Thank God for many things ,and this is surely one of them.

Valerie Martinez will go down as my all time favorite pen pal,old friend and will remain my biggest inspiration. She has been the only person to ever sympathized with what Ive went through on a late birthday.I was amazed how someone born much earlier in the year February 23rd can sympathize with someone born later in the year in fact the last month at that. I had placed my ad in the back of a magazine back in 2001,Valerie responded we exchanged letters in the mail and we would talk on the phone sometimes. One time we were discussing birthdays and she said hers was February 23 and she asked when is mines I said December 9 and instantly she goes dont it seem like it take forever for your birthday to come and I said yes,but she brought this up more than once it was like it bothered her nearly as much as it did me. I was teased just solely for being born in December that hurt as well as the majority being unsympathetic were it not for her.I would be saying no one understands me on this. But also she told me that there are women who like shy men and also complimented me before as well.She was a bit humorous saying that I was caramel dipped in chocolate a few times. She may or may not remember me now,but I will always remember her. Im planning on buying February 23 tshirt and hat in the future in her honor.May have been only 5ft1 in height,but have one of the biggest hearts,she does be in my prayers oftentimes. She even beat my own mother for being sympathetic to my late birthday issues,my mom didnt become like that until last few years of her life.Unlike mom and everyone else Valerie knew I couldnt change birthday,but she put herself in my shoes knowing that my time is the last month of the year in spite of being born so much earlier in February,she even understood better than other December borns. Easily shes one of a kind,different for the better.I wish that I had more sympathizers and encouragement like she was for me. I can truly say I love Valerie born February 23,1981.