We are not alone

Lu arriving at her big night

Living our day to day life, most of the time, seems pretty normal with Lu.  Then I realize how it's not too normal at all.  It's hard to believe most of it when I think about it.  It's hard to believe our girl has her own blog, or that I even blog.  It's hard to believe that so many people care about our daughter and that you are reading this right now.  It's hard to believe she has over 12 doctors and several therapies a week.  It's hard to believe that our special bird has only been in our lives for 2 years and 5 months.  And it's so crazy to believe that she has a fundraiser in her honor.  A fundraiser that is so very successful and meaningful and fabulous!  Our little Lu, who knew?  There is so much planning that goes into The St. Lucia White Party and it can be a bit stressful, exhausting and even a little overwhelming.  But when the night comes, when this night came just over a week ago, I realize how lucky and blessed our family truly is.  And it truly seems unbelievable.

The hosts!
Elyse, Larua, Me, Megan & Kim

This year's St. Lucia White Party www.stluciawhiteparty.com was held at a beautiful downtown art gallery and the theme was Caribbean- street tacos, suckling pig, fresh cut fruit, tropical leaves, open bars, an awesome white cruiser bike raffle, wine pull, lucia t-shirts, over 17K in silent auction items, live music by the Low Flying Knobs, a DJ and a room full of friends and family all adorned in white on a fabulous night!  Midway through the party Jason and I shared information about the organization PKS Kids-what it means to us and other families and where the money raised goes.  Jason also created and showed a beautiful video (i will share later) and told a story about something our friend Megan said not long after Lu was born.   When Lucia was a month old and in the hospital getting ready for gtube surgery, Megan came to visit.  She saw Jason in the parking lot on her way up to see us. Jason and I were both scared to death of what might be with the surgery and what else they might find.   And Megan said this,  "You'll never have to do this alone".  Those were not just comforting words from Meg.  Those words have stood tall and true with our friends and family since Lubird has come into our lives.  I can't begin to say how much my friends have done for us-and on the night of the St. Lucia White Party it is apparent and beautiful. 

Wow.

Wine Draw! $20 a ticket x 80 donated bottles = $1600!

All set up for the night! Jason in a white tux testing out the food

Silent Auction-
Vacations, Peyton Manning signed jersey, Dom & more

See! there it is-the pig!

The St. Lucia White Party honoring our little Lucia Dawkins benefiting PKS Kids.  I love my friends that host.  I love each of them like a sister.  I love that each hostess, Elyse, Kim, Laura and Megan bring their own heart and personality and strength to the planning-it's a perfect mix!

We were treated this year to having another little girl there with PKS, 3 year old Kara Lynn from Rife, CO and her dad Bob came too!  Kara looks so similar to Little Lu that Lu's own grandpa wheeled Kara across the party mistaking Kara Lynn for Lu!  haha!
Thank you to everyone involved, everyone that donated, everyone that attended, including those friends that flew in-Ryan and Kara, Ken, Joe, Alex and my surprise visitor-Courtney!!!  The party has so far raised over $30K and counting!!! The money goes to PKS Kids for the family giving grant which helps kids with equipment that insurance may not cover, the PKS family and medical conference, and  research.  Thank you all for truly showing us that we are not alone.  We are surrounded by an incredible amount of friendship and love.  Thank you Megan for all you are and have done.  You are a beautiful person inside and out and one of the most giving persons I have ever known.

Otis and Meg-we love you!

As often as our lives seem hard to believe..having this little angel, seeing all the struggles that children with PKS face, I do believe that Lubird is the best thing that has ever happened to us.  Thank you mostly to our bird, our light, our Little Lu, with eyes so blue.

More proofs/pictures can be seen here from the volunteer photographer-password is pks http://www.ulissesoliveira.com/p404855672