngest daughter, 'Stefanie', had a very special friend that been in her class with her from kindergarten to the 4th grade, and after telling our daughter she didn't feel well on a Friday at school, she was rushed to the hospital the next day with the progressed symptoms of bruising all over her body and cracked and bleeding lip, bleeding from the navel, etc. A week later, she went into a coma, after complaining of a severe pain in her head and after days of waiting for improvement and having no brain activity during that time, they allowed her body to die. Our daughter was, of course, devastated and wanted to have her friend, 'Bonnie', back from heaven. I told her that was not possible. She wanted to pray to her and asked if it would be okay! I told her, that whereas God is the only one we can pray to, He or Jesus would be glad to tell 'Bonnie' what she wanted her to hear, if she asked Him to deliver her message to her! She then asked me if 'Bonnie' could come back to her from heaven. I told her, "No, that is not possible and besides she's so happy there she doesn't want to come back!" That really upset her and she said "Well, I want her back!" Then she wanted to know if 'Bonnie' could talk to her from heaven? I said not really in a way she was expecting, but one day they would be together again to talk all they wanted! The next day, her 2nd grade teacher phoned me, to ask if she could give Stefanie something she found in her garage. She had gone out there and looked around and thought that she should really try to organize and throw away some stuff from previous classes she had been saving. She walked over to the very first box and right on the top of the contents was a note from 'Bonnie' to 'Stefanie', apparently written 2 years before! It said: "Dear Stefanie, You are my very best friend--I love you so much!!!! Love, Bonnie" Of course, I agreed that it would be a very good thing to give to Stefanie--in fact--'very timely'!! The next day, Stefanie came running in after school, leaped into my arms and told me how 'Bonnie' had written her a note and asked me if it was possible it came down from heaven? I told her, that it was more likely, that God knew that she would need to hear from 'Bonnie' that day, and so He made sure that it was saved and found at that very time, to be given to her!! I can certainly tell you, it impacted that little girl, greatly, at a very tender age and time to realize that God is so *in control* and knows what we will need, even before the need ever arises! And, that He is willing and faithful to meet the deepest needs of His children!! A truth, played out over and over in my own life!! He is so good to us!!

You can also mail children's letters to Santa and volunteer employees at Canada Post will send a reply back from St Nick himself. You can do this no matter where you live. Canada Post employees answer over a million letters to Santa from countries all over the world every year in 21 different languages. The reason they are all sent to Canada Post is because the North Pole is supposedly part of Canada or close to it. The address is simple: Santa Claus North Pole HOH OHO (The postal code spells HO HO HO)

So..... I want to update everyone especially because your comments and suggestions have been so appreciated. It touches my heart the way total strangers freely give thoughtful advice on Gardenweb. And the outcome of this story should give all house shoppers everywhere hope and maybe a few chills. We did not get Peggy's house. The why and the various problems with the deal and the communication between our crappy realtor and the listing agent do not matter. We didn't get the house. I cried. I threw tantrums. I gave my husband the silent treatment for a week. I threw my arms up and said 'ok, that's it. I guess we can't move. We've run out of time.'--- I am on a strict timeline because plants have to be dug up and moved before cold weather sets in. I was so bummed. We ditched the realtor. Then... Thursday... a house appeared on mls... on my absolute favorite street in the new city in the very best of neighborhoods... recently renovated at a very high end level with great finishes almost all of which I would have chosen myself. We called the listing agent directly and saw the house Saturday. First people to see it. Met the owner- a wonderful elderly lady who loves the home so much she was in tears about selling it. Her husband (who was a professor at the same University where my husband teaches) passed away and she has health and mobility issues and no family in this town and needs to move near her children. Gardens are glorious... need work but like Peggy's house the structure is there. Very private lot. Floorplan is a dream for how we actually live and use a house. Yard already fenced for our dogs. Truly I could not have imagined a more perfect house. We made an almost full price offer right then and there. (Because we thought the price was fair and we can afford it.) Accepted. Closing set. All of this happened I believe because we were able to meet the owner and tell her about us and assure her that we would care for the home and gardens. I know this is not the norm in real estate transactions but I really think the human dimension matters. I am still shaking. I can't believe this all happened so quickly. I am pinching myself. It doesn't feel real!

Hi Gail, for some reason, I can't get my mind around stroke #3. LOL I can do the DD one stroke rose fairly well now, and I am working on learning to do a more loose stroke rose. Even have a dvd of a shabby chic one. I love the look of projects with roses on them. Thanks for sharing that site, it was fun to see another approach. Luvs