Okay, I hope this isn't too tacky. I had to give it a lot of thought before I decided to do it. Usually when someone organizes one of these fundraisers, it's because they or someone they know has met with a serious misfortune--an accident, an illness, a death--and they need help covering their expenses. I, much to the contrary, have received an unexpected blessing.
Over the Christmas holidays this year, I had the good fortune of making contact with my birth father, whom I have never met, his lovely wife, and their four beautiful daughters--MY SISTERS! FOUR of them! Crazy, right?
Add to that two nieces and a nephew, six uncles and aunts, plus their spouses and no less than 26 new first cousins, none of whom I have ever met. These new family members have, to a person, been welcoming and warm and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. As a 47-year-old man, I could never have imagined such a thing.
Now here's the tricky part. Almost all them live in Ireland, which Google tells me is four thousand, six hundred and ninety-one miles from my current location. It is, right now, my great desire that Jennifer and I go and meet my immediate family there for the first time but the cost, frankly, is going to be a problem. We have a place to stay there but between airline tickets, boarding the dogs and other expenses, I think it's going to cost about $2500 at a minimum to get over there for a couple of weeks, to say nothing of the time away from work.
So, listen, if you have better things to do with your money, I totally understand that. But if you'd like to help me live the dream by throwing in five or ten bucks, I can promise you my gratitude and a lot of good stories in return. Between tightening the belt between now and then and with a little help from our friends I know we can do it. Our best case scenario would be to go over some time this summer.
Besides, I've been led to believe that if I can catch a leprechaun while I'm there I can make him give me his gold. Then who are you going to want owing you a favor? I rest my case.
If you have any questions about this crazy story, I'm happy to answer them all via email or FB private message.
Love you all!
Over the Christmas holidays this year, I had the good fortune of making contact with my birth father, whom I have never met, his lovely wife, and their four beautiful daughters--MY SISTERS! FOUR of them! Crazy, right?
Add to that two nieces and a nephew, six uncles and aunts, plus their spouses and no less than 26 new first cousins, none of whom I have ever met. These new family members have, to a person, been welcoming and warm and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. As a 47-year-old man, I could never have imagined such a thing.
Now here's the tricky part. Almost all them live in Ireland, which Google tells me is four thousand, six hundred and ninety-one miles from my current location. It is, right now, my great desire that Jennifer and I go and meet my immediate family there for the first time but the cost, frankly, is going to be a problem. We have a place to stay there but between airline tickets, boarding the dogs and other expenses, I think it's going to cost about $2500 at a minimum to get over there for a couple of weeks, to say nothing of the time away from work.
So, listen, if you have better things to do with your money, I totally understand that. But if you'd like to help me live the dream by throwing in five or ten bucks, I can promise you my gratitude and a lot of good stories in return. Between tightening the belt between now and then and with a little help from our friends I know we can do it. Our best case scenario would be to go over some time this summer.
Besides, I've been led to believe that if I can catch a leprechaun while I'm there I can make him give me his gold. Then who are you going to want owing you a favor? I rest my case.
If you have any questions about this crazy story, I'm happy to answer them all via email or FB private message.
Love you all!