Show and Tell Friday...but first...

Before I start this week's Show and Tell, I wanted to ackowledge an award I was recently and graciously given. Susanne from Living to Tell the Story honored me with The Thoughtful Blogger award a few days ago. Thank you so very much, my friend- I was so blessed by this!

I would like to pass The Thoughtful Blogger award on to Linda at Middle Years. Linda is truly a thoughtful blogger in every sense of the word...by putting so much beautiful thought into her posts...and by showing thoughtfulness to others!
She has a tender heart towards the Lord and inspires me with her gentle posts.




Last week I thanked Rosemary who so graciously gave me this award last week. But now I'm passing it on to...you, Susanne! Not because you just gave me an award, but because I truly think you deserve this one! You are truly one of the nicest bloggers I am blessed to have met...you are so uplifting in your blog and also in the comments you leave to others- very nice, indeed!

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Now, for Show and Tell #3, hosted by Kelli at There is no place like home.


She writes, "Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item."




This is Turtie.

He and I go waaaaaaaaaaay back.
In fact, I have a big box of special friends whom he lives with sitting up in my closet. I recently retrieved this box from my sweet, obliging mom who has housed these friends for all these many, many years.

Why did I keep my so many stuffed animals and dolls, you ask? Well, maybe it was because I was raised as an only child- and with lots of imagination, to boot. Those dolls and stuffed animals became my true friends. Even confidants.
I told them secrets, played school with them as I lined them all up in a row...made up complex scenarios in which they starred...
and sometimes slept with them, piling them all on the foot of my bed. All but a choice one or two that were extra special to me that week. That special one snuggled up close to me.
Sometimes that special one was Turtie.

So, even when I grew up, I simply couldn't part with these friends.
Well, OK I did part with them because I moved away and didn't have room for most of my childhood things in those first few tiny apartments and homes.

And like so many faithful moms that possess both a tender heart- and that ever important hording gene- she dutifully kept them safe for me.

Now that I have gotten them back, each time I glance up at the closet box and see those old friends, I am instantly back in time to my early childhood, when all was well with the world.

(Turtie and I...I'm about three years old.)

Unlike some of my other stuffed animals and dolls, I don't remember who gave him to me. But I lugged this faithful friend around a lot in my little arms.
Yep, Turtie was special. Cuddly, but with that certain savoir faire' and friendly smile that let me know everything was OK.

And even now, as an adult, I'm just not sure how I survived all of our years apart, Turtie and I.

Because with a face like this gazing over at me, it's just plain hard not to smile.