July 17, 2020 — While the nation struggles with how to most safely send kids back into their classrooms, the kids seem to be, well, being the lovable kids they are. At least we’re seeing some sweet examples that we’d like to share.
Veronica is the six-year-old granddaughter of my Miami Beach buddy Amparo, who tag-teams with her daughter Beatriz and son-in-law Tony to always give Veronica the best of themselves. Beatriz was just a little younger than Veronica when Amparo bravely moved the two of them from Colombia to California 37 years ago. She taught Spanish in the public school system there for 28 years.
In pre-pandemic times, Amparo would bring Veronica for dinner most Friday nights. It was from gentle Veronica that I learned there are few things more soothing than having your hair brushed and brushed and brushed, and I’ve missed her sweet treatment these past few months.
Amparo thoughtfully sent me these pics thinking I’d enjoy seeing how Veronica now keeps her plush puppy with her at all times. I picked up Gaston and his book by the same name in Spanish at the Miami Book Fair last Fall thinking it would be fun for bilingual Veronica to read with her abuela. V told her teacher that “Gaston is my favorite and came with a book I got for my birthday from my grandma’s special friend Jodee.” Amparo’s take is that, “because she can’t have a real study buddy these days, Gaston is it, and does a very good job.”
You may recognize these two cuties, below, from the Cardie Newsletter back on June 4, 2020. We told the fun story of Ava (left) and Meaza heading into the water park at Six Flags over Mid-America, so excited to spend the day inseparably that one was overheard saying, ‘I bet everyone will think we’re sisters!’”
Come to find out, Ava is the granddaughter of one of our great Retail Partners, Laurie Kormeier, who owns Glady Fay’s in Washington, Missouri.
After the story ran, the girls’ Fairy Cardmother sent them each a $50 gift card for being the picture of world peace and harmony right there in beautiful black & white. Then along came a gracious email from Laurie, thanking us and adding, “Ava asked me if there was a way to turn the cards into cash. When I said, ‘Yes, I guess I could give you cash for them, but why do you want cash?’ she said she’d love to give to St. Jude’s. A girl from her school is in St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
“That made my Nana heart happy,” Laurie shared, and closed with, “It has been such a pleasure carrying your cards in my shop. I don’t know what the future holds, but we are embracing every day with open arms.”
Sounds like a plan. Cardies, we will be following Ava’s lead and donating to St. Jude’s half the money you spend on all Little Reminders cards through July, 2020. If you’re feeling as blessed as we do and care to make a donation directly, here’s the St. Jude’s link. Tell them Ava Stone sent you!
Stay safe, well and kind.
jodee stevens
founder & chief creative
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