Hi, I’m Donna’s guest blogger Marji. We know each other from the internets because birds of a feather find their own egroup, e.g., we are both raising a passel of kids on our own and commiserate and celebrate with each other on a regular basis. Donna asked me to step in and say a few words that are really hard to say when you have to say them for yourself. So here goes. Donna is doing something really extraordinary and she needs our help to do it. See, easy for me to say, a little hard when it’s your own horn that needs blowing, so I’m glad to help with my words of endorsement and encouragement.
And if you’re like me, but I hope not a lot like me, because I wouldn’t wish that on anyone or the rest of world, because I tend a little toward the know-it-all end of the spectrum, but if you’re like me, you want to give a meaningful holiday gift to family members and special friends and, most of all, to the people who educate your children. How many more World's Best Teacher mugs does an educator need? Well, to my way of thinking, not one more than they already have. I refuse to buy more crap and useless trinkets for these under-paid and under-appreciated professionals who have to put up with my kids for the greater part of the daylight hours. I only have the reactions from teachers and friends from prior years to go on, but when we give contribution recognition cards telling them that their gift from us will help children who have so little, they always seem genuinely appreciative. Maybe it’s because they’re just so happy not to get another mug filled with messy instant cocoa powder and a clever poem on the tag. Maybe, or it might be sincere appreciation of a gift sincerely given that reaches children who deserve so much more than life has given them so far.
So I reminded Donna of her big-time scrap-booking skills and nudged her a little with the following proposal. I said, Hey, Donna, what about this idea: what about contribution recognition cards for folks like me who would like to support your work in China at Eagles Wings and also share our excitement for your adventure with our friends and family because we know the donation is sorely needed and will be used wisely? For me, it’s the perfect gift to choose, but I mentioned the know-it-allness thing I’ve got going, so I don’t mean to get preachy (and I’m getting a kick out of thinking of Donna reading this draft with bated breath, watching for the first salty phrase because, in addition to the smugness, I swear sometimes too, but relax Donna, to show my respect for your dedication to the orphans of China, no potty mouth, I’m keeping it clean).
So, yeah, of course there are a jillion gifts we can pick to give during the holidays and all will be appreciated when the gift is selected with love. But if there are people on your list who really don’t need another bud vase or another box of Ferrero Rocher or more bric and/or brac, consider donating those same dollars to the Eagles Wings homes. Donna, and her friends who will scrap and craft the cards in her absence because DONNA WILL BE IN CHINA IN THREE WEEKS, will prepare a card that recognizes your donation to Eagles Wings to honor your favorite teachers, your aunt Elaine, all the instructors in the after care program at school, your neighbor CeCe who unloads all her crap on you and who you’d like to show her by example what a thoughtful gift looks like, or maybe someone wonderful like your Mom’s best friend Lynette who traveled all the way to China with you to be there when you met your precious Mimi in Chongqing and operated the video recorder to catch the moment for you and who never forgets your girls’ birthdays. So you know who will be on my list, and I know you all have a Lynette and he or she deserves one of these cards, not a can of cashews.
Donna will fill you in on the details, because I’m only the guest blogger. But since this was my idea, come on, back me up, and ask for several cards. Ask for more than you think you might need, send an extra donation, because you know you need a back-up gift. You know there’s always someone who surprises you with a gift you weren’t expecting. How great would it be to say to the surprise gift giver, “Thank you so much and, oh, just a second, let me go grab your gift” and surprise them with a beautiful card. A card that will help make Donna’s work in China that much more meaningful because she knows how sincerely we support her efforts and recognize her need to raise more money in order to bring another child out of the orphanage and into a home. You go girl.
Marji
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