This is Olivia when she was about 3 with her pink handbag. (Oh she's my lovely niece, did I tell you?)
(Photo taken with my plastic toy Holga camera.)
My nephew, Harry (6), wanted to play machine guns in the trenches with his little sister; Olivia (3), just wanted to play princesses with Harry. It was a predicament.
It didn’t stop Olivia. She went fearlessly into battle but here’s the thing: in the middle of the machine gun fire—down there in the trenches with Harry—knee deep in all that mud—there she was, carrying her pink handbag.
Clearly—even in no-man’s land—Olivia would not be seen dead without her handbag.
But what to put in a handbag that goes with you into battle?
For that I approached the expert. "Olivia," I asked. "What do you keep your handbag?" She looked up at me as if I was the most foolish aunt any child could possibly have--and said, "My friends."
Of course. Do children have to explain EVERYTHING to grown ups? I think so. Probably. Sorry.
She then proceeded to pull out of her handbag: a plastic carrot, a furry bear, a tiny doll with one arm and bad hair, a strange knitted creature, a teapot and a purple troll.
But anyway, that's how Handbag Friends began. And it's for Oliva (and her pink handbag) that I wrote it.
Wait. Isn't it? shouldn't we? what about?
I think so.
Let's sing The Handbag Song! (You know you want to.)
Hi Sally!!!
I have not met you personally - but you have impacted many people I love. I know Pam Harmsen - who met with you back in the fall when she was visiting her brother in New York. We have used your Jesus Story book for our gardening class and after using it for that - purchased one for each of my nieces and now have to get one for my brand new nephew. The way you wrote the stories, the illustrations - the kids LOVED it and so did I! I just happened on your blog through Angie Smith's!!! I love the blog world!!
Anyway - just wanted to let you know how much the kids love reading from your Bible story book. Lucy, Destiny and Jose showed me the book you signed for them as soon as they got it (they are a family I work very closely with - I've become the grandma to the kids!) Anyway - just wanted to let you know that I am very thankful you wrote that book and wanted to let you know how much it has impacted the lives of "my kids". :)
Looking forward to getting more of your books and sharing them as well.
Noelle:
so great to hear from you. thanks for dropping by. It's a very small world. Pam is great!
So glad to hear how much you and your kids love the book. It's God's Wonderful Story and my honor to have a small part in making the Bible more real for children!
thanks for the encouragement