Thursday, September 06, 2007

Great Expectations

As many of your are aware, there is an incredible season of life coming our way. One only need to click on a few friends links to realize that there must be something in the Seattle water. Well, to go along with the water I'd like to propose dinner (many dinners, actually).

That's right, pregnant families: Kyle & Kristen, Justin & Jaymie, Chris & Rebekah, Matt & Mandy, Tom & Casey (is there anyone I'm missing? Please forgive me...). Katie Drovdahl and I would like to offer our coordinating services to arrange 8 weeks of dinners for each expecting family (we'll go off the due date and either you'll have the baby early and family will have to cover OR you'll have some dinners stored up for when the baby comes). Please let us do this for you, it would be an honor!

Here's what we've done already- created a generic email that family and friends can email if they'd like to help out (dinnerforfamilies@gmail.com), created a Google Calendar with due dates, holidays, and a Mon/Wed/Fri dinner schedule color coordinated by family (all one would need to do is access the calendar and fill in their name) and posted a blog entry detailing the plan ;).

What we need from the Moms-
  • Email dinnerforfamilies@gmail.com with interest in participation, due date, husband's phone # (that way they can deal with coordinating delivery schedules when someone is ready to drop off food). Once I have your email I can give you access to the Calendar so you can adjust dates if necessary.

  • Post a comment on my Blog with food allergies or other important info (that way dinner-makers can know what to avoid and will have a central location to look up the info)

What we need from volunteers-

  • Email dinnerforfamilies@gmail.com to let us know you're interested- you'll receive instructions on how to view the calendar and sign up for dates

Suggestions for volunteers-

  • Since there are several weeks with multiple families, might we suggest that you sign up for multiple families in one week- that way you can make one large meal and split it up, saving time and $.

  • If for some reason you can't drop off the food (the families do live all over the place- Green Lake, Shoreline, Redmond, etc.) please contact Katie or I and we'd be happy to pick up the food at church and deliver it for you (or figure something else out, of course).

  • Please use disposable containers so the families don't have to worry about washing or returning dishes.

  • Because the families will be 1) exhausted and 2) inundated with visitors- we suggest you intend on just dropping off the food and not necessarily staying for a visit. You may get lucky, but I know it's hard for Mom's and Dad's to say "NO," so I'm saying it for them!

Katie and I are very excited to be a part of this process and to welcome in the new little ones this fall/winter. We hope this will be a blessing to our community. (Even if Katie doesn't have a blog- believe me, she reads them:))

With love,

Jenny and Katie

9 comments:

Kristen Gough said...

Dear Jenny & Katie,

You two are incredible! We feel blessed already by your generous love and support and thoughtfulness... Wow.

We are so excited to introduce our baby (in just a few short weeks!--We can't believe it!) to this amazing community of family and friends. Thank you so much for this, you two. It is such a beautiful act of love!

Love, Kyle & Kristen

Alex said...

This is too cute, Jenny. Maybe I could airmail some collard greens, catfish, fried okra and caramel cake? :) You know, just in case y'all run out of all that good food up North...

Jenny said...

I should mention that the dates run from Oct 1 thru the 2nd week of Feb. It's quite an undertaking for anyone who'd like to help out...but a worth cause for sure!

Casey said...

Jenny and Katie! I could hardly believe your post! :) What a sweet, sweet idea. I know it means a lot to all of us pregnant ladies. I know you are both busy girls, so thank you so much for even coming up with the idea.

We too are excited for baby to come, and this will certainly lessen the load when the that day is here!

Love,
Casey

Anonymous said...

Wow you guys what an incredible blessing! I am actually very speechless at this point. I love you both and am just overwhelmed at your desire to try to organize such a huge thing...Wow! This is too much for pregnant hormones :)!

Mandy said...

Oh my word! I just can't believe you 2 have organized this for us! And I'm not even a part of the Bethany community :) (although sometimes we wish we were)
Thank you soooo much for including us! This is so incredibly generous & thoughtful of you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
-Mandy

Mandy said...

Sorry forgot food allergies- if this is where I'm supposed to post them (sorry there are a lot):
cheddar cheese
chocolate
sour cream
sour dough bread
yogurt
red wine (not that I'd be drinking that anyways)
Thanks!
-Mandy

Aleah said...

This was done for us each time we had a baby, it was GREAT, so helpful! Good job setting everything up, a great idea!

The Courter Family said...

Jenny & Katie,
Justin and I are SUPER blessed to have such awesome friends! Thanks so much for organizing this amazing dinner extravaganza!! You both are truly amazing people and we love you tons :) Justin and I are not allergic to anything and we're super easy... we'll eat anything :)

We're ready to meet little Eli and excited for everyone to meet him :) lots of love, Justin, Jaymie & Elijah Courter

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