A Healer’s Geste

Childhood BFF Memories

AmySue and I were best friends because our moms were best friends in college. They got together once or twice a year and Amy and I got along very well during those visits (though I suspect we might not have been friends if we’d been next door neighbors seeing each other every day….what do you think, Amy?) Well, Amy came across a pile of letters I had sent her when we were 11 and 12 — about the same age as Kirsten is right now. After getting a kick out of them herself, she spread the amusement by sending them back to me.

It’s hilarious. Actually, though, I always dread encountering proof of the evidence of what I was when I was an adolescent, because it usually collides dramatically with what I thought I was. :) That’s good for me.

July 5, 1994

Dear Amy,

Our computer isn’t working well so I decided to write this letter and let you try to decifer my writing. Did you get my last letter? Are you going to o the play? Please keep the other sheet of paper. The only problem we have is there isn’t anyone to play Cornal Pickering and Mrs. Pierce.

What did you do for the fourth of July? We went to the fireworks show on the river. Firecrackers are illegal this year so we couldn’t get any of our own.

The twins are growing huge! Kevin is 21 1/2 lbs and Kyle is 20 1/2 lbs. [they would have been about 8 months].

Your card you made with stamps is cool! I have taken up stamping too.

I am learning to hablo espanyol (speak spanish) are tu (you)? It is fun! I have a friend at Dad’s office that is mexican or hispanic or whatever and she helps me with it.

Well I have more letters to write so I had better go.

Love,
Mystie

I have no idea who else I would have been writing letters to….probably an enforced grandparent “spelling & English” letter. :)

My handwriting is legible but not at all attractive, uniform, or neat.

Dear Amy,

Just got your Mom’s letter and it said you were running low on books here are some authers I enjoy:

[smiley] [star] Emilie Loring | Emilie Loring Baker
[two stars] L.M. Montgomery
[smiley] [star] Caroline Keene
Frances Hodgson Burnett
[smiley] [star] Rebbecca Price Janney
[squigley face] Frank Peretti
Mark Twain
[star] Louisa Mae Alcott


The books with stars are series. L.M. Montgomery has two series and a lot of singles. The Emilie Loring books are about different people each book but the are all romantic mysteries (more mystery with a little romance) and are over all VERY good EXITING books. Caroline Keene’s books are about Nancy Drew, some are old ones and kind of like Mandie. (I like Mandie better) but some are newer and have more excitement and like she has a boyfriend that helps her. F. H. Burnett’s books are good “The Secret Garden” and “A Little Princess”. R.P. Janney has the Heather Reed books which are pretty much like Nancy Drew, the heroines both get — that close to being killed 2 or 3 times each book. Frank Peretti’s two books “This Present Darkness” and “Piercing the Darkness” are almost like mysteries but there not. They are Christian novels. You know who Mark Twain is so I’ll move allong to L.M. Alcott her books start with “Little Women.” It will seem boring at first but keep reading, it gets better.

Here are some more single book titles you can look up.,

BOOKS!

[star] Gone with the Wind
Black Beauty
Heidi
Jonny Tremain
Caddie Woodlawn
[star] The Client
[star] Jurasic Park
White Fang
My Fair Lady (I sent it with your books)

That will keep you busy for a little while (Emilie Loring and Caroline Keene have at least 50 books in thier series).

Now you have to send me a list of all the books you have read!

Your Reading Pal; Mystie

P.S. I couldn’t find Lori Wick on the library computer, please send me the name of one of her books. Thanks! M.P.

Books with stars have a few bad words like damn and the S word.

I have always been both a list-maker and a plan-maker.

Dear Amy,

How are you I can’t wait until you come here! Do you want to have a day care? If you do I’ll start making some stuff for it. We will have two new addtions to it! Are you going to bring your schoolwork or is it a vacation? If the kids don’t want a daycare, We can do a whole LOT of things *by our selves*! Like we can go to the park for lunch, and Hike up the rail road tracks, we have lots of things to do! I can’t wait until you come!

Geoff says he will go to the Daycare if we do a puppet show and go on the rr tracks, Melanie & Brendan like the day care so we can do it this time as long as we don’t have school.

Write back soon!

See you SOON! [with the o's as eyes and a "realistic" nose and lips drawn underneath]

Love, Mystie Paulson

Your Friend Forever!

Note on the other side! Turn over —->

Choose a name for our daycare please….

ASCDMDP Daycare (Amy Sue Celest Duncton Mystie Dawn Paulson)
[star] Amy and Mystie’s Day-Care
[star] Child’s Favorite Day-Care
[two stars] ADMP Day-care
Morning & Afternoon Day-Care
[star] Happy Kid’s Day-care
Fun and Games Day-Care

Write and tell me your favorite name.

[star] means I like it.

Boy, I’m wishing I had an eleven-year-old to play Morning & Afternoon Day-Care with her siblings….. :)

But I think this one was my favorite:

October 22, 1993 6:56pm

Dear Amy,

I told you I would write when Hip and Hop were born so I’m writing. Oh! I’m so excited! Kevin and Kyle, Kevin Isaac and Kyle James. Kevin was 7lb and 10 oz. Kyle was 8 lb. exactly. We have spent most of the afternoon at the Hospital. Almost forgot! Kevin was born about 11:45am and Kyle was born about 12:14pm. Mom had gone in at 9:00am and had some prostoglandate gel put on her and called us at home when she had the babys. She didn’t have a Sea Section at all. Well, Amy, 2 more additions to our Day Care! My friend said I doubled my brothers in one day. But don’t remind me they’re boys as are as I’m conserned I have one sister, 2 brothers and 2 babies. You probably called us already and found this out but i got your ansering michine so I wrote it down. Did you get my other letter?

Brendan is still copying us and is using words we haven’t heard him say before every day, like one day he said “Not!” he must have picked it up from next door. We watch Muppet Babies and Brendan says “Go bye-bye, aw,wawawwa!” just like animal does. And the Pilsbury Dough-boy who says “Who-Who!” now Brendan says that too!

How are you liking school? I still am in review in Math, but I hate Science! I’m on cells LifePak I’m almost done with it though and I have Plants LifePak.

Well, I have a ton of other letters to write so….

Your Friend Forever!

Love, Mystie sister of Hip & Hop

P.S. forgive my sistakes I’m so excited I’ve made a ton of misteekes today.

Thanks, Amy, for passing these along! What fun memories. :)

Now, I’ve got to go… I have so many more letters to write….