Making Room for the Gifts

Thanks everyone for voting on the logo! Here is the final version we settled on. Thanks so much again to Jen Mileti at Vilocity! 

 After several meetings and no cooperation and avoidance from SUSD, we have moved on from the location we had our sights set on. Everything with this project has been this magical carpet ride with each opportunity presenting itself as we start to look for it. The Scottsdale Unified location was starting to feel like paddling upstream so we took it as a sign that it’s not meant to be. I could have done my usual advocating up the chain of command (I only had one rung to go), but I want this to be different. So many times in the past I made things happen rather than allowing them to happen. And I’ve begun to learn that the latter approach seems to have far more sustainability.

As soon as we let that go, some other options have presented themselves. We are investigating those leads and are confident we will find our home, one we are welcomed in with open arms.

I called in the troops Saturday. We still want to throw this modest fundraiser to get started with a small group of potential board members, partners and folks who have really shown interest. Our last window to have it before the holiday madness kicks in is November, which is coming fast. I was feeling very overwhelmed so I called some of my nearest, dearest lady bosses to come over and help. Once again, magic. That day we received an anonymous donation of $2500 to underwrite the event! 

That just blew us away. Speechless. Really.

We also got word that the fantastic caterer from Gertrude’s at Desert Botanical Gardens, who finds our project heartwarming, is donating her services and lovely faire. We are going to still have to scramble to host a warm farm to table dinner to launch our video & crowdfunding campaign but it will be so interesting to see the final result. 

Also, this week I’ll be cleaning up the final draft of a letter of intent for another big grant ($130K) due Friday. It’s been such a privilege to work on this project. I’m learning so much. And even though I’m donating all my time in the midst of 2 other jobs and kids, I still feel calm about how it’s coming together. Much like the experience in the Grand Canyon, this seems to be happening through me rather than because of me. I put in the hard work hard, do my best, but comfortably let go of the outcome. The results seem to have their own life.

When these ideas come clear, evidence is all around perhaps this a much more graceful way to navigate through the rest of my world as well….getting out of my own way. Making some room for the miracles and gifts.