An Announcement

Photo by A Little Sussy

Dear Family and Friends,

Some of you know that in March of this year, our now 10-month old daughter, Lucy, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1. SMA is the leading genetic killer of infants. The disease is a terminal, degenerative disease that affects motor neurons, resulting in progressive muscular atrophy and weakness. There is no treatment and no cure for this disease.

Recently, there has been groundbreaking news on a very promising treatment for SMA. They are in need of funding to get the treatment FDA approved so the clinical trials can begin January of 2010.

Several families that have been affected by SMA are uniting to raise $5,000 each to go toward this treatment, and we have decided to unite with them! Ever since Lucy was diagnosed, I have really had a desire to do something - something more than just surviving each day. I want to help raise money to find a cure, help other families who need assistance, or just spread awareness. When I heard about this promising treatment, it brought a little hope to each day.

Being a mother to Lucy's older brother and sister and taking care of Lucy takes most of my day and I wasn't sure how I would be able to do something (or anything) more. When our friends, the Strong's, asked for families who would like to help, I thought, ‘we can do this’. I feel like this goal is attainable for us and, although I am not one to ask for help…especially for money, we have many family members and friends who have asked what they can do. So, if this is something you feel like you can/will support, please use the ‘Unite for the Cure’ button below and forward on to those you feel would be interested in this cause. Regardless of your ability or desire to donate, we are so incredibly grateful for the thoughts, prayers and kindness of all those with whom we have come in contact.

With much gratitude,

Chad and Cherisse Lunt

www.chadncherissefamily.blogspot.com

* To donate, please click on the "Unite for the cure" button below and then click the "Donate Now" Button. Read Instructions on that page and then click the "Click to Donate Now" Button. Make sure to put Lucy's name in the message box so that we can keep track of our goal.

Grateful Sunday

1. I am grateful that Lucy has withstood any sickness so far, a miracle, especially with two other 'carrier monkies' in our home.

2. I am grateful to all of you (family, friends, and strangers) who have prayed for Lucy, I know that Lucy's strength is because of the faith and prayers of so many.

3. I am grateful that Lucy is so happy and content.

4. I am grateful that we were able to make it to my siblings weddings. Watching their Temple Sealing increased my testimony of our Savior and of the Plan of Salvation, which is such a source of peace for me.

5. I am grateful that my mom is able to stay with us for the month. She is so helpful and fun. She had a hip replacement the week that Lucy had surgery and she was able to go on a bike ride and swimming yesterday.

6. I am grateful that my husband is so thoughtful and always willing to help with the kids and with household chores.

7. I am grateful for our kids, they really put things into perspective.

Going Green

Since Chad won't let me take a picture of him riding his bike (I can't wake up early enough), so this picture of his sweaty clothes hanging on his bike will have to do.

Chad has been riding 14 miles to work and 14 miles home.

When he gets home, he is really sweaty.

I admit that I am impressed.

The other day on his way to work, he rolled a stop sign in a residential neighborhood.

You may have guessed this, but he was pulled over, on his bike!

We have yet to find out what the damage is.

Ugh.

Jocey's First Day

Ever since Dallin started preschool last year, Jocey has begged to go. I told her, "you need to finish learning all of your letters and learn to write your name before you start preschool". She worked on it all day and had them both mastered by the next (she had already been learning her abc's). I then had to start explaining to her that I wasn't ready for her to go to preschool and that she could go next year and I needed someone to help me with baby Lucy. Well, that year has come. The class she goes to has a lot of younger kids but the teachers assured me that there are plenty that are close in age to Jocey.

(8/27/09 with Grandma Smith's glasses)

I didn't get a picture of her on the first day. Pictured is Jocey after her second day of preschool. I told her that she could wear WHATEVER she wanted when she got home if I could pick out her outfit that she wore to school.

Have I mentioned how nice it is to be alone with my babe for 6 hours a week?

First Day

I think that I was a little more nervous than Dallin on his first day of school. The parents of Dallin's peers are working-class millionaires, they breed ivy league college grads and they are all 8+ years my senior... so I feel a little out of place. There are 700+ kids that go to his school, so dropping him off is a little wild - so I hear. Tomorrow will by my first day dropping him off and since I grounded him from his bike until Friday, we will have to push through the crowds.

When I picked him up on the first day, his first words were, "Where is Dad? I thought he was going to pick me up?" While walking to the car, a boy who we see at the park was telling Dallin good bye... "Bye Dallin Hallin!" Jocey quickly turned to him and yelled across the street, "Don't call my brother names!"

Day Two:

It is always hard to get information from Dallin about his day at school, it must be a boy thing because I have the same issue with Chad:). I looked in his bag and found this sheet of paper (below). I asked him what it was and he said that it was a drawing of the girls in his class getting 'destroyed'. Eek. I guess the girls were being 'mean' to his friend Malone. We also found out tonight that he had to sit in time out in class because he touched the computers when it wasn't time. At least he isn't 'the boy who sits in time-out all the time' (I hope).

Pictured above is the 'destruction'

Everyone I have talked to says his teacher, Miss van Tellingen, is the sweetest teacher. I really hope Dallin blossoms this year.

And We're Back!

