Edited at 8:08 p.m. – updated totals!

$6,362.82.

SIX THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED SIXTY TWO DOLLARS, AND EIGHTY TWO CENTS.

Un.

Be.

Lievable.

I have to tell y’all this: last week, when this little idea first started to take shape, I mentioned to my sister that I hoped we could raise $1000. I kept telling myself that it would be okay if we didn’t raise that much, that even $300 would be a wonderful contribution to Kelli and her family.

But since I know how many people read this little blawg everyday (because Site Meter tells me things – BLOGGY things), I held on to the thought that if most of the people who read here threw in a dollar, we could come up with $1000. Then I figured I’d make the minimum $1.50 contribution because hey, I’m all wild and crazy like that.

And then?

And then?

And then you people go and give over $6,000 and make me cry and ruin my mascara and get all speechless and overwhelmed and stuff.

Plus, there’s this little bit-o-news: some family friends of Kelli’s found out what was going on here yesterday, and they – along with some bloggy friends – surprised her family by mailing them checks that total $2400.

So let me just add up those numbers for you because I might not be able to string together coherent sentences right now but I can still add, baby!

$8,762.82.

For Kelli.

And God gets all the glory.

I think it’ll probably take me a few days to put words in their proper places, to express myself in a way that goes beyond “!!!” and “WOW” and “!!!” and “[BUG-EYED]” and “!!!”

But here’s what I know for sure: having the privilege to witness what you’ve done for Kelli, having the privilege to talk to Kelli on the phone and hear the wonder and gratefulness in her voice, having the privilege to see a group of people come together and love on a sister in a time of need, having the privilege to read your sweet emails about how you gave everything that was in your PayPal account, or how you only had a little bit to give but you wanted to help, or how your kids emptied their piggy banks, or how you gave extra to stand in the gap for the people who couldn’t give, or how you couldn’t give money but wanted to send Kelli a quilt, or how you have committed to pray for Kelli’s family, or how you have faithfully linked to every single post where I’ve mentioned this For Kelli idea, or how you have, by doing any or all of those things, lavished on Kelli’s family a love whose Source can only be Jesus – well, it has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.

But I have a feeling that it’s a little teensy glimpse of what heaven will be like.

Thank you so much. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

Y’all are the best internets in the whole wide world.

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 3:14-20