How can it be weeks ago already? Well, here's the long-awaited report...
IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!

We spent the night before celebrating (they made it to $1005!) their goal and preparing for the party--we made loads of little bags stamped with a "B", filled with candies and popcorn. And we washed and combed their hair very carefully so that it wouldn't be too bad the next day! And we stayed up late talking about how this whole process has worked its way out...

And then people gathered...lots of people. The yard was teeming with small children! We were all so excited and so totally grateful to see so many of our friends and family come to be with us.

Our sweet friend and long-time barber, Shane, came to "do the honors". He did such a great job in the midst of all the celebratory wildness!

The boys were so utterly brave--I was pretty worried about whether they'd be able to pull off going through with the whole thing, but the night before we talked and prayed about it and I could tell they had already "cut" their hair in their hearts--it was a done deal. Yay! I slept better than I had in weeks! Nothing to worry about.
We have some of the first few moments of buzzing Asa's hair on video and it is just priceless--there was so much cheering and clapping and just general partying going on the whole time. Fun! The boys really enjoyed it. We'd made a dance mix (Friday by Rebecca Black, Party in the U.S.A by Miley Cyrus, Aunt Hannah's Famous Dance Mix...!) and played it out the garage windows, and a friend had loaned us their giant bouncy play toy, and there was root beer for everyone and it was awesome!

While Asa got his hair buzzed, my sweet friends Abbey and Sarah helped me put Phin's hair in tons of little hair ties so that I could cut it for Locks of Love.

It was such lovely hair--I'm so happy some little one will get to wear that hair again!

So is Phin John.

And the final result?

Here they after after the party, with Lisa Perry, the regional director of the Food Bank's backpacks program. She so sweetly came to support them!

Aren't they incredibly handsome? OK, you don't have to answer that. The truth is that I think they're amazingly handsome, but oh! my heart just bursts to look at them because I know their hearts and I LOVE THEM. I'm beyond proud--grateful is more like it. Grateful that I get to be their mom, that I get to do this life with them.
It's so much fun.
And the final check I sent to the Food Bank yesterday?
$1447.23
Amazing.
7 kids will get backpacks of food every weekend for the entire school year because of their effort.
Well--and this is where my grateful heart just overflows into tears--it's really thanks to you all, our sweet community of friends and family--who support us and love us and love these boys and put your money where your heart is. We feel honored as a family and so, so grateful for your generosity.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
