Here I sit, huge, gingerbread decorated coffee mug filled to the brim with steaming coffee in one hand and a yummy Wookiee Cookie in the other (I know - you're thinking, "How can JediMelindaWolf have a cup of coffee in one hand, a cookie in the other and be typing . . . all at the same time?!" I'm a talented individual, if I do say so myself! The cookies are scrumptuous, and if you were sitting here with me - in the same room - I would share them with you.). My padawans are off to school. My husband is off to work. I took today off so I could get caught up on all the tasks I have piling up (I still have decorations to put up, baking to do, shopping to finish! This is not good.) - and what am I doing? Sitting at the computer typing this message. Well, it's Star Wars related, so, I tell myself, at least I have my priorities straight (sort of ).

But I just had to tell you this tale. Whether you want to read it is, of course, entirely up to you. I will set the stage. . .

For a little while now, jediprincess77 and I have been "chatting" via email. She won one of my raffles this fall, and I learned she lives in the city in which I grew up and still have family. Thus, I'm down there on somewhat of a regular basis. "We'll have to get together when I make one of my trips," we both agreed.

Finally, our schedules allowed for us to get together - yesterday. But, you know what they say, there are only axe murderers and - let's just call them - unsavory individuals who hang out on the internet corresponding with unsuspecting waifs like us.

I made the plans with jp, told my family about this upcoming get-together, and right away, without nary a pause, both my padawans threw in my face, "You always said we never should meet (in person) anyone we meet on the internet!!!"

Like every parent everywhere, my words now were coming back to haunt me.

"How do you know she is who she says she is?" my youngest daughter pointed out.
"You don't know anything about her!" my older daughter added.
"She could be an axe murderer!" my hubby threw in for good measure, a twinkle in his blue eyes and just the slightest of smiles on his face.

How was I going to get out of this????

"It's true, I've never actually talked to her, but I believe she is who she says she is," I began. "She doesn't really know anything about me either. She could think that I'm an axe murderer!"

"You're not," my youngest noted. "You know that. I know that. But she doesn't know that," I said in the most matter-of-fact tone I could muster.

"Besides," the girls' father interjected, "your mom's a trained killer (it's my Marine Corps background!). She can take care of herself."

The conversation didn't end there. It went on for days, the girls continuing to remind me I wasn't practicing what I preach!

Let's just say I felt just fine about meeting up with jp, much like Luke entering the hutt's den - calm and sure of himself. I hadn't any qualms about the way it would turn out. (Hopefully, jp didn't have thoughts she herself might be meeting up with an axe murderer.)

(In the end, I told the girls that, while it sounds odd and contrary to everything I've said in the past about the internet, our SW friends are different. Sure, we might have some axe-wielding blogging buddies out there, but I'd say they use the implement to fall a tree instead. At least I hope so! )

Anyway, jp and I met at a very public place, and we spent the better part of the afternoon chatting, exchanging tales of our lives and expounding on (as if we really needed to, but it was fun to talk about it face to face) our love for this saga that has drawn us all together. Before we left the restaurant, she passed a couple of gaily wrapped packages across the table to me (totally unnecessary, jp!). I admit I'm a kid at heart, but I tried to restrain myself as I unwrapped them. In one was the huge gingerbread coffee mug (out of which I'm sipping my morning brew) with a sack of Wookiee Cookies stuffed inside. Not a one was broken. In the other was a trio of Lego character magnets - one each of Obi-wan, Chewie and Darth Vader. (They now have a prominent place on our refrigerator!)

Mother Nature cooperated this day, and it really was a pleasant walk down to the Lego store. I really was looking forward to this stop because, well, our family alone, I contend, keeps the Lego company in business! JP visits the shop on a regular basis, she informed me, and I was in for quite a treat. I was!!!!! Not to take away from any of the wonderous creations, like the HUGE Santa sleigh with two reindeer (the sleigh was large enough for us to sit in it and have our picture taken with the jolly, Lego-block fellow!) and the beautiful, enormous bi-plane hanging from the ceiling (just to name a couple. There were more.), but what caught my eye was the towering Darth Vader and full scale R2D2 you see when you walk into the brightly lit shop.

This is what jp77 had to say in an email she sent me later that night:

(I will never be able to go into the Lego store again without picturing the look of awe on your face when you saw Vader and Artoo!!)

I hope you don't mind I inserted this, jp. It just seemed fitting.

I am a kid at heart. Always have been. Always will be.

We walked around for a while longer, not headed anywhere in particular. It just gave us a chance to chat some more and enjoy being with a kindred spirit for just a little while longer. Being the mom I am and knowing she had a final exam and paper due the next day (today), I thought it best to leave early enough for her to tend to her tasks. She assured me she was well-prepared, and I believed her. I just thought it best to give her a little extra time for her studies, and I knew she'd have a rather lengthy trip back home.

Well, my coffee is about all gone. I told JP yesterday that I was going to write a short (HA!) blog sharing our visit with the rest of you. It's almost as if you all were there with us - you came up in conversation often enough. Maybe more of us will have the chance to get together in the months ahead - at CIV, for sure (I hope!).

(No axe murderers allowed, though! )

MTFBWY

p.s. just to warn you, I am planning a holiday entry on Friday. I promise it will be shorter!