Dear Jasminka

Dear Jasminka,

It's been over twelve years since I've seen or spoken with you last. I've wanted so badly to know how you are, to know if you speak English better, to see if you've returned to your home in Yugoslavia, and to tell you how much I love you.

I will always be grateful for you Jasminka. I loved getting to know you, getting to know your culture and your generosity. I remember you bringing over Baklava. I was thrilled to have a real traditional dessert that you had made and were willing to share with me. I remember you sending Ado over with some Burek. We were curious as to what they were seeing how they looked like rolled up bread snakes in the shapes of cinnamon rolls. After just a couple of bites, we were sold on them. We loved them. I showed interest in them and you were cute and came over to my apartment and showed me how to make them. I've tried a couple times since then to make them and they just aren't the same. I need another lesson. C still requests them to this day, even for his birthday dinners but I have to tell him that I can't make the dough right.

I loved spending time with your cute family. Mejo and Ado were cute and would help translate so that we could communicate to each other. By the time I left I was so proud of myself that I could say morning, night and count to one hundred in Yugoslavian.

I remember the last time I hugged you goodbye. I was excited for my new stage of life but my heart ached having to leave you behind. I knew that I would probably never talk to you again. I cried and cried as I pulled away from my apartment that last time.

Do you remember how you brought over a HUGE batch of Burek just before we left? I thought it was funny that you would make such a huge batch for our small family. I felt bad thinking that several of them would go to waste. But Jasminka, it was a miracle.

As we were making our long 30 hour ride back "home", our van broke down in the middle of Kansas. We were in the middle of nowhere and had NO money. We were there for three to four days and ate nothing but your Bureks you had made for us. We would walk to the gas station from our motel, and warm up our Bureks in the microwave there. With each day that passed, we realized that you must have been inspired to have made so many Burek for our small family. We realized that you had played a part in a miracle.

It wasn't long after that, that I lost my address book at another motel. Strangely enough, at another motel from another broken down van on a long trip back west again. I was sick at the thought of NEVER being able to get in touch with you again. I've hoped and tried to find you on facebook, on the internet, etc.

Know that I love you and think about you often. I hope you're okay and that you and your family are doing well. Thank you for being a part of our miracle.

I love you. Love, me