Joanne Woodward (Newman!) writes personal letter to second grader at Warren Jackson Elementary!

It's been almost an entire year since my heart jumped as I heard a loud thud at my front door.

"FedEx special delivery!", said a booming voice from the other side.

As a I grabbed my bath robe, and peered through the peephole, I wondered who this package was from.  I certainly was not expecting anything from my usual array of online websites- Etsy, Amazon or the like.

As I signed for the envelope and looked at the name and address of its sender, my heart skipped a beat- Newman Farms.

This could only mean ONE thing: An actual letter from the Hollywood starlet herself, Joanne Woodward Newman!

But I digress- I simply MUST share the back story of how I received this letter because honestly, it's pretty incredible within itself...

Two weeks prior, my 7 year old daughter received a homework assignment and was tasked with researching and explaining the life of a famous Georgian. 

As San Francisco natives, we were THRILLED to learn and re-trace the steps of our chosen gal, Joanne Woodward Newman.

Upon researching every site you can imagine on her life, a light bulb shined above my head: "Maybe you can locate her address and write her a letter!"

I've never written a celebrity, or even encouraged my daughter to try, but that wasn't the point. I've always taught her to "be the BEST because everything in life starts with a Tri, ends with an 'umph!" (Triumph!)

As luck would have it, there it was- Joanne Woodward's mailing address.

My daughter wrote a personal letter, asking three questions about Joanne's personal life growing up, explained the details of her report, and included a photo of us, along with our family dog, Buttercup.

In reality, we were excited to write Joanne, but NEVER in a million years expected a response.

Fast forward to the day her letter arrives in the mail, and I cannot contain my excitement!

Instead of the usual routine of my daughter catching the school bus home, I eagerly await at her school's doorsteps and count the minutes before the school bell rings.

"RIIIIIING!"

As the doors blast open, and cute GAP-clothed children stampede towards their buses and designated drivers, my daughter spots me waving the FedEx envelope like a madwoman.

"She wrote you back, she wrote you back!!", I shriek to her. "Open it, open it!! What does it say?"

As my daughter slowly opens its contents, there was a letter from Joanne (attached below), which sweetly thanked her for choosing to do a report on her life, delicately answers all of her questions and hopes she receives an  "A+" on her school report.

Well, I would just like to thank Joanne Woodward Newman... because not only did she receive a A+, she received the honor of being the only child in her class who received an actual letter from a famous Hollywood starlet.
You rock, woman!! :)

Starts with a Tri... ends with an 'umph! :)