History

Sunday, April 8, 2012 12:59 AM CDT

Happy Easter! Every Easter we think of this incredible moment when Jace joined us in praise band. This was Easter 2008 ~ his last Easter with us. We can't wait until the day we can all play together again.

Monday, February 13, 2012 8:29 PM CST

This Sunday will mark what would have been Jace’s 13th birthday. I didn’t occur to me until I started writing this that he would have officially been a teenager this year. As difficult as it is to comprehend that he would have been a teenager this year, it’s even more difficult trying to imagine what Jace would have been LIKE as a teen.

Those of you who knew Jace knew that he was not one to hold back any thought that was in his mind. Jace inherited from his father that innate leadership ability necessary to take complete control of the remote control, radio station in the car, choice of restaurants…essentially any activity undertaken by the family. Not remotely inherited, however, was his most remarkable trait, that of not caring what others thought about his likes (the Wiggles, being the oldest kid checking out the newest toys in the Fisher-Price aisle at Wal-Mart, expressing his love of music and theater through dance…you get the picture.) I’ve lived my entire life in mortal fear of what others think of everything I’ve ever done and I always admired Jace for his fearlessness…a trait perhaps borne of coping with a life-threatening illness for well over half his life.

I can’t help but think that these traits (self-serving leadership and a complete lack of inhibition) would have translated into a rather rebellious teenager who would have butted heads like a nasally-voiced alpine ram with his equally-obstinate mother. Unfortunately, we won’t ever know the teenage Jacer but I smile at the thought of Jesus having to yell the following phrases down the hall to Jace towards Jace’s room up in Heaven:

1. “TURN DOWN THAT WIGGLES MUSIC!!!”
2. “There are OTHER people on this cloud that don’t want to watch Spongebob for all eternity!”
3. “No, you cannot wear your North Mahaska T-shirt to church today!!!”
4. “St. Peter tells me he’s tired of hearing you snicker every time someone says his name.”
5. “No, you can’t have the chariot this Saturday night.”

Okay, I know it’s probably not exactly like this in Heaven, but it’s fun to think about Jacer stirring things up in Heaven the way he always seemed to do down here.

Happy 13th Birthday, Little Buddy. We miss you more today than yesterday…but not as much as tomorrow.

Thank you for checking in…
Travis

Friday, August 19, 2011 5:16 PM CDT

Three years ago today, our world forever changed. We have learned how to move forward, however there is not a day that goes by that Jace isn't on our minds. He will always be our son and brother. We miss everything about him. Thankfully, we talk about him all the time. I am also thankful to have a few people in our lives that will still speak his name and share stories. I am so thankful that they have the courage to do that for us.

Jenna is finishing her week at Sibling Camp in Boone. She has been attending this camp since she was eight. I am so thankful that she has this support group. Thank you Heart Connection!

When she returns, Jenna will be starting her sophomore year. We have rented our house out in Ankeny, so we are all living full-time in New Sharon. Travis is still teaching at DMACC and I am teaching vocal music part-time in New Sharon. Jenna is enjoying being a "warhawk" again. She is playing volleyball and loves anything that has to do with music. She especially enjoys playing the alto sax with our jazz band.

We have had many changes in the last three years and continue to press on.
Thanks for stopping by.
Blessings ~ Tara

Saturday, February 19, 2011 10:20 AM CST

Happy 12th Birthday Jace!

We love you forever..........and think of you daily!

Those chubby cheeks and those big brown eyes, that cackle of a laugh and that temper :-), your strong faith in Jesus and your love for music - we can't wait to be with you again someday.

Happy Birthday Little Buddy! We love you ~ Mommy, Daddy, and Sissy

P.S. This morning I found this picture that Travis had edited on Jace's last birthday. We had hung it on his door, so it would be the first thing he saw that morning. You always knew when something was really funny to him........ he gave it the knee slap and said, "Oh man... that's funny."

Friday, December 17, 2010 7:50 AM CST

Seven years ago today this journey began. I can remember every feeling from that day... and sadly, we would experience more of those raw emotions throughout those years. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We were blessed to "live in the moment" and to see the incredible kindness of people since 2003. I am so proud of my son and the life he lived... and so sad that he is now not here.

