Awhile ago Jacob started a quarter collection of the 50 states. It was a brilliant idea of Grandpa Wallis to introduce the idea of having a collection; specifically this kind because Jacob loves learning all about money! Thank you Grandpa!

Grandpa, Grammy, Dide, Grandma and Omie have all been handing him quarters over the past few months. With excitement he has gone running to that blue booklet to see if it’s one that he needs.

A bit ago Jacob asked if he could have a lemonade stand to try to continue collecting quarters. He got some that way.

But now we’ve hit an all-time amazingness of the way friends have come through to help him achieve his goal of completing this collection. My mom had shared with Jacob that when she was in high school, she and a close friend of hers would write plays together. After they wrote a play and rehearsed it with one another, they would invite their parents’ friends to come to the house and for a quarter they could have an evening of theater. As soon as Jacob heard Omie’s story, I could see the wheels turning in his mind. “How about if I invite my friends? How about if they pay a quarter to come listen to me play the piano??!?!?”

And that’s how the idea was born for today’s piano concert. Jacob and Natalie sent out invitations to family members, teachers, friends from church and a few of Mama & Daddy’s friends. In the invitation we indicated it was a free admission event, but we invited people to bring a quarter to add to his collection if they could. We included a list of all  the quarters he was still missing. Let me tell you- those “P” quarters minted in Philadelphia sure are hard to come by out here on the West Coast!

Today our sweet friends showed up with quarters!!!! Jacob was able to add 19 veeeeeeeery hard to find quarters to his collection!!!!!!! Oh yay yay yay for friends!!!! The look of pure joy as he would shout with incredulity “NEW YORK P!!!!! Hawaii D!!!!!!!! Florida P!!!!!! and on and on….” as he opened envelopes and found these amazing surprises awaiting them from our friends. Wow. This is love.

Thank you to each and every one of you who spent hours of your precious time scouring your purses, wallets, coin collections all for Jacob. That is love. Amazing love. Jacob’s heart is full, full, full with all the love of your presence here today. Thank you for coming to listen to him play the piano. Thank you for helping add all of these quarters to his collection!

Nebraska P, Maine P, Texas P, Hawaii D, South Carolina P, New York P, Georgia P, Connecticut P, Mississippi P, Pennsylvania P, District of Columbia P, New Hampshire P, New Jersey P, Maryland P, North Carolina P, Florida P, Oklahoma-Chickasaw D, America Samoa D, Puerto Rico D

We know that each of you who came and gave lovingly of your quarters were sitting somewhere in your home doing something just like Kevin is pictured here below. Kevin Koga this is SOOOOOO telling of your dedication to making people feel special.  You have an incredible gift of encouraging people with your time and attention!!! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to Sherryl for capturing this dedication in a picture so that I could catch a glimpse of the intense quality of friendship I have with you both! Thank you for giving me this sneak peak into the meticulousness of the devotion that you and everyone who came today, gave to my son with your gifts of quarters.