Friday, July 31, 2009

A Christmas To Remember





Not many people get to have a parade just for them. Not many people get to celebrate Christmas in July. Texans NEVER get to have snow in July.... but Reagan got them all!!!! What a special weekend for such a special little girl! I just love this family and all they are doing for Reagan and the family. When Reagan ask her daddy recently when Christmas would be here, all he could say was.."soon, honey, soon". And that is just what happened, soon was July 25th and it was Christmas in Krum, TX. I am not even going to try to tell you about all of this, I am going to let some eye witnesses give you an accounting of this wonderful outpouring of love and care for Reagan and her family. I do want to say, this entire thing started with a simple request from her Dad to his homeowners association for permission to put up Christmas lights and decorations at their home for about a week so they could have Christmas for Reagan. Go to her caringbridge page, go back several days in the journal and you will find several entries that have links to photo's and also to the local news stations with video clips of their coverage of this awesome event. As I warned you before when I told you this post was coming.... get your box of kleenex out and ready!!!

The following is taken from an email from Memeow (Barbara) that I received last Friday, the day before the big parade. You can see how this event just really is beginning to blossom.

Mardecia, Reagan is a movie star! She has been on two television station several times on thursday and friday morning they are coming out saturday night to cover her again. There is a link on her site for channel 11 and channel 8 I'm sure Shawn will get on there eventually. ( WFAA Channel 8 Dallas tx) Shawn had an interview with Kidd Kradic this morning and I thought that was local radio station ( North Texas) but it must air all over the country. Thats good for pediatric cancer awareness. She is having dinner with Cody Lindley today, he is Hannah Montanna's boyfriend on her show. So much is happening right now we are a little overwhelmed but will be ready for another round I'm sure by Monday. Reagan is happy and doing pretty good and we are loving and enjoying her every minute. Talk to you soon.


The following is another email sent from Barbara on the morning of the parade. I am sharing these with you with permission from Barbara so you to can get an idea of all of the involvement and excitement that was going on all for Reagan and her family.

Mardecia,
Just wanted to let you know your Fed Ex box of packages arrived yesterday and while we were there Karissa opened it and placed all the gifts under the tree. All is going well for Reagans Parade tonight. People are coming from all over the state and fire trucks are coming from other communities. We live 55 minutes away and found out our town River Oaks is sending a fire truck.Shawn was interviewed on the Kidd KRADICK RADIO SHOW yesterday and they have recieved call and journal entries from all over the U.S. Some dog breeder brought Reagan a tiny minature yorkie puppy she named "Harley" they normaly sell for $1000., she went to the studio (Harley in tote) to spend time with Cody Lindley,(Hannah Montanna's boyfriend on her show, and he was on "Dancing with the Stars") He got in the floor and played with her and she thought he was really cool.She has been on every newscast on two channels since 5pm Thursday.Usually they just cover you one day but she's been on early morning ,noon,5pm,10pm and midnight.They are also coming out to cover everything tonight.I think thats great because it brings coverage and awareness to pediatric brain cancer which could generate donations to help find a cure. A man from Austin is coming up with a machine to produce snow and is donating this to the event.The cordinators were trying to raise $3000.to hire this done but he got word and he is coming to do it for free ! How great is that. Shawn and Karissa are a bit overwhelmed but I'm sure will post when they get time and give all the details. Just wanted to give you some inside details of the goings on around here . Tell everyone Hi at St. Jude and Thank You for all of the wonderfull things that you do for everyone. Barbara


As you are seeing, this simple request to put up decorations for their family to celebrate Christmas with Reagan... became an event the entire area became involved with and truly showed the Richard's family the love of a lifetime. As I sat and TRIED to read this email, all I could do was wipe the tears that were just pouring. This love that spread from MANY miles away and all came together in Krum, Texas is the most touching thing I have ever be a witness to. I am just so sad that I was not able to be there to celebrate this with them. One of our wonderful prayer warriors from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area was able to be there. Jon was able to go and he was so kind and wonderful to call me and let me listen to the band playing... we both just sat and cried. Jon was able to meet some of the family members and pass the well wishes from Team Believe on to the family.

