TheRaceForGrace.com

Dear Grace Fans,
I have been out of touch for so long, I don’t know where to begin. We are coming off the heels of a very special Christmas for the Reddingtons. I pray that you all have a blessed New Year and I hope that my letter finds all of you in a state of peace and faith that despite the heartaches, trials and stresses of life, there is a great plan for us all. No doubt, there are times in life where it is hard to imagine a “great plan” evolving while we are drowning in sadness and chaos but I have come to believe it and feel it and trust it. I hope that you too can grow in this way and perhaps Grace and her life could be a small part of your journey.
I am still working full time. David is also working full time at night. This has been the busiest time I’ve ever experienced in my life yet I have a peace deep down that sustains me through the daily hustle. The peace comes from the trust in the greater plan and I have confidence that my family is journeying along the road that will lead us to that place in time where we will have peace not just in our hearts but also in our lives.
Our home has been permanently and beautifully Grace-proofed thanks to a tremendous secret fund- raiser organized without my knowledge and despite my forbidding threats to not have one. The fund raiser was called “A Safer Place for Grace” and some incredibly dedicated friends and HUGE fans of Grace were able to make our dream for a safer home a reality. We have struggled with a little girl who has incredible mobility and hand use but no cognitive control over her body. Living with Grace has been a very stressful and constant source of risk and danger for her and our family.
We are now living in a home that allows Grace to be independent and safe and I no longer have to wish away her mobility because I can’t manage it! A grant from the state I had been working on fell through in the spring and our hopes died along with it. David and I looked up and said, “Ok, God, if we have to stay in this house like this….” and that is when He took over and things started happening without our knowledge.
The happy ending is that we cleared and moved out of our house on November 30th and Woodmeister Master Builders (who donated $30,000 of the project cost) came in and completely changed our home from chaos and cramped to clutter-free, safe and graceful. It was absolutely the BEST Christmas gift for my whole family and especially Grace who can now live freely and safely in her home. THANK YOU to everyone involved!!! God always takes care of the Reddingtons.
Race for Grace Strollathon 2010 will be the fourth and finale! There is not much pie left in the slices of my life anymore. I cannot devote time that I don’t have so I will need your help to create the best, biggest and most successful Race for Grace EVER!! We have raised $362,000 in 3 years. I have no doubt that together, we can sail past $500,000. As long as Grace has Rett Syndrome, I will Race for Grace in my everyday life and the many little mini-events that happen all year long. The Race for Grace is not ending, but the big Strollathon event will be the last one. My children are very disappointed but there isn’t any possible way for me to keep it going without taking away important time from my family. It is set for Saturday May 29th, 2010. I hope that you will come, bring as many friends as you possibly can and help me and Grace get the word out one last time.
Grace continues to have her good days and bad days. She is in school full time and continuing to touch hearts and change lives whenever she encounters people. I wanted to be able to share some lessons I’ve learned from Grace in time for the New Year that is upon us. For 2010, I hope that you can incorporate some of Grace’s best advice into your own lives. She lives simply and experiences feelings in their purest form. When she’s happy, she’s happy. When she’s sad, she’s sad. Grace doesn’t incorporate bitterness, resentment, guilt, regret, or other complicated emotions into her experiences. She lives in part, the way we should all live…for the moment. As her mother and her voice, I once again have tried my hardest to get her message out to you. I hope you are inspired by her ways…

Grace’s Simple and Profound Lessons:
- Look directly into the eyes of everyone who comes before you
- Find something to love in everyone (yes, everyone!!)
- Cry when you are sad or in pain
- Laugh when you feel silly and enjoy a good giggle
- Scream when you are mad
- Don’t hold onto old hurts (either from years ago or moments ago)
- Don’t worry about the “what ifs”
- Be willing to approach new people
- Don’t be afraid of people who are different
- Everybody needs to be loved
- Eat slowly Savor good tastes (smack your lips if it’s really good)
- Smile when you snuggle in your cozy bed
- Be thankful for simple moments TV does nothing for you
- Fall asleep in someone’s arms
- Do a chocolate dance when you eat it
- Smile when you wake up
- Laugh out loud
- Hide and seek is fun (no matter how old you are)
- Touch the faces of those you love
- See the angels around you
- Remember that no matter how much it hurts inside or out, God is with you always.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Love,
Tara