A Good Life for Lucy

Hi Everyone, from Lucy and I! Thank you for visiting our GoFundMe page.

I want to start off by saying that I never thought I would find myself here. It is not like me to ask for peoples generosity. I am headstrong and fiercely independent. I would live on the street before I asked for help. I am ashamed and embarrassed to be here, but I will swallow my pride for the better of my daughters life.

Lucy is 5 months old. She is the sweetest baby in the world. I'm sure every parent says that about their child but if you knew her, you'd know I wasn't kidding. She is loving, curious, coy, and she's smiling constantly. I envy her bliss. My daughter is my entire life and I want to give her everything she deserves. Its not fair the things that she's already lost and won't ever have. It tortures me and hurts my heart.

I've never felt what it was like to lay in bed and stare into the dark; stressing over bills. It eats at you and even more so when you have someone that depends on you to survive.

I'm struggling to make ends meet. After baby necessities, rent, utilities, car payments and insurance, the rest goes towards paying off my debt. I have upwards of $8000 in debt from medical bills and lawyer fees. I am scared to death that I don't have money saved for Lucy's college education. I'm dreading when she will start eating real food, because I can't even buy groceries for myself. I'm terrified my car will break down at any time and I wont be able to go to work. I wonder if I'll be able to pay rent next month. I worry.. a lot.

I am alone and afraid and I need help.

Since Lucy's father decided that family life wasn't for him, I have received so much attention by friends and family and even strangers that want to tell me they are there for me. I can't tell you how much that means to me. Lucy has so much love around her it is overwhelming. So I just want to say THANK YOU for that and even just sharing my story would help.

I want to give my daughter everything I didn't have growing up. I had hoped for a stable home and a perfect family. Things got shaken up and I was left to do this on my own. Its hard, and its taken a tole on my own emotional well being. I can fake being "fine", especially for my daughter, but I can't fake not being able to raise her comfortably.

I am well aware that there are people worse off, and that everyone is struggling. My intention is not to make you believe that those people don't need your help, if not more. Everyone needs help sometimes, and I've come to see that in those moments, all you have to do is ask.

My goal is pay off my debt. Have an emergency fund. Live somewhere safe. Most importantly to save for Lucy's future. I'm looking into part time work for some extra income but it's very difficult to find something that would allow me to spend time with my growing (rapidly) daughter.

Someone told me not to put this page up- that it was like I was giving up -that many single mothers struggle. I have considered this a great deal. I've decided that I am not giving up. I am fighting. I'm doing everything in my power to save money in the little ways I can and to be thrifty. But, there is still that desperate need..that place in the back of my mind haunting me that everything is not alright and it's not going to be for a very long time.
I'm not asking for help because I am weak, I am asking for help to remain strong; to raise Lucy in a happier world. I hope to get there by the time she starts making memories because God knows I never want her to remember this time in our lives.

God bless you for any donations or kind words.

All of our love,
Katie and Lucy