Thank You, Thank YOU

On Saturday, I hosted a fundraiser for The Letter Project. What I learned through the process is that asking people to come to your house, volunteer for your cause and - wait for it - pay to do it - is a super, duper vulnerable feeling. You're asking people for time, money and energy all in one fell swoop.

As I opened my front door Saturday morning and was greeted by smiling woman after smiling woman - many of whom I did not know - I was almost brought to tears. Some people came alone! To a random house in Atlanta! That is so brave. Some people brought friends! They not only supported the event, but helped spread the word. That is so amazing. 

I realized that this week, on Friday, it will be exactly four months since I launched The Letter Project. One third of a year has already gone by, which feels in.sa.ne. This project is nothing (literally. nothing) without the support of other people. I feel completely overwhelmed by the way so many of you - from strangers to family and everyone in between - have supported me through these precious, incubator days. I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way. 

(And yes, if I were to win a Grammy, this is really similar to how my acceptance speech would go.)

Thank you to all of you readers:

Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for believing I could add value to your day. Thank you for sharing my posts. I had no idea that, when I started blogging in 2008 (about basically nothing), it would become a launching pad for this project and would lead to so many amazing friendships and internetships. Thank you for challenging me to reflect and grow. Thank you for teaching me the discipline of consistent writing. Thank you for your emails and comments. Thank you for coming back to this space again and again, reminding me that somebody out there is listening. 

Thank you to The Letter Project writers: 

Thank you for using your own time, energy and postage to bring light, love and wisdom into this world. Thank you for giving me feedback. Thank you for consistently signing up to write to our sweet recipients. Thank you for inviting your friends to write and for growing the project. Thank you for sneaking extra stamps into your bundles for me. Thank you for sending items off of our Amazon Wish List. Thank you for the care packages full of stationery and love.

Thank you, most importantly, for caring about girls you don't know, simply because you're a good person who cares about other people. That kind of generosity warms my heart in the deepest way. 

Thank you to my friends:

Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for the pep talks. Thank you for caring about this cause, not because you necessarily care about it, but because you care about me.  Thank you for signing up to write letters. Thank you for being on my emergency writing team. Thank you for your donations. Thank you for hosting Write Nights. Thank you for the care packages, which have brought me to tears and reminded me that, even though some of you are far away geographically, you're still beside me. Thank you for loving me and supporting me.

Thank you to my family: 

Thank you for loving me through one of the most vulnerable seasons of my life. Thank you for letting me talk about The Letter Project constantly. Thank you for writing letters when there were not enough volunteers. Thank you for donating. Thank you for encouraging me to quit my job, even though I didn't totally, exactly have a plan. Thank you that, whenever I ask you to do anything, you say: of course! Thank you for letting me run ideas by you 24/7. Thank you, also, for giving me ideas to make this better. Thank you for spending part of your Christmas break bundling letters.

Thank you for being proud of me. Most importantly, thank you for being the type of people I want to make proud, because you always make me feel proud of you.

Thank you to Chris:

Thank you for doing everything above (literally everything. Except for writing letters). Thank you for being my business partner and barista. Thank you for letting me talk about The Letter Project when we're lying in bed and eating breakfast and making dinner and on road trips and, well, constantly. Thank you for teaching me Excel and streamlining my processes and helping cut ribbon. Thank you for challenging me to think big and keep going and to take deep breaths.

Thank you, most importantly, for being the type of man who believes in, not just me, but the power of women everywhere. 

via An Abundance of Katherines

goodbye america! {africa bound}

Lately my life has felt like one big thank you note. A constant stream of gratitude - so thankful for the way people have prayed, donated money, supplies and time. 

Grateful for my friend Christina, who insisted she bring over the biggest pack in America (90 L!) last night, even though she was already home, showered and tucking her baby in bed. 

For the baby clothes and DSLR camera Courtney sent me to have on the trip, hoping I could connect with the kids while I'm there. 

For the way Duke and Sam came over to say goodbye and decided right then and there to take the shoes off their feet and put them in my pack. Quite literally the hands and feet of Christ. 

