Congratulations to all of you who made it through the 29 Day Giving Challenge! What an amazing accomplishment.

Please take a second to tell us about your experience and what you intend to do for your very last gift of the cycle!

Remember, I am starting again on May 1 if you want to jump in on the fun.

It has been a fun experience but I think I default too much to the "easy to give" gift. I'm joining in for the May challenge to see if I can up the ante on my gift giving.

I don't know what my last gift will be...only as the day unfolds.

Day 9 - I ordered cookies from www.cookiedelivery.com to be delivered to my coworker tomorrow for her birthday on Saturday. I don't usually exchange birthday gifts with her. She usually keeps her grandkids on the weekends so I thought this might be a nice surprise for her and nice to have around for the kids.

The cookies are to DIE for! They show up WARM!!!!

I took today's post as inspiration for my final gift.

I made a lemon pound cake with orange glaze and took it to my hairdresser!!! The boys had appointments to get their hair cut and I had one to get my brows waxed! Since everyone else was appreciating their hair dressers today, I ran to my cabinet to see what I could whip up to show Debra how much she means to me and the boys. She LOVED the pound cake...probably because it was still warm when I handed it to her! She has a set of twin boys too, but hers are graduating from high school this year and another teenage daughter. I'm the sure cake will be gone by tonight.

Gift 29 ~ gift of design. Yay! I made it! A friend and I were talking about giving her business a boost and I quickly got an idea and whipped her up some stationary.She loaved it and was so excited of the different possibilities. So my last gift has a lot of who I am, and the gifts I give from my heart, the creativity I love to share!!

Throughout the last 29 days I have given many of my gifts .... 'freely'. "Gifts" I probably would have given anyhow. Other than the gift of change, I don't think any of my gifts were cash valued at over $1.00 . (Although I do think my cards are priceless!!) Many of my gifts were given to the same people over and over ...on different days, but they are part of my quiet daily life. I didn't step too far out of the box and give 'lots' to complete strangers.... but I wasn't trying to find the unusual or obtuse for my giving. Will I continue? Yes, giving 'gifts' freely, but will I document 29 straight days.... not at this time.

My final gift for April's challenge was to one of my students. It was a student I have a history with and it is hard to give her a clean slate each time I see her. (typically I don't) but this time I was committed to giving her a new chance with me. It didn't work out the way I hoped but I was glad I took the chance...it was a real challenge and sets me up for May as I know that May will be more focused on giving outside of my comfort zone.

Congratulations to the few, but proud, of you who made it through the Giving Challenge.

I hope, if nothing else, that Cami's book has gotten you to spend more time thinking about the act of giving. I know it has for me.

Tomorrow marks my Day #1. Tune in to read the adventures of those of us who are going to give it another whirl...publicly (as I know a handful who are doing it but not posting).

Day 29 - I made it. It feels a little anti-climatic because it's been a busy week and I had originally wanted to plan something special to wrap things up and it just didn't happen. This morning I emailed my friend that I was in my wreck with 21 years ago. But... I don't know it doesn't feel special enough.

So as I'm typing this I'm looking at the actuall book sitting on my table and I think what I'll do is write a quick note before I go to bed, tuck it in the book and send it off to my sister in law, Lori. Her mom has MS and I thought about them both while I was reading the book.

I'm not going to continue logging in daily gifts but the challenge has taught me that I really enjoy giving to others and also that I receive so much from others. My life is abundant with wonderful things and people in it. I look at others consideration towards me differently now where before I would take their gifts for granted.

Congratulations, Cheryl! Nice job.

I think I'll take the reigns and try this for the month of June (since I only joined a few weeks ago and missed the original challenge) I've decided that today ,on my way home from work, I'm stopping at my boyfriend's favorite golf course and paying for a round of golf for him.

Seems to make me smile already

That's awesome Jen. Can't wait to hear how your journey goes.

Yeah! Jen is this you?!?!?!

I am so happy you stopped by AND that you are participating in the 29 day challenge! Feel free to log your gifts in the days we already have set up. Or... just stop in periodically and let us know how it's going.