More letters to come...

We have two more wonderful letters to share later today (maybe even more after today's mail arrives) so please check in later.We hope everybody likes the new layout better.I had some other ideas but it didn't work out,so I gave up and settled for this.I hope everybody is enjoying the blog and as always,if you have any advice about the blog,etc., please share them with me,so I can improve it to make you all enjoy visiting.Thanks again to everybody that has joined and for all you wonderful people that have posted it on your blogs and in forums.I have emailed my 2 local papers over a month ago and have never heard back.If you know anybody that writes about penapals,letters,etc. and you think they would like our project,please let me know so that I can contact them to get the word out.We continue to get participants on a daily basis,but I really need to reach a bigger audience since we know there are many letter writers out there that can help us reach our goal.Our success depends on all of you.Thanks again! :)

Thank you all!

I just wanted to give you all a great big thanks for making this such a success already.Even if we don't reach our goal of 2,011 letters (which I'm still sure can be accomplished),we have still accomplished the bigger goal,which is for my children to learn about others.My children have been greatly rewarded with the knowledge of other people and places through this project.I think this is the best idea we could have come up with that has benefitted us all.It has been so fun reading about the places where you were born and live and we can often feel the love you have for your home which comes out in the letters.These letters have been so positive.Even though there is so much negativity in the world right now,when we read your letters,we feel such happiness and hope for the future.Every letter has been so kind and positive.I am glad that my daughters have gotten to know each and every one of you through your letters and I wish we could meet you all because you all are truly the best of people.

We have had a great surge of sign ups over the past weekend and are anxiously awaiting many new letters from all over the world.Thanks to you all!We hope that our blog has been enjoyable for all of you that are reading this.If you have any tips or advice for us,please do share as we want this project to be enjoyed by all.I am sure that we will look back through these letters in the future and have such great memories of this project.When we are able to open our eyes,we can see more clearly and we have definitely seen the best of people through this project.I am so thankful to have technology such as the internet to allow me to show my kids that just because you don't see any good where you are at,there is good somewhere else,so we must not think that there is no hope just because you don't see the good.There is good everywhere if we open our eyes just a little more.We are so bombarded with evil people on the news that my kids often wonder if there is any good in the world sometimes.So,again thanks to each and every one of you for showing my kids that there are so many wonderful and caring people in the world.We always hear the negative,but don't get many chances to show our kids the positive.I can definitely say that my kids have learned a lot about people around the world,so this has definitely been a positive experience. :)

PS-Posts of pictures have been and will be a little slow due to us getting our kitchen remodeled (well,parts of it)....you don't want to see the before....ugly! :)

Great response so far!

Wow,thank you to the many people who have already joined in on our project! We appreciate your support in this.It will be so great to see my daughters reading the letters about others from all over the world.I think they will learn so much more from this project than any textbook could ever teach them. I always felt that sometimes it's better to get know about others who are actually from another place by talking to them (or writing to them) than from someone who went on vacation and wrote down only what he/she thought was interesting.We are curious to learn about everything.

image from perfect bound studio

This project has no age limitations....if you want to send us handprint from a baby,that's fine with us :) ...we'd love to get letters especially from older folks who could tell us about their childhoods so we can imagine what life must have been like since things are always changing.

We want to know anything you are willing to share with us...tell us a favorite recipe,tell us your hobby,tell us about your family,tell us what makes you happy or sad.Don't limit yourself,but please keep it appropriate for my kids to read,too.This is a family project,after all.If you would like to add pictures or brochures,ticket stubs,or anything with your native language on it,we'd be thrilled.

image from here

These letters will be held in a special case that is yet to be bought...I just went shopping but didn't find that special box for them.I want these letters to be passed down to my grandchildren and so on. I am so excited about how my children will view the world after this.I know there are so many nice people in the world that we will never get to meet but at least we will have the letters to look back on.I think there's nothing better than the compassion of humanity & so many people have been so kind to us as we begin this project so thanks to all of you who have already joined in.We are awaiting our first letter & will post about it as soon as it arrives.What country will it be from.....hmm,we'll have to wait to find out. ;) Wanna take a guess?

We are even thinking of having PRIZES! Yes, you heard that right,prizes! We are thinking about offering prizes for the letter sent from the farthest distance from us & for the most decorative envelope/letter (we may even ask for your help in judging the for the finals) since we do love pretty letters and maybe we'll pick a random letter...when we get your letter we'll number it in the order received and at the end of the year we will put all the numbers into a bowl and pick a winner!So what are you waiting for,get your pen and paper out and start writing and maybe you can be our winner!Come on writers and help us reach our goal of 2,011 letters!

Please help us out and post about us on your facebook and twitter pages (we don't do either) but would love help spreading the word.Tell your friends and family members...everybody is welcome to participate.Hmm,wonder if we can get any astronauts to join in from outer space?We'd also love to hear from book authors from around the world.If you are reading this then we want to hear from you!Don't be shy,don't think we won't like your letter because every letter will be held precious to us.No excuses allowed,just do it!

Email us at reneealam@verizon.net to participate.Thanks!