I haven't had a chance to run the final number for Christmas Crazy version 2018 just yet, but it's coming. Keep an eye on the sidebar because that final number is a good one. So good.
Thank you for that.
There's this thing that happens every year. Every year I am positive the whole thing is going to be a failure. There's never enough and it's not coming together and then *POOF*. Magically, at the very last second, everything falls into place. I don't know how. I don't know what I can do to make it fall in place sooner. I just know that I'm going to stress out for nothing because it always comes together. Somehow.
This year my stress went straight from "there's not nearly enough" to "how am I going to get it all there?" in the blink of an eye. Seriously, there was a moment when it very suddenly became obvious that I couldn't fit it all in our cars and I needed a driver or two to help. Of course, that moment came to be at the last possible second, so I needed a driver without notice.
Fortunately, Jason stepped up. Thank you, sir! I owe you BIG time. I still don't know how we managed to get it all to fit.
And then came the delivery.
It's always the same. I always have this moment of awe because I walk into a room with nearly empty tables and then suddenly the tables are stacked high with toys. It's like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny all joined forces and waved their magic wands to fill a room with toys. And it's SO amazing and fantastic. Center for Victims is doing incredible work and its such an honor to help them stay focused on that incredible work, even as they make the holidays a little better for a bunch of kids.
Speaking of "a bunch of kids," this year's delivery will always stand out for me. Always. I will never ever forgive this one tiny moment that punched me in the gut with a strong reminder that this thing we do matters.
McKenna is one of the staff people at Center for Victims. I love working with her because she's stuffed with energy and kindness. Both things just radiate from her. It doesn't matter what is going on, she's always positive and upbeat. ALWAYS.
I mention that because it's an important part of the story. We were standing in this room filled with toys, thanks to you, when McKenna looked down at her list. She is the coordinator of all of the things, so she had a list of kids they are serving, be it with shelter or counseling or whatever. As she glanced around the room and at that list, smiling and commenting about how amazing the whole thing is, she reported back the number of kids.
98. Center for Victims had 98 kids that needed Christmas magic.
So McKenna said, "This is going to 98 kids ..." but then she paused. "Wait. There were two murders in Pittsburgh last night. There's actually over 100 kids ..." she said before casually going back to checking her list and talking about how unbelievable you all are. She was completely unfazed as she gushed about your do-goodery.
I wasn't.
Two murders that left kids behind just a few days before Christmas.
That's why this whole thing matters.
Good job, internet. You did a really good thing here.