He was so sweet and kind enough to write up something for you from his trip to Krum. He wanted to share this with all of you from a first hand perspective. The following is from Jon..

Good evening,

Last night I was blessed to get to go to Krum, Texas and witness one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I went to Reagan Richards Christmas in July parade. The parade was supposed to start about 8:00 pm but eventually started about 8:30. I got there a little after 7:00 pm and took the time to walk around the area and see what was happening. The parade participants gathered around an elementary school that was just a block from Reagan’s house.

I viewed the following: Two fire trucks of the long ladder type had their ladders extended and between the ladders---way up in the air was a banner that read “Merry Christmas Reagan”. This was not a homemade banner but was quite well done. The banner was right in front of her house. I choked up looking at it. There were 16 or 17 different cities that sent fire trucks for the parade from all over North Texas. At least 200 motor cycles as best I could count. Probably 50 or so horse units------big surprise horses in Texas. Also there were several floats with cheerleaders on them---all cheering for Reagan. Yards in the neighborhood decorated for Christmas---popcorn machine---snow cone machine---police units from all over the area and finally a snow blowing machine that a guy brought from I believe the Austin area. He actually blew the snow at the end of the parade. A good portion of the parade was after dark so as each fire truck or float passed, they were all decorated with Christmas lights. There were probably at least 2,000 people that turned out for the parade. We all parked across the highway in a pasture and walked across to the subdivision where her house is located. I failed to mention that the local high school band and choir was stationed on the corner singing and playing Christmas carols. (I choked up again.) The final participant that I must mention was a helicopter. The local air ambulance service is called Care Flight. I know we all have some form of that. Just before the parade started, here came a Care Flight helicopter----not just fire trucks and police cars but a helicopter. They buzzed the area a couple of times and then just hovered for several minutes------------all for Reagan.

Reagan came out before the parade started and her dad took her over to get some popcorn and a snow cone. She walked across the street holding his hand. Then she went back and took her “throne” a big stuffed recliner—to watch the parade. They also had a portable air conditioner to keep her cool---it was after all over 100 degrees Saturday evening.

It was in many ways the warmest Christmas ever in Texas. I have never felt so much love in one place for one person in my life. I was blessed to be there and I pray that God will provide a miracle for this family.

A young man many millennia ago asked the question “Am I my brothers keeper?” and God’s unspoken answer to all of us is ---YES.

Keep praying—keep the faith---hug your children. I love you all. Jon


My hope and desire is that each person sitting in an elected position that has the power to vote on spending for funding for research for CHILDHOOD CANCER will see the coverage from this event and I just pray that their hearts will be as touched by this act of love and kindness for a precious little girl that has no hope of a medical cure, only the prayer of a miracle from our Heavenly Father. Just think... with more research it might be possible to find a cure for the type of cancer that Reagan has. The cure rate is so very low for this type of cancer. Please pass this info and these sites along to your senators and congressmen and ask them why there is not more funding from our government for research to help find a cure... to help improve the stats for a cure rate.

You can also play a part in this by making a donation of ANY dollar amount to St Jude through TEAM BELIEVE. This can be done very simply and fast right here on this page. Simply go to the top left corner under the page title and click on Donate to St Jude This will take you directly to the St Jude webpage that has been set up by St Jude for Team Believe. Please take a few minutes and give whatever you can to help find a cure. Save these children.

Please keep praying for all of our kids that are still fighting their fight with childhood cancer. Pray a prayer of praise and give God the glory for those that are home tonight healed from their cancer. Pray that they remain cancer free all the days of their life, and that they will be a testimony for God's love and power all the days of their long lives.

BELIEVE PRAYER WORKS!!!!

3 comments:

  1. Wow, I have no words. Just speechless and tears are flowing. Wow.

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  2. This is the most amazing story!! What a beautiful blog set up to support all these children.

    I'm so touched.

    Saw your post and just had to stop by.

    Thanks so much!

    Another St. Jude family

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  3. Thanks soooooooooooo much for the inside scoop
    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 Our prayers are with Regan and her family. Glad it was such a special day!!!!!!!11 Her DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SMS

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