Over the past two days, we were visited by countless family members and friends, many neighbors, and literally hundreds of previously unknown people whose names will now be added to Baby E's "village."
The 2 grandmas-to-be were in tears no fewer than 3 times per hour because of the many people who either stopped by just to offer well wishes and a handshake, dropped a few (or many!) extra bucks in the jar, rounded their totals up to the nearest twenty, or shared their own stories of growing their families through adoption.
We will never forget:
- the family members who gave up their holiday weekends (and their sweat, and their sleep, and their balanced diets) to sit outside with us for hours on end
- the generous donations of family members, local store-owners, friends, and complete strangers whose connections we cannot even trace
- the friends who came over at all hours of the day and night to help sift, sort, stack, and price literally thousands of items over the course of a few weeks
- the co-worker who asked what we were in need of, and then delivered it 12 hours later, so that our sale would have "something for everyone"
- the neighbor who kept tabs on the sale from her driveway and carried over box after box to replenish our supply while her babies were napping
- the friends who came over late Friday night (after scrounging around their houses for anything that could bring in another donation) and delivered boxes in the dark so they would be ready for Saturday morning
- the former student who sold her swingset for Baby E and came over to deliver the profit
- the sisters who capitalized on their cuteness (and their dancing!) and sold more baked goods in two hours than I did all weekend
- the couple who paid $100 for a rice krispie treat
- the man who saw the picture of Baby E's face and immediately donated the very bike that he rode over on
- the teenage girl who struggled to speak English but insisted on paying double for her purchase, and then pointed to Baby E's picture and said, "for him"
- the numerous people who pulled out their cell phones while they were still in the driveway to call their friends, share our story, and sell our stuff
- the family that got home from vacation at 3 am and then turned around, with their 6 kids, and spent the afternoon and evening helping us at the sale
- the elderly woman who commented on our soon-to-be "polka dotted family" and then congratulated us, explaining how much her definition of what makes a family has changed in her lifetime
- the dirty and tired looking man who haggled me down to $.50 for a 3-inch ceramic statue of a lighthouse and then gave us $15 in the donation jar
{and these are truly just a fraction of the stories that we can, and will, share over time}
People came from miles (and states!) away to support our family this weekend, and we are so deeply touched. We are humbled by your compassion and truly believe that Baby E can feel the overwhelming love and support that our community has shown him already, even across the continents.
Yesterday, some dear friends of ours gifted us with a donation so large that we may never find the appropriate words to fully thank them. Their card said this:
"God has recently blessed us, and we hope that this blesses you." Wow.
Truer words could not be spoken about this weekend, this adoption, and this journey in general.
To everyone who prayed, donated, shopped, helped, and supported:
This weekend, we saw our dreams enlarged, our hopes confirmed, and our prayers answered. We saw the goodness of God, the selflessness of family, and the faithfulness of friends. This weekend, we saw a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven through YOU who are bringing us closer to seeing our son.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.