Lou Elin, who replaced Sarah at the League, is an open, loving and hilarious woman. Always ready to laugh, she always responded “sure” to whatever task I asked of her, no matter how relevant (or not) to her title. Marthea Wilson, who helped hire us all, always says Lou Elin was one of her best hires.

Lou Elin is a junior — her mom is Lou Elin, as well. We always loved her stories of high school, when people would call and ask for Lou Elin and her mom would say: Big Lou or Lil Lou? Yes, this inspired us to always call her Lil Lou.

Allyson and the blanket.

Anyway, when I was pregnant with my first, Lou Elin said her mom would make him a blanket.  I was dubious, thinking that the making of a blanket and the details needed would surely require more than the connection of a work friend for your daughter.

But Lou Elin Sr, and her love for Lou Elin, and Lou Elin’s kindness toward me, all came through. When Oliver was born, we had a beautifully crocheted, knitted yellow and blue blanket to wrap him up in. Six years later, our daughter Allyson has embraced the blanket and uses it every night as her own — for the photo for this entry, she was offended when I said, “Oliver’s blanket” —- she considers it all hers.

Lil Lou visiting when Allyson and Oliver were small.

Of the eight blankets we have that are handmade for our children, this one is very precious to us — the idea that Lou Elin Sr., in Long Island, NY, was busy making a handmade blanket for a woman she’d never met — it is a testimony to her enduring and generous heart, and a model that we try to live by.

Thank you, Big Lou and Lil Lou, for the love you showered upon our family. Your kindness keeps us warm.