Girl on a Journey: Sock Update and Other Stuff...

So... y'all are rock stars!

My heart is so overwhelmed with the outpouring of support for this project! The kids had a goal to sell 150 packages of socks by Thanksgiving... as of Friday, we are at 256!!!

That is $2,304 toward the goal and 256 pair of thermal socks for the homeless headed to our home as we speak!!!

I just can not even... I am a big weepy mess at God's goodness and the kindness and generosity of people! When I get updates on the socks of people that order, I don't know what makes me more excited... seeing people from all different seasons of my life and the outpouring of support to make this dream a reality, or when I see complete strangers ordering? It is just so amazing!

So keep sharing!!! We will go all the way to December 2nd. And keep those sock selfies coming in! We LOVE seeing them! And I have a project in the works with all the photos coming in. :)

No clue what I'm talking about? ... Go HERE for the fundraising post, or HERE to go to directly to the page to order and don't forget to put KRIETE PUMP PROJECT in the organization you wish to support at checkout so we get the credit.

Click on OUR STORY to learn the story behind all the sock madness!

In other sock news... we kicked off a school wide event on Friday! That's right! We have our entire elementary school jumping on this sock selling bandwagon. It is opening some amazing doors I never dreamed possible. Our kids have a platform to share their story! In the process all these little kiddos get to learn about how a solar pump works, why they need it in our village in Kenya, they learn about the homeless population here in Southern Maryland, and the math of how all this works! So even if they don't sell socks, I hope and pray their eyes are opened something bigger than themselves these next few weeks!

We are tracking where all the socks are coming from! The kids have a goal of 10 states by Thanksgiving and we are up to 7 as of Friday! So keep them coming in!

Even though it feels like my entire life is rotating around socks and projects for the pump... we do have other things going on in our lives. :)

El and I went on a field trip and they went bird watching. It was super cool and fun and she was the first to spot a bald eagle... Very cool!

And if that wasn't cool enough, Eric and I went on a date to pick up a load of manure for the garden (be jealous ladies). On the way we passed a field and saw not 1, 2, 3, or even 4... but 13 BALD EAGLES!!! It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen! We pulled over and just sat and watched them in all their glory for awhile.

Kids got hired out to do an actual manual labor job for the pump! Picked up tons of branches and sticks for about 2 hours on Saturday before the weather turned bad. It was good for them and I am super thankful for the opportunity!

This kid is rocking my world! I am not going to lie... I was SO nervous about middle school! So far, Brayden is kicking middle school's butt! He is doing well academically, rocking it out in Run Club (the kid runs 6 miles twice a week. What?!?!) And he was selected to play in the All County Honor Band! He is just such a joy! I could not be prouder!

We cranked out some Operation Christmas Child boxes this weekend! The kids had a super fun time picking out what to put in their boxes... and I managed to not go completely crazy in the shopping process!

So things are crazy and overwhelming and wonderful! I am so thankful for this hard crazy life and these beautiful, amazing 4 little people God has given me to raise.