Poofy Woofy

If ever you get a card or letter from me, and especially if you're family, it might have these mysterious letters at the end:
pfu,wpfy

There's a story:

When my Grandmother and Grandfather (my Dad's mom and dad--Ada and Ernest Conner) lived out at Wallace Creek, my Grandmother wrote us a letter every single day of the week. I honestly don't remember NOT getting a letter on a day that the mail ran. As my Daddy read the letters aloud to us or as I tried to read them, (I found my Grandmother's handwriting difficult to read.) there was always one very predictable part. Every letter ended:

"Love, Mother
Pray for me. I pray for you."

My Grandmother continued to write letters as long as she lived in San Saba County. (She moved to Waco, where I grew up, and lived in a trailer house on my Uncle Arvin's property the last years of her life. Then my Daddy would talk on the phone to her every day and go eat lunch with her very often during the school year. Letters then would contain old news!)


A picture of Granny with Rachel and Ira in 1980


Anyway, as our children began to leave home, I remembered my Grandmother's tradition and thought it one worth carrying on. My intentions started out good. I would try to write Rachel every day when she went to ACU. I think I actually did a pretty good job of keeping the mail coming. Because there were 5 of us still at home, I changed my closing to "Pray for us; we pray for you." I got lazy after a while and shortened it to "pfu, wpfy"

Rachel was very sweet to open up and read all the mail. One day when she was reading a card, a friend glanced at it and saw the strange letters at the end and wanted to know what "Poofy Woofy" meant. Rachel explained, after she finally figured out from where the strange question originated.

Unfortunately, I haven't kept up the steadfast tradition of my grandmother for all my children. Now there are cell phones, e-mails and texts. But when I do write one of those rare letters or cards and it includes those little letters, I think of Rachel's little funny and the steadfast faith and love of my Grandmother.

Even if you don't choose to embrace the "Poofy Woofy" tradition, I do hope that you'll carry on the prayer tradition. Remember to keep your family constantly in your prayers and tell them that you do!

Pfu, wpfy!