Raffe and Rhoda!

Sometimes, Fate is great!

Hiya, Big People!  How was your Christmas?  Mine was great. 

My friend Rhoda the Little Giraffe has been reunited with her twin brother Raffe the Little Giraffe, and you'll never guess how it came about!

Heck.  I'll tell ya how it came about! 

Two years ago in September, I was at the Arnot Mall with Mommy, and I met a Little Giraffe named Rhoda.  She lived on a shelf near the back of a store that sells lotsa cards and things that smell nice and are pretty.  She liked her life at the Arnot Mall, but she wanted to go home with a little girl, and as I rolled past in my stroller, Rhoda called out to me.  She'd picked me to be the little girl she went home with, on account of how she heard about my work raising awareness of the plight of Little Giraffes of the Wild Steppes of the Mid-Atlantic States.

Of course I was honored that Rhoda wanted to come home with me, and I just love the dickens right out of that Little Giraffe, and she's been happy at my house, with all our friends here, but she's always seemed a little sad.  I never knew it, but Rhoda has a twin brother named Raffe, from whom she was separated when they got put on separate trucks to go to different stores.  Rhoda never mentioned Raffe to me because she thought she'd never see Raffe again, and talking about him would just make her sadder.

Well.  Fast-forward to Christmas Eve, just two nights ago.  I got a special package from my Great-Grandpa and Great Grandma Kenyon.  I knew it was going to be just something wonderful, but I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened it up:  There was a Little Giraffe who reminded me so much of someone I know, someone I love.  He has the softest fur, the friendliest eyes, and the kindest heart, just like my dear Little Giraffe Friend Rhoda. 

I told Raffe he reminds me of someone I know, but being Christmas Eve, there was lots of other things to see and do, and Raffe and I didn't get much of a chance to talk.

I knew this Christmas Eve was a really magical time after Raffe and I went up to my room.  Rhoda was sitting in her spot on the far corner of my bed, and when she saw Raffe, she squealed.  I didn't even know Little Giraffes squeal like that, but they do sometimes.  They sure do!  And then Rhoda and Raffe both started crying! 

I was bewildered at first, but once Raffe and Rhoda got all their hugging out of the way, they told me about how they got loaded up onto different trucks when it was time to go out to the stores to find little kids to go home with.  They knew they'd be separated someday, probably, each of them going home with a different little kid, and that would be that, but they figured on going to the same store, at least, to have a little more time, you know?  But Rhoda went in one direction and finally ended up at my house, two years ago in September, like I said, and Raffe went somewheres else.

Until Christmas Eve. 

Friends, Rhoda and Raffe never dreamed they'd get to come to the same little kid's house and not hafta say goodbye to each other again.  But that's what happened.  And Rhoda said to just think about how it wouldn't have turned out this way if they'd ended up in the same store, on accounta Mommy wouldn't have let me bring home two Little Giraffes on the same day.  They couldn't be happier.  I couldn't be happier for Rhoda and Raffe.  And Raffe fits in so well with my other Little Giraffe Friends up here on The Hill. It's just wonderful.

You know, Big People, you hear about Christmas Miracles all the time.  At least I do.  And I believe in them.  I just never thought I'd get to see one, all up close like this.  It really is remarkable.  That's why I've decided that Rhoda and Raffe are "The Remarkables."  How about that?!

All right, Friends.  We're havin' a celebratory tea party now, to welcome Raffe, so I've gotta go.  I love ya lots!  Muah!