One week to go...and...

We've met and exceeded the goal!!!

We returned the last of the can/bottles today...we ended up with 728!! That put us $6.80 over the total goal!!!

It is just amazing to me the way this all came together. When we received the invitation way back in March...we were very sceptical about being able to raise the money for this trip!

We have just been blown away!!

We realize that God had a huge hand in this and that it was meant to be for her to attend this conference! We want to thank all of again for your support and prayers.

We will spend this week making sure she has everything she needs...and by this time next week she'll be in Washington DC!!!

I try not to think about it...it causes a throw-upie feeling in my stomach!

Please pray for her this week and during the week that follows!

One month...and counting...

and Tate will be getting on a plane and heading to DC!! We are almost half way to having her flight paid for...and we have accumulated a whole bunch of cans again too! I'll update will can totals after we go on another returning spree!

She has been spending some time on her "homework" assignments...I'll post her leadership essay as soon as it is done...(if she will let me?).

She is excited...and a little nervous.

Next up is getting her wardrobe in order...she as to wear "business casual" a couple of day's...and we'll need to find something that fits in the parameters!

For now...she is headed off to Cran Hill Ranch for a week.

Thank you so much for you support and prayers. It has been amazing to see this all come together!

Her flight has been booked...

and I feel like vomiting!!!

She will be departing out of Chicago O'Hare on the 2nd of August...PLEASE continue to pray for Tate, and for this trip, that everything will go well...and it will be a wonderful experience, and that she will be safe.

I'm going to find a bucket!!

Tate got paid...

Tate got another check from the greenhouses today...she is contributing another $100 to her trip fund!!!

That brings us past our original goal and onto the plane ticket goal!!

We're almost there...hopefully we will have her ticket purchased by the end of this month.

(Her mother is procrastinating a bit...because her baby is going to get on a plane alone!!!)

Another family can/bottle return day...

The girls and I loaded up this morning and headed to Meijer to return cans/bottles. We were able to get it all done in 2 trips with 3 carts heaped full. We were an interesting sight for sure. I (Shann) feel like I need to explain to all the passersby what is actually going on...so that they don't think that I have a drinking problem!!

But anyway...it took us about an hour and a half total to return bottle after bottle and can after can...and in the end we returned 1,051!! Raising another $105.10 toward Tate's trip.

To date we have returned 3500 can/bottles!!!

Next week I have to start nailing down a flight...and before we know it she'll be on her way!

Thanks for all your help and prayers!

She's been accepted!!

We received the official acceptance letter today. She will be attending the conference August 2 - 7. Now comes the daunting task of finding a flight...in a reasonable price range. We could use prayers about this part of the process!

The acceptance package is full of all sorts of fun information. Like, dress code, and pre-conference assignments (yes...there are two!) Tate had no idea there would be homework! I think it is quite humerus myself!

So...we are T minus 71 days...and counting until "lift off".

Please continue to pray for her (and her mother) as she prepares for this trip.

We are headed out to collect more can/bottles...More updates to come!

More cans/bottles...

We just returned from Meijer, where we returned another 494 cans and bottles. So when we add another $49.40 to the total....we are up to $1756.40.

If you frequent this site you may have noticed that the tuition amount changed...this is because I misread it way back in March...so the actual tuition is $1840 not $1895...but we also did not realize that they strongly suggest tuition and travel protection...for $99. While we know that the chances are extremely low that anything will happen to prevent Tate from going on this trip...we also would be just sick if anything did happen and all the money you helped us raise would be gone!

So for the sake of peace-of-mind, we went with the protection...bringing the grand total to...$1939...(so technically $44 more than we had originally thought in the first place!)

Anyway...the check is in the mail, and now we wait to get our confirmation...and further information on travel arrangements and all that!

Well, that is where we are...only $182.60 away from the tuition goal...but who knows...maybe we can collect enough can/bottles to pay for some or all of the flight as well.

All I can say is God is great...and so are all of you. We are so glad that God blessed us with family and friends like all of you!!