Thanks for setting this up. What a wonderful way for us to remember Elaine!
Here is my contribution:
Randy and I met Elaine after she married our good friend Patrick. We were living in Barcelona, Spain and Elaine sent us one of her wedding photos with a very nice note saying how she was looking forward to meeting us. I remember how honored we felt that Elaine embraced us as friends immediately.
When we came home for a visit, we went to the Wai's for dinner. They were living in the duplex on Sherland Ave. Elaine made us "Penne Strascicate Alla Lucchese" (she wrote the recipe out for me in her beautiful calligraphy and I have made it numerous times since then, and still have that recipe card!).
Later, she and Patrick came to Barcelona to visit us. We had a great time eating tapas together and seeing some of the sights in the city. They also felt our pain that next Sunday when we made the announcement to our church that we were going to return to the States. I was glad they were there to just be with us that day.
We wrote letters back and forth and Elaine always shared her "heart" with me. I have kept one of her letters in my Bible to remind myself to pray for her (she was contemplating leaving her job, starting a family and missing "just being a feminine woman - where I do not always have to be in control and make decisions but can defer to others").
More recently, we have spent some good time eating at excellent restaurants (Afghani food in Sunnyvale, seafood in Half Moon Bay and Spanish food in Berkeley) - laughing, sharing, talking about raising children, etc.
Elaine was one of the kindest, sweetest friends I have ever known. I thank God for the time we spent together and look forward to sitting next to her at the heavenly banquet table!
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