So Blessed

Dear Vivi -

I feel like I say this a lot, but you are so blessed.  One day when you're older, maybe we'll be able to explain it to you so that you will understand how much people already love you and are waiting for you and praying for you - and helping us bring you home.

The puzzle fundraiser is closed, the statistics are in, and they are astounding.

• 114 - number of people or families participating
• More than 20 - number of different ways we are connected to all the people that gave, including complete strangers, family, coworkers, former coworkers, lifelong friends, family members of friends, and our church families
• From 1 to 100 - the number of pieces given in one donation
• 33 - the most number of donations made in one day (when Derek Maul wrote about our journey to you on his blog)
• $5,965 - the amount of money raised through the website
• $1,660 - the amount of money people handed us in checks or cash to buy puzzle pieces

And the totals are...

• 1,525 pieces sold
• $7,625 raised to help bring you home

I have never claimed to be a math genius, but even I know that we oversold by having sold 1,525 pieces on a 1,000 piece puzzle.  We did this because we had so many people who purchased large numbers of pieces tell us to please only write their name on one and sell the rest so we could make more money, so we took their advice.  Everyone who contributed to the puzzle will have their name written on at least one piece.  We are also putting a book together so that we will have the puzzle for you and a book you can read one day so you can see not only the names of all the people that purchased a puzzle piece, but how they know us, along with any comments they made on the website or cards/notes that they sent with their donations.

Why all of this meticulous notetaking?  We know that this won't mean anything to you for quite some time. You are still so little, and the next months and years of your life will be spent focused on exactly what they should be focused on - learning, healing, bonding, growing, laughing, talking, being part of our family, being a little girl.

But the day will come when you will want to know your story, when you will want to know about your history and how you came to live with us.  We keep these notes for that day.  We want you to know who they are because without these people, you would not be coming home to us. They are part of our story and now they are part of yours.  Forever. 

One day, we'll get to tell you the story.  It's a long one, but Vivi, it's one of the most beautiful stories you will ever know.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy