THANK YOU!!!

The fundraiser event at Bellaria's yesterday was phenomenal!!! I have been trying to write a post about it since we got home last night, but for maybe the first time in my life I was genuinely speechless. :))

 I feel like I need to up front and foremost say thank you to everyone who visited Bellaria yesterday and left your receipt at the register for us. As most are aware, the owner of the restaurant agreed to hold the fundraiser all day long, and then donate 15% of the total of all receipts that were dropped in the box. I have no idea what that amount is, but whatever it came out to, it will mean a great deal for our family. There is no delicate way to explain our current financial uncertainty, and Ryan would probably stop talking to me for a few hours if I did, lol! So suffice to say that it doesn't matter if $10 or $100 was raised yesterday--it will make such a difference to us. And as embarrassed as I feel to be in a place of need, my gratefulness far outweighs that. So I need to say as loudly as I can THANK YOU!!! Your generosity, every one, has and will touch our lives in the most personal way! You have made a difference to us. If you ever wonder if you've made a mark in the world--please always always remember what you have done for us, and know with certainty that you have made a difference!!!

OK, so that's the most basic of what left me unable to put finger to keyboard until now. The rest of it, the greatest cause of it, is that I am just astounded by the people we saw in just our short time there last night. The employees on shift while we were there were amazing. I waitressed for many years, and though it's been at least 12 years since I last took an order for table number whatever, I still have nightmares on occasion about being on the floor when the place gets slammed and totally unable to get to everyone. It was like that while we were there yesterday--every table full, a line out the door, and carry-out orders flying from the kitchen. The staff barely breathed--they just ran and ran and ran. One of my very best friends, Heather Mix, organized this event. She went directly to the owner at one point and offered to help refill drinks or seat customers. She offered for my oldest son, her son, and two of their friends to help out clearing tables or whatever they could do. She and I both felt complete empathy for what the staff was up against. The owner's response: "Nope, we've got this. Just please put your receipt in the box on your way out!". Ryan and I wanted to say thank you personally, but it was too busy. We did get a mili-second to tip our waitress and tell her thank you, and she in turn did her best to refuse to accept the tip. Hard-working people with such kind hearts--it was honestly such a wonderful experience!!!

On the other side of the table were the people who dined at Bellaria's yesterday. ;) Ryan's family, my family, church members, friends by the dozens, the kids' teachers, the kids' friends with their parents, family of our families, friends we graduated high school with. We learned here and there through posts on facebook about people we've never met who dined there yesterday specifically in support of us, and about others we do know who went throughout the day and night. I learned that the restaurant actually ran completely out of pizza toward the end of the night!!! Heather called them last night around 9:30, and they said they were all absolutely exhausted and trying to clean up, they have never been that busy for an event like this before!!! You guys did that--rocked that restaurant all day long!!! You sought us out while we were there to give us hugs and words of encouragement, and I was genuinely left speechless by it. That is no easy feat--I can talk some one's ear off in a matter of seconds and I can keep talking for hours after the loss of that limb. :)) But yesterday, after witnessing the amazing kindness of spirit that was poured out to us from every side...I just couldn't put into words the effect this has had on us. Honestly, I still can't. I've never felt so grateful, and cherished so many people all at once! Every single person who reached out for us, to us---you have been greatly used of God in our lives just now, right when we need a few angels to help us find our way through. Thank you--so so so much!!!!