The Promise

To Georgia,

"In those last few moments, I held you tight and apologized that I could not save you. I sang to you and asked you to stay even though I knew that our parting was within minutes. I promised you that I would never forget you or stop loving you. I promised that I would never let others forget about you or about this awful disease that was robbing you of your ability to breathe. I told you that I would fight to see SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY cured so that others would not have to live the same fate.

The world of SMA is devastating, heart-wrenching and exhausting. It robs families not just of their children but can also rob them of their hope and optimism. On any given day, I can feel none, one or all of these feelings. I still have moments where I want to hide under the covers and not get up. I want to pretend that SMA doesn't exist. But...there you are.

I see your face not just in my memories but all over our home. I hear your laugh in the baby sister that is helping to heal this family. I see your pain in the faces of so many other little warriors. I can still feel your little hand in mine and the way your head would lay in my arms, so different from your sisters'. My promise to you will never be forgotten. You will remain a part of our lives for as long as my heart continues to beat.

I have come to realize that I cannot keep my promise alone. Last year hundreds of people helped to take the first step. I am hopeful that once again this year a community will come together. They will come because they remember you. They will come to celebrate your second birthday and have fun. They will come because they too have suffered a loss or know someone that has. They will come because your story has touched their lives. They will come because they don't just believe in a cure, they believe in HOPE."

Join me on October 3rd for the second annual Georgia's Journey of Hope. Help me to keep my promise.

Love to you all,

Kristen

Want to help? Letters are now available requesting prizes. Volunteers will be needed. Please contact me if you are interested. Ivory ribbons will be available in my mailbox starting next week until October 3rd.

No Regrets

I happen to be lucky enough to live in a country that allows a parent to be off of work for up to a year, collect E.I. and return to the same position when that child is turning one. That is...if you have been working and contributing for the year previously. I obviously was not working and am not taking any kind of leave from any type of employment since the arrival of Aria. Mike, on the other hand, has been working and is entitled to taking a parental leave. Leaving his position however and the whole family living off of E.I. is a little bit scary but we have decided to bite the bullet and put our family first.

Since Georgia became sick I always try to make decisions that I am sure I won't regret in the long run. Mike seems to have taken on this same attitude as he is about to start a two month leave from work. This will allow us to spend the rest of the summer together, get the girls into school and pull off the fundraiser. We will also celebrate Georgie's second birthday and Thanksgiving before he returns.

We will be living off of some savings and the E.I. Things will be a little bit tight around here but we are all so excited. In fact, the countdown has been on for quite some time. Friday is his last day and Calla and Maya will both tell you that Daddy is going to be home for almost one hundred days!!

While we are a little bit nervous about the finances Mike and I have both had a good laugh when we ask ourselves that when our daughters walk down the aisle one day will we regret this time? Will we sit back and say, "Wow! This wedding is way too expensive. You really should have worked those two months!" I seriously doubt it.

Aria will only be this little once. Calla will only start grade one once and Maya will only be 4 years old once.

Living without regrets means taking a chance sometimes and we can't wait to have ours...TOGETHER!

Love to you all,

Kristen