For the advice Ashley gave me before I go - knowing my sensitive heart and the way I can become overwhelmed by the need to fix everything right now.

Just love the person in front of you. Be present with them and love them the best you can

is what she told me. 

For the love, financial support and advice my parents have poured out on me. Reminding me to get cash, send them my itinerary and print my traveler's insurance. The way they know me well enough to know all the baby clothes in the world would be in my bag but a toothbrush for me? Always a chance that  might get overlooked. 

For the way you have all worn my bracelets, sharing them with your friends, asking them to help. They way you have literally carried me to this point. 

For the fact that I feel actually

stressed

writing this post because I know there is absolutely no way I could thank everyone in this one little spot. Truly the words you've given me, prayers you've placed over the trip and donations you've made have moved me beyond words. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I wish there was a bigger word than thank you because I'd say it 1,000 times. 

But there isn't. So I just have to tell you:

thank you so much. 

I leave this afternoon and feel ready. Packed. Excited. It's time. 

I've tried not to look up anything about Uganda before I go, which is highly unlike me, but also strategic. I don't want to know details about the country. I don't want to have expectations because too often I get my expectations too high up. I don't want to go into this trip mentally prepared for what I will get to do and see. I just want to go and do and be. 

And although I've already asked for more than enough, if you're still willing, I'd greatly appreciate it if you would....

Pray

that I can show people Christ. That I go and do whatever it is I am supposed to do over there. That I stay present and love abundantly, without fear or worry. That my time in Uganda is used well.

Pray

that I don't feel anxious about not exercising for two weeks. That I embrace the physical rest I know my body will need during such a mentally and emotionally exhausting trip. That I not let the ugly thoughts of not being enough without running seep into my brain and cloud my time in Africa. That I fully, fully embrace being in the moment. 

Pray

for safe travels and living fully in God's plan. That I be used for a purpose while I'm there.  

And with that, off I go! Thank you, thank you!

Love,

Whitney

PS I have awesome bloggers lined up to post while I'm gone so be sure to check back over the next few weeks. They'll be blogging about a time they trusted their guts since that is, after all,

exactly how I landed myself on a plane to Africa

. They're awesome people - be sure to give them good love. XO

and the winner is...

First of all, THANK YOU! So much! To everyone who participated in my giveaway. I was absolutely blown away by the incredible support. With your help, I raised almost $1,000 of the $4,000 I need for the trip.

Do you know how amazing that is? You're all AMAZING.  And that is still an understatement.

So thank you. THANK YOU! For your support.

And now, what you all want to hear. Our winner! As chosen by the random number generator: Ashley!

Of all of the non-family members who entered, indeed, my own sister won. I swear I didn't hand pick her :)

Congratulations and happy cooking, dearest Ashira. I just might have to personally deliver it to Denver! 

And THANK YOU again to everyone who helped along the way! I love you! :)

thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

This is the only thing I can think to write today.

 

Thank you to my amazing brothers who came to Atlanta just for Cheers for Children.

Thank you to my friends for attending the event and supporting a cause that has become so dear to me.

Thank you to my family for supporting me the last few months as I, yet again, took on too many things and ran around like a crazy woman.

Thank you to everyone who couldn't attend Cheers for Children, but supported the cause by lifting up everyone who put on the event.

 

This year's event was such a great night - with Duke and Sam, old friends, new friends and so much dancing. Thank you so much for everyone who made the night incredible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And some photobooth ridiculousness...

 

 

 

But especially to Duke and Sam for being the best brothers ever, and coming all the way to Atlanta just for it. It was amazing to have you here!

 

Of course, we didn't just sit around waiting for Cheers all weekend. Other highlights include:

 

Dinner at Farm burger, the VaHi Fest and froyo (a Biber kind of Friday!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pool time, Duke and Sam hanging my headboard (I told you they were the best!), some runs and green smoothies, backyard frisbee and much more. YAAY! Happy weekend :)

 

 

I hope yours was amazing and in case you missed it: thank you! For being you.