Dear Lacey

This week had a really rough start.

First of all, it was entirely bittersweet to see my first batch of aprons go out the door.

Those were my  babies. 

I literally cried putting those together, as I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing. (at first)

I asked my mom and husband 800 times if they were seriously good.

"No, like, seriously. Don't lie to me because I'm weepy and this is my dream...."

Then Ernestine died. 

(that is my old sewing machine to the newbies)

Then I realized I was entirely sleep deprived.

I was literally choosing to fold, press and stitch fabric over eating.

I was dehydrated.

I was emotional.

I had to choke back tears when my 2-year-old said "Mommeeeee, please no more work."

A hot flippin' mess.

Seriously... hot - it's 80 degrees here.

But something happened yesterday that TOTALLY blew my mind (in a good way).

I received a donation from someone who has never met me.

Has never met my brother.

Doesn't even live in Florida. (I think anyway)

Has no idea who the Shucks are.

A totally random person donated to my cause.

Dear Lacey,

You are the reason why I don't mind that I'm sleep deprived,

or that I licked 20 envelopes in a row today to people who may toss it in the trash,

or that I have a LOAD of apron orders,

or that I am still awake writing a blog post at 10:34 p.m. when I should be in bed,

or that I have started getting shin splints

or that sometimes my back feels as if it belongs to an 80-year-old man

or that I had to run with my dog and my gabbing toddler this weekend

or that I get major wedgies on longish runs

or that I nearly twist my ankle every time I turn the corner off Broadway

or that I have literally no idea what I have got myself into....

I joined Team Hoyt to make my efforts contagious. 

I wanted people to see what I see. 

Know what I know. 

Feel what I feel.

This is why I started a blog and stay up late to write and edit posts.

Or why I annoy the bejeebers out of people of Facebook.

The fact that you came to my blog, saw what I was doing,

and was moved enough to share your love with us,

literally blows my mind. 

Joining Team Hoyt and starting Running for Ryan was incredible,

but Lacey, what you did was more so. 

You are the reason why I will get up tomorrow and keep going.

I thank you.

-Kellyn

I thank everyone who has made a donation thus far.

I thank everyone for the apron orders, sharing our link of Facebook or Twitter,

and even those who took a second to just think about us.

This love is what's going to push me across the finish line.

Keep it coming!

If Lacey isn't proof enough that we are making a difference,

then I don't know what is...