We made it! The fourteen hour drive wasn't that bad, thanks to the kids for falling asleep at 7:00 p.m. and staying asleep until we arrived in Idaho at 3:00 a.m. Tangentially, I think that I made you all think that Chad wouldn't be driving us to Idaho. He was with us on our way there and on the way back, he was in D.C. during the week (he flew in and out of SLC) and he was able to make it to both weddings. We were greeted by excited grandparents who gave us their very own room to stay in! Later that day (or whenever we woke up) we got to see most of my siblings and their kids. Not long after, Melanie, Ryan and Kevin's family arrived.

Just a little rundown on our trip.

1. Who has Chad wrapped around their little finger?

Lucy

3. Who was stuck in traffic outside of Sacramento for 2 hours after 9:30 p.m.?

Us

2. Who got the biggest face from a bug bite?

Dallin

Who has the coolest cousins?

Dallin

Who makes friends so she can boss them around?

Jocey

See, she is something else. Thanks Katie for "liking Jocey soo much".

Who was everyone so excited to see?

Lucy

Who fly fished in the pond during Alisa's reception?

Chad

*Don't ask me about it, I'm too embarrassed:)

cousin Olivia

Who did most of the wedding planning/preparations?

Celeste, while 8 months pregnant.

(Johnny, Celeste's son)

Who has the sharpest teeth?

Beckham

This little guys is a ham and really cute too.

Who enjoyed the Idaho outdoors?

Me

*It was so refreshing to be in the country, so beautiful too.

Which of the Smith sister's is most "vogue-like"?

Alisa

(she finger curled her hair like they did in the 50's)

Who fell on the road and cut their lip and then got an infection on their cut?

Hailey

Who was mean and made comments like, "I don't think you look beautiful with that on your lip."

Jocey

(cousin Clarissa, Hailey, Jocey and Olivia)

Who had the barest bum?

Maddy

*she is sooo cute, she has so much personality for a little one.

We had such a great time. We already miss everyone but we are back in the grind with school started...posts on that coming soon!

Overheard

Sassy, Sweet and in Love

Sassy:

Jocey: I don't want to eat dinner.

Me: If you try it, I bet you'll like it.

Jocey: (with hands raised above her head with palms up almost yelling) Sometimes I like your dinners and sometimes I don't! This time, I don't like your dinner!!

Sweet:

Family Home Evening, it was Jocey's turn to bear her testimony. She "didn't want any help".

Jocey: I know that I am a Child of God. (A few seconds of thinking) I want Lucy to grow old. I want Lucy to stay here on earth so that we can be together. I want to go to the Temple to get married and I want a husband and kids.

In Love:

Jocey has a major crush on Angela's friend, Thomas. Just a few of the things she has said to him...

Thomas, I love you.

Thomas, I'm going to kiss you on the lips.

I like how Thomas's hair goes up like this.

Thomas is so handsome.

Thomas will you marry me?

Thomas says that his family calls girls like her 'bears'.

Looks like we have some taming to do before she gets any older!

Two Weddings

My sister, Alisa, is getting married for time and all eternity here this weekend and my brother, Ryan, is getting married for time and all eternity here, next weekend!

{insert picture of Ryan and Meagan here}

Besides the 14 hour drive, hauling a cart-full of machines all over, keeping germs away from Lucy, a little anxiety about being in the middle of nowhere/where Dr.'s don't know what SMA is (at my parents but my sister who is a Nurse Practitioner will be there), stressing about logistics, and Chad being in D.C. for the week, I am really excited. No, really, I am!

Friends

I was pretending that Cecy and Heather (solid pink skirt and orange jacket) were just going on vacation but since Heather befriended me on facebook and Cecy is commenting on my blog, that means that we haven't talked in person for a while:( Liz, Me, Cecy, Heather and Cassie were all in the Primary together and since Heather and Cecy were moving ... we were all released, so we had a little last get-together and talked for hours and ate a bowl of trifle (the best trifle I have ever eaten, Liz). It makes me sad to think about so I'll stop writing about it. Here are some pictures of our kids playing at EV. What will we do with our empty afternoons now??

Peek-A-Boo

Watching Lucy purposefully use her arms to play peek-a-boo makes me really really really happy. She also smeared her prunes from her bib on her eye, just incase you were wondering what that was.

I won a dress

off of this lovely blog a few weeks ago. I haven't won anything for a long time so it was really exciting, plus, it's Shabby Apple.

I found two new favorite games.

Maybe I am just behind a few years but Angela's friend brought these over the other night and I am addicted. I will be getting my own soon. If you have played these, what are your reviews?

I need less things to do and more eyes.

I have a feeling I'm going to be scrubbing long after he is done.

Overheard

When Chad came home from the Giants game the other night he told me how well behaved Dallin was. So the next morning...

Me: Dallin, I'm so happy, Dad was telling me how good you were at the game! He said that you watched the whole game, held on his pocket and walked all the way to the train station, sat good the whole ride home and you were so patient.

Jocey: (starting to sob) I wasn't vewy good at the game last night (wahh) I flirted with Daddy's friend (deep breath) the WHOLE TIME (wahh)!

Chad did mention that his friend was probably sick of sitting next to Jocey but he never mentioned flirting.

Gwendolyn's Parents

have done so much. They have started a petition and set a goal to get 100,000 signatures for PetitionToCureSMA.com to help END Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) the #1 genetic killer of young children. Here is the latest awareness video that they made. Watch for Lucy at the beginning and end.