My cup runneth over and flooded the kitchen!

You all are amazing and wonderful people! It gives me the warm fuzzies to know that people like you are out there in the world! I cannot wait to see some of these cards and the stories to go with them. The kids are so excited about it and even the more street wise of the bunch are beginning to melt.

This is what childhood is about. So many of our children face some scary stuff at home. They care for baby siblings and sometimes even parents. They see abuse and neglect. They know what it is like to go to bed hungry and have moved more times than the number of years lived in their short lives.

Even the ones coming from good stable homes struggle with the untrusting and sad reality that our little town has been hit hard with the effects of the economy. They know the look of fear and worry. They have seen it on so many adults faces lately.

It makes me feel so good to know that with something so simple that perhaps seems so silly, we can preserve the innocence of childhood just a few moments more.

Even the teachers have been different this week. We check our mail boxes often each day and wait as anxiously as the kids do for signs of the Gingerbread Boy. The story of my internet friends has travelled far throughout our school and the other grades are waiting on their toes too. Nothing like this has ever been done before. Usually the teachers ask relatives to send in a post card, but in a small community like this, most of our family members are close by and we don't get very many sightings. This year will go down in history as the coolest year ever thanks to all of you!

Thank you all so much for helping us make their eyes twinkle with excitement and anticipation! I wish I could wrap up a hug and tie on a huge ribbon of smiles to send to each one of you!