A few notes before we put a spotlight on today's Yellow Envelope Project recipient.

Congratulations reigning champions, California Golden Girls for defending your title as March Madness Champions for the second consecutive year.  By a landslide, the brownie pan kit won as this year's favorite idea of the year.

Thanks to one thoughtful reader, I now know what it is like to get a yellow envelope in the mail and I am more invigorated for our project than ever!  A handwritten note in a cheery yellow envelope and a hand stamped burst of sunshine was all I needed to brighten my day.  Such a simple gesture, but with such a priceless return.  Our project matters.

The cloud of last week's misfortune turned out to have quite a silver lining.  Our website was down for the better part of the weekend.  I was worried that last week's recipient would not get her fair share of mail, so I emailed ten or twelve people asking if they might help me out by sending a yellow envelope.  The response was overwhelming.  We ended up having more than 60 people view our site that day and I dare say a good number of those people sent an envelope.  The lesson?  If each of us who are committed to the project emailed just one or two people a week, inviting them to participate (and to consider telling a friend), we could quickly overflow mailboxes with our envelopes.

One more note before jumping into today's recipient.  The Yellow Envelope Project is only as good as our commitment to nominating people who shine.  No nominations, no nominees, no yellow envelopes.  We know there are plenty of people out there doing large and small acts to brighten their corners of the world, so the key is to not to be apathetic about encouraging people not to be apathetic.  Who do you know that shines?  Consider taking a second and nominating him/her.  Just click on the Yellow Envelope Project to nominate someone now.

Is it more fun if I challenge us to recognize someone from a particular state?  Let's try.  Eenie meanie minnie mo, how about Alabama?  Someone(s) send me the name of a person in Alabama who shines.  Aunt, uncle, sister of a friend whose cousin is engaged to a brother whose father lives in Alabama?  Whatever it takes.

A recap of how we play.  I post the name of this week's recipient.  You take ten minutes out of your day to jot the winner a short note of recognition.  A simple, "thank you for going out of your way and brightening the world of others," is all I am talking about.  Seal your note in a yellow envelope (or a white envelope decorated with yellow markers/stickers).  Place the words, "Yellow Envelope Project" in the return address and mail sometime before next Saturday.

It's fast.  It's easy.  And, it is sure to make this deserving mother, wife, and friend feel honored and appreciated.  Judging by what her nominator wrote, our yellow envelopes could be arriving at a perfect time.  Take a look...  

"Theresa exemplifies the whole premise behind SHINING! She is a former attorney and now stay at home mom to her 6 and a half year old twin girls. She is a dedicated military spouse and homeschooling mother. She keeps an impeccably clean house, and I honestly mean impeccably clean! She sings in her church choir and teaches the preschool Sunday school class. She is the type of woman who will immediately step up to the plate and help anyone in need. She's the neighbor who stalks your moving truck and is on your front porch with a hot homemade meal and a beautiful smile to welcome you to the neighborhood. While my husband was deployed, she became my "go to girl" on how to feed twins, teach them, encourage them, and be the best mom I can be. Military spouses and families have a very hard job of keeping a household up and running from duty station to duty station, and she runs a tight yet smoothly operating ship. Lately, I've noticed that her SHINING spirit seems to be dimming. There's only so much encouragement friends can give, but I know some "stranger encouragement" will bring that SHINE back to life." 

Please join me in sending a little bit of shine Theresa's way.