December will always be a month of emotions for us. Christmas morning 2003, Jace had to have a second brain surgery. I will never forget the kindness of those at the Mayo Clinic on that morning. No mention of "Merry Christmas" - they knew how painful this all was for us. We will never forget.

Thank you for continuing to check on us. Jenna is now back at North Mahaska School and is loving life again. We are living between two places: New Sharon and Ankeny and trying to figure out our next step. So much going on and yet we have so much to be thankful for.

God Bless you all,
Tara, Travis, Jenna and our Angel Jace

I'd like to end with a couple quotes that have meant a lot to me. One from Elizabeth Edwards and the other, from the Compassionate Friends. They both touched me greatly.

If you know someone who has lost a child, and you're afraid to
mention them because you think you might make them sad by reminding them
that they died--you're not reminding them. They didn't forget they
died. What you're reminding them of is that you remembered that they
lived, and that is a great gift. ~ Elizabeth Edwards

You don't get over it, you just get through it.
You don't get by it, because you can't get around it.
It doesn't 'get better'; it just gets different.

Everyday Grief puts on a new face . . .
~Wendy Feireisen

Saturday, August 21, 2010 5:35 PM CDT

Two years ago, I did the hardest thing I've ever had to do....say goodbye to my sweet boy. He is in our thoughts each and every day and is very much a part of our family. We love to hear his name and talk about him and all the great moments we had together. At times, it feels like forever and at other times it feels like just yesterday.
We miss him so much and there is definitely a part of "us" that will always be missing. We cannot wait until the day that we are all together as a family again.

Thank you for those that still stop by and pray for us. Believe me, we need it - we have a lot going on in our life right now.

Thanks again for your support and for loving our son.

Travis, Tara, and Jenna

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 8:46 PM CDT

Thanks for stopping by Jace's page. We are doing well. Change is always hard, however things are going okay. Jenna is getting along fine and trying to adjust to this new life. She still spend the majority of her weekends in New Sharon. I am trying to figure out my next career move and Travis is staying busy with work. We still miss our little guy more than ever. I have found that when the seasons change grief comes on a little bit more.

If you have followed Jace's page for awhile you know that he LOVED to swim at the New Sharon pool. We never missed the opening day of the pool and spent countless hours there in the summer. The pool will open next week and that day will always be a little hard each year. So, if you are heading to the pool. Smile and think of our little guy....

We awarded the second Jace Carrico Memorial Scholarship to Airianne Livezey this year. Airianne is very deserving of this award and has plans to become a child life specialist. I know that Jace will be with her as she starts this journey. He LOVED the child life staff at Blank. Fun times and memories....

Also, the Second Annual Jace Race will be held again on June 12th. We will still be a part of it, however we have given duties over to the North Mahaska Education Foundation. Our goal was to help the students of North Mahaska and this is exactly what this organization will do with the money raised.

Please go to the school website for registration forms and more information. Here is the link: North Mahaska School Page. The information is towards the bottom of the page.

Thanks again for your prayers as we continue on this journey. Tara and family

Sunday, March 14, 2010 5:50 PM CDT

We are now in our house and Jenna has made it through her first two weeks at her new school. She is doing well, however I know that she misses her NM friends a bunch. She has said that the kids in Ankeny are very nice - it is just so big and different.

Jacer has been on our hearts a lot throughout this move. He has his own room in our house where we can go and look at all of those "things" that were so special to him and us. It has been healing and yet painful to go through his belongings during this time. We know how much he would have loved his room and the house. We miss him still so much and can't wait until we are together as family again.

Thanks for the prayers and the support during this transition. Please check the Team JAB page - childhood cancer needs your help. Love, The Carrico's

A CureSearch Walk will be held on May 1st at Blank Park Zoo - the money raised will go directly to childhood cancer. Better treatment options (and most of all a cure) need to be found - so that EVERY child celebrates their birthday with their family. Team JAB has been formed to raise money for this event. Team JAB consist of three special angels that fought childhood cancer...Jace, Alec, and Brant. Join our team, support this cause, and help us get closer to a cure!

Team JAB

Friday, February 19, 2010 6:29 AM CST

Eleven years ago this morning, Jace came into this world. We are glad that we were chosen to be his parents and sister; he taught us so much and forever changed our lives. This is a day full of emotions - happiness for his birth and remembering past birthdays.... and also sadness that he is not physically here with us today to celebrate. We can't wait for the day when we will all be together again.

Happy Birthday Jace! We miss and love you so much!

A CureSearch Walk will be held on May 1st at Blank Park Zoo - the money raised will go directly to childhood cancer. Better treatment options (and most of all a cure) need to be found - so that EVERY child celebrates their birthday with their family. Team JAB has been formed to raise money for this event. Team JAB consist of three special angels that fought childhood cancer...Jace, Alec, and Brant. Join our team, support this cause, and help us get closer to a cure!

Team JAB

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 9:32 PM CST

It is hard to believe that we started this webpage six years ago on December 17th, 2003. The events from that day will always be with me... and the days leading up to that day. I am sad for the ending to our story. I am sad that Jace never got to grow up and experience this life. I am sad that we aren't wrapping his presents and preparing for Santa. I am sad that he was never the drummer in the band or a part of the Christmas concert at school. I am sad that he never met his wife or held his child. The list could go on and on.

However, I am proud of how he lived and how his life touched so many people. He was so full of life. An "old soul" in a little body.

Jace was chosen for us....and I am proud that we are his parents.
We love and miss you Jace!

Cherish every moment

If before you were born, I could have gone to Heaven and saw all the beautiful souls, I still would have chosen you.

If God had told me, "this soul will one day need extra care and needs", I still would have chosen you...

If He had told me, "that one day this soul may make my heart bleed", I still would have chosen you...

If He had told me, "this soul would make me question the depth of my faith", I still would have chosen you...

If He had told me, "this soul would make tears flow from my eyes that would overflow a river", I still would have chosen you...

If He had told me, "our time spent together here on earth could be short", I still would have chosen you...

If He had told me, "this soul may one day make me witness overbearing suffering", I still would have chosen you...

If He had told me, "all that you know to be normal would drastically change", I still would have chosen you...

Of course, even though I would have chosen you, I know it was God who chose me for you...

Thank you God...

Sunday, November 29, 2009 4:13 PM CST

One of the hardest moments for me during this grief journey is when I realized that I will NEVER have another new picture of Jace. Taking pictures was always a passion of mine and I am so thankful that I took so many pictures during Jace's life. However, it doesn't take away from the fact that there will never be another 'new' one. In fact, I have only picked up my camera a number of times since August 2008. It is just too painful and has a special 'connection' to Jace for me. I could write a book on those 'little things' that can bring you to your knees when you lose a child. Those 'things' or places that bring so much pain - like the camera. A very unexpected feeling...

When we were moving, I was surprised to find two underwater cameras at the back of a drawer. It was so bittersweet to have them developed. A true gift from Jace at a very hard time. Jacer is so happy in all of them and I am thankful for that. Enjoy some of those memories....

This was July 2008 and he was having so much fun at the Pella Waterpark. I can remember him floating down the lazy river on his tube and yelling, "This is AWESOME!"

Photobucket
One of his favorite people in the world - his sissy!

Love and Hugs,
Travis, Tara, Jenna and our sweet Angel, Jace

Saturday, October 24, 2009 7:53 AM CDT

Good Morning,

I'm always unsure if anyone stops by anymore, however I am so thankful for those that do. I still daily check the guestbook; I think it's a hard habit to break. Often, I read those words for support to get through the day – thank you!

We are busy with a new school year. I am teaching 5-12 Vocal and all the computer classes. It has made for an interesting and very busy year. However, I have a great choir this year. Jenna is busy with school activities and still loves to babysit in her free time. Travis is driving back and forth to Ankeny teaching Mortuary Science. And... I'm sure Jace is singing and praising Jesus all day long – and hopefully playing his DS.

We do have some big news for those of you that have not heard. We have decided to move up towards the Ankeny area at the end of the school year. It has been an emotional decision, but one that just makes sense with Travis' job.

When we moved here in 1997, I assumed we would be here forever. I thought we would own the funeral home, raise our healthy kids here, and I would be the vocal teacher that would never leave. :~) That was "my plan" – God had a different plan. We must trust Him.

We have told people early because we wanted to get our house on the market. Well, our house has sold and we will be moving in the next couple of weeks. We have decided to move to my parents basement until the Spring. At that time, we will find a house in Ankeny and hopefully, be settled by the end of the school year. We would have never made this decision if Jenna wasn't okay with it. She was very open to the idea and is a little excited for the new adventure.

Of course, it is strange (and sad) to move from a house that we last shared with Jace. However, Jace only lived here for 5 months and most of our memories of Jace here are associated with our "loss." We bought this house knowing what has ahead of us…..we just assumed that Jace would live here longer. When I drive straight down our street, I pass the "home" where we were such a happy family for ten years. A place that holds beautiful memories of our time together as a family of four. A place now that is painful to drive by and remember the "life we had." I know that someday we will smile more at those memories than feel sadness. Another reason to move forward...

We will always have a special place in our hearts for New Sharon – a great place to live. We often hear that Jace taught people so much, however the people of New Sharon taught us many valuable lessons in life, too. Those are lessons that I hope we can take with us and use to help others.

The next few months are always a little bit harder. I often wonder what Jace would be for Halloween or what he would want for Christmas. I wonder daily (and sometimes hourly) about him…. They describe the death of a child like a scab that never heals. It is always there – you learn to deal with it – but the "wound" is always there.

Your prayers are appreciated as we go down this new journey. I doubt that I will update for awhile. Thanks for stopping by and most of all, your prayers.

This is hard but we know that Jace will be with us – wherever we go.

Sunday, September 6, 2009 12:26 AM CDT

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.... and the 12th is Awareness Day. We are doing some home improvements and while cleaning I found a couple notes that Jacer left for us. I thought they would be perfect for this month. He wrote these notes before we headed to Colorado - he left them on the table for any intruders we might have. :-) He passed away two weeks after that....he must have understood more then he let on. Childhood cancer needs funding, so that nine year olds don't have to draw pictures like this and families don't have to feel this pain - go to www.curesearch.com for more info.

"Out of the mouths of babes"..... miss you baby!

Saturday, August 22, 2009 2:45 PM CDT

Thank you to our friend, K.B. for putting together these two videos of the Jace Race and the playground dedication. I know he also had some help from Shannon who was shooting the footage that day - thank you, too! We are happy to have it and to be able to share it with others. What a great day!

Also, thank you for your guestbook entries, calls, texts, cards, and emails on the 19th. We are blessed to have your support.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 7:44 AM CDT

One year ago today, Jace passed away at 7:30 P.M. The pain I felt that day was suffocating....words are inadequate to explain the feelings I experienced at that time. The loss of hope for an earthly healing, the sadness that Jace would never grow old with me, and the pain of holding him one last time. Giving him over to the Lord.... Sometimes, that same feeling can come over me - the journey with grief is unpredictable.

I am so happy that God chose me to be Jacer's mom. We had so many, many good times together as a family. We miss him so much ... his laugh, his "attitude" and especially the way he loved to cuddle. I would give anything to have one last cuddle time.

I will never understand why Jace was called "home" so soon, but I do believe that today he is enjoying an incredible life in Heaven. Someday we will all be together again.

Thank you for remembering Jace today and for your prayers and support.

The Carrico's

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 10:59 PM CDT

**The picture above is from the Omaha zoo one year ago.**

Last year at this time, we were on the road to Colorado. We knew in our hearts what was ahead of us and wanted to enjoy one last trip together before Jace's condition became worse. We would have never imagined that the 19th would be the last time we held him and heard his voice.

I'm unsure what type of emotions the 19th will bring. We miss him every day and and the events of the 'day' are still too vivid for all of us. Honestly, I'd like to sleep right through that day. I've heard from many bereaved parents that the second year is the worst,so we know that this will be a long journey. We will never get over "it".... we just have to try and live our life without him. Some days are much easier than others.

Thanks for the extra prayers and keep all of the children in your prayers tonight.

The Carrico's

P.S. There is a group of parents that are selling shirts for National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day which falls on Sept. 12th. Some might also be aware that this is the day of the Iowa/Iowa State game. They have designed a cool shirt which you could wear the day of the big game, too. Check them out at this website: beatcancertoday.org
Proceeds will go to Curesearch

Ending with fun family times from one year ago.....Miss you buddy!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 7:23 PM CDT

Thanks for stopping by and checking on our family. It's hard to believe that it has been a little over a month since I updated this site. It is hard to describe how different this summer has been. Jace liked to 'do things' and we were always busy having fun together. This summer has been very quiet and very lonely. Jenna has been busy with her friends and summer activities and Travis has been busy working and going through classes himself. I am ready for a routine again.

I decided to take up biking this summer in hopes of staying busy with a hobby and possibly losing all the weight I gained over the last six years. I wish I could report it has worked. I now have Bigger legs - not really the plan I intended. :-) Tomorrow, I will be going on the last three days of RAGBRAI with my friends, Amber and Jessie (who always had a special place in Jace's heart!) My friend, Jaci will be following us in the "Sagging Wagon!" Appropriate name....

I remember last year telling Jace that I wanted to ride on RAGBRAI. He asked me what it was and I told him all about it. His response, "Well, that's dumb - why would anyone want to do that???"
Man, I miss that little stinker.... (could easily use a different word that also starts with "s" :-)

Here are a few "little" pictures that Jenna has created. We all miss him so much and it is hard to believe that we have survived a year without him physically with us. I wish I could report that it is better - however, it still stinks!

Keep the prayers coming as we head into August and for all the other kids that are still battling this disease.

Tara, Travis, Jenna and our Angel Jace

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 7:23 PM CDT

Thanks for stopping by and checking on our family. It's hard to believe that it has been a little over a month since I updated this site. The summer is going okay. It is hard to describe how different this summer has been. Jace liked to 'do things' and we were always busy having fun together. This year has been very quiet and very lonely. Jenna has been busy with her friends and summer activities and Travis has been busy working and going through classes himself. I am ready for a routine again.

I decided to take up biking this summer in hopes of staying busy with a hobby and possibly losing all the weight I gained over the last six years. I wish I could report it has worked. I now have Bigger legs - not really the plan I intended. :-) Tomorrow, I will be going on the last three days of RAGBRAI with my friend, Amber (who always had a special place in Jace's heart!) and my friend, Jaci will be following us in the "Sagging Wagon!" Appropriate name....

I remember last year telling Jace that I wanted to ride on RAGBRAI. He asked me what it was and I told him all about it. His response, "Well, that's dumb - why would anyone want to do that???"
Man, I miss that little stinker.... (could easily use a different word that also starts with "s" :-)

Here are a few "little" pictures that Jenna has created. We all miss him so much and it is hard to believe that we have survived a year without him physically with us. I wish I could report that it is better - however, it still stinks!

Friday, June 19, 2009 12:25 AM CDT

Happy 13th Birthday Jenna!! It's hard to believe that she is 13 today. Of course, with any "first", I know she is missing her brother today. We went and spent some time together at the cemetery. She prayed that he would send her a 'birthday sign.'

The Race was incredible - shirts are still available so please let me know if you are interested in one. We ended up having around 440 people the day of the race. Best of all, the rain stayed away. Thank you to everyone that was a part of our day.

After the race, we dedicated Jace's playground. I'm including a few pictures.

Here are the words that Travis shared at the dedication. They were beautiful....

I would like to thank everyone for coming today to join us in dedicating this playground built in memory of Jace to the glory of God. Our journey over the past 5 ½ years has been shared by so many people and I can’t imagine having to have gone through it all without the support of this community. It was for this reason that Tara & I wanted to give something back to New Sharon that could be enