The First Sabbatical Event - Aoife

I have loved this girl from the first time I saw her. The only daughter, with four elder brothers, somehow she holds her own in the family. And so it was natural that I should want to have my first El/Ol-less Event with her.

We browsed together in a quaint little store she'd been in previously - cowboy gumboots; really?! - which made me realize how much fun an Event with a girl could be. She had chosen Edo for dinner and we perched on the high stools and people-watched and chatted. She was the model of manners, consulting with me on what we should get, carrying the food-laden tray to the table, and clearing the table afterward.


Then we went to Chapters for the official Event. One of the topics of our conversation over dinner had been the children of the tsunami, whom I am hoping to visit again this year in India. I had mentioned that I wanted to get enough small stuffed animals to place one on each of the beds we had donated money to make. Aoife chose some she thought would be cute on kids' beds even before she went to find a book for herself.

When we had each found a book and paid for them, we went to Starbucks for coffee and a chat - and I received a text from her Dad.

I read it aloud to Aoife and she was rightfully indignant. I handed her my phone and let her respond, which she did with much seriousness:












The name Aoife means beautiful; radiant; joyful. Our Aoife is all of this and more. She is thoughtful, polite, intelligent, and caring of those less fortunate than herself. She's a good soccer player and loves to ski. She's also adventurous, and is going to learn to snowboard this year ... And she loves sock monkeys, so she's pretty spectacular company on an Event!


Today happens to be her 11th birthday. Happy birthday to one of the loveliest girls I know ... Can we do this again some time?!