This morning I made a very special announcement in our house. As my kids groggily got dressed for school, I was singing through the house announcing that it is officially sweet September! Wooooo! August is like the dreaded Sunday of Summer, everyone is anxiously preparing for their upcoming school year. For us August is packed with fun but it’s also super overwhelming. Y’all, the crazy is over and sweet September is finally here. This means a few things for us:
The big girls in the Fieleke house are officially back in school and Mama says AMEN. 
My house is full of college students again and I am real happy about that. 
My yard is occasionally full of college students too and its not smoldering hot so thats a big bonus!
Josh and I are back in the groove of work and we get to spend our days talking to students about Jesus. We love our job. 
Micah is taking me on all the breakfast dates because sometimes Mom (and Abigail) just really need a cinnamon roll to survive the day.
But there is one last fabulous thing about Sweet September – It is time for Send Joy!!! 2 years ago I started a gift box swap during September for all my girlfriends. It was birthed from the idea that some friends and I had because we wanted to slow down and savor September after the crazy of August had passed. That sweet feeling you get when you go out to check the mail and there is a package with your name on it, is the ABSOLUTE BEST! So every September, I open Send Joy for the first 100 people who sign up to participate!
Here’s the big idea: This swap is open to the first 100 people to sign up now through September 4. On September 5, I will email you the name & address of someone in the swap and I will email someone else your name and address. You have about 2 weeks to put together a gift box to Send Joy to someone else in the swap. When your box is complete, you will toss it in the mail to whomever you get assigned to send one. I will send a reminder email to everyone on September 15 that it is the last day to send your box.
That means this month you will have the opportunity to Send Joy to another woman, who like you & I, is fighting to find sweet moments to savor, in the midst of some of our real-life messiness! How fun is this!?!?! And if all goes according to plan, you will walk out to your mailbox one day this month to find a box full of joy waiting for you!
So what do people put in their Send Joy boxes? Here are some fun ideas I grabbed off Instagram of boxes that people sent out last year (we use the hashtag #sendjoy to track the fun!):
I love when people include personal notes full of encouragement, even though they are usually being sent to a stranger!
Your Send Joy box can have anything in it! Its the thought that counts. It is just so fun! we get to be women who Send Joy to a complete stranger and declare that MIGHTY WOMEN LOVE TO LOVE EACH OTHER!
So if you are still with me and thinking, YES I AM IN!!!… let me answer some questions you might have, and then I will tell you how to get your name on the list…
How much do I spend on my Send Joy box? I suggest between around 15-20 dollars before shipping, but feel free to use your creative skills to hand make items to save money! Just remember that you are trying to make someone’s day with the box you send.
How do I guarantee that I will get one in return? Ugh, I hate to say it but there is no guarantee. But I believe with all my heart that there is tons of joy in the giving! And as long as everyone actually follows through on their commitment, you will get one in the mail this month! (over the last few years, I have had very few people not follow through)
What if I get really excited but I’m not the most reliable person at follow through? Please don’t sign up. Girl, you do you and bring a neighbor some flowers. For real though, if you haven’t actually been to a post office in 10 years, save yourself the struggle and someone else the disappointment by not participating.
How will I know what the person I am assigned to Send Joy to will like? You won’t, but thats kind of the fun of it. Just put together a box that screams joy to you and I’m sure we will all love whatever we get in return. And for sure include a sweet note with warm wishes to your recipient! And post fun pics on social media using #sendjoy so we can all share the love.
You still with me??? Here’s how to sign up for the Send Joy September gift box swap:
- Send me an email right now with #SENDJOY in the subject line. And put your first name, last name, AND MAILING ADDRESS in the message. My email address is madison.fieleke@cru.org
- I will email you by September 5 with a name & address that you are assigned to make a box and Send Joy to. Check your spam if you don’t get one from me by then.
- Assemble your Send Joy box and send it as soon as you want to or as late as September 15. I will send out one reminder email. Don’t procrastinate. They all need to be sent by September 15.
- Try to wait patiently as you check the mail every day! Eeeek!
- When you get your package, send a thank you note, or post a picture on social media with #sendjoy so we can share the joy!
(I will post an update in this post at the bottom when the swap is full and closed – So assume that its not and email me now!)
Friends, I am so excited! If you are joining me, make sure to share the link to this with friends on Facebook or Insta so your friends can jump in too. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!
Ok, I’m off to TJ Maxx to shop for my Send Joy box! YAY!
Fieleke Front Porch 
Hi Maddi. I would like to participate. 😄
Sent from my iPhone
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Great!! Yay! Just shoot me an email with send joy in the subject line and your name and mailing address in the email. That’s how I’ll assign everyone a person to swap with!