Lost

I don't have anything exciting to post at the moment. I just want to publicly complain. I haven't been able to find our camera for 3 weeks! I really don't want to buy a new one but I hate not getting pictures of my kids, particularly baby pictures. That's all.

Surprise! HaCkEd!!!!

Hi Sweetheart! This is your Hubby! I hope you can forgive me for hacking into your blog. I just can't stop thinking about how much I absolutely love you and I wanted to let you and the world know.

Sarah Ragatz, you are the most amazing wife I could ever imagine. You give me such great hope, direction, and drive every day. When I am having a difficult day and am just about ready to throw in the towel, I think about you and everything becomes bearable, if not completely and utterly wonderful!

You make me happy when I am sad. You help me to laugh when I am ready to cry. When my spirits are down and deflated, and I feel like I am good for nothing, you put me on a pedestal and make me feel like I can conquer the world! Even when I don't believe in myself, you are always my number one supporter!!

What I'm trying to say Love, is that I couldn't ask nor dream for a better soul-mate! You make me whole. Thank you for always being so loving, so determined, so steadfast in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you for being such a wonderful mother, teacher, leader and example to our beautiful children. Thank you for being you!

Honey, I love you with all my heart and soul and will do so throughout the eternities. I hope that I can be as good to you as you are to me. You are my everything!

I don't know what more to say other than what I have already said - Sarah, I Love You!

Love Always,
-Your Hubby
Carman J Ragatz IV

We Love Lucy!

Has anyone ever touched you so much that you can't even explain it? That's how I feel about Lucy. And I've never met her. This is her family and my friends, Chad, Cherisse, Dallin, and Jocey:

When Lucy was just 5 months old, she was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the number #1 genetic killer of young children. The Lunts were told Lucy'd be lucky to make it to her first birthday. This month she will be turning 4! They have been so blessed to have so much time with their little girl, as this disease will eventually take her life. Because of SMA, Lucy cannot walk, crawl, sit up, or even hold up her head. Every last one of her muscles degenerate, making talking, swallowing, and even breathing difficult. 

But Lucy does not let SMA define who she is! Through stories, pictures, and videos, I have truly come to love this sweet little girl! God could not have sent her to a family more perfect for her. Her siblings adore her. Her older sister Jocey plays princesses with her. She even got Lucy in on ballet lessons (which she mastered in her awesome power chair). Dallin joins in when they dress up as superheros, although Lucy insists on being Aurora. Lucy also likes to "dance" with Dallin.

Lucy is so amazingly determined. She decided that she wanted to use the potty and does so successfully, despite that being something SMA should prevent her from doing. She helps her mom clean by mopping the floor. At preschool she really tests the limits of SMA and does all the craft and other projects the other children do. This past school year she decided she was ready to ride the bus and was quite persistent until her mom obliged. At the same time, she can be very understanding when it comes to not being allowed to do all the things she wants to do. And just check out her beautiful blue eyes! Who could say no to those!?

I've always wished there were more ways I could help this wonderful family. Carman and I have decided to run our first half marathon in order to join the Lunts and the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation in raising funds and awareness of SMA. We are going to run so that children suffering with SMA can run and do everything they want to do, too! Our goal is to raise $1,000. The GSF is a nonprofit organization committed to accelerating research and putting and end to SMA and 100% of donations go towards that goal. Please consider donating. The half marathon we'll be running is Charlotte Thunder Road on November 17th. It happens to be the day after my 30th birthday! The best gift I could ask for would be to help us reach our goal in combating SMA. The link in my sidebar will take you to my FirstGiving page where you can safely and conveniently donate right to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation.

Although the following video was created for a fundraiser a couple years ago, it is excellent at portraying the message I hope to get across. Just after Gwendolyn's introduction, you'll see baby Lucy's smiling blue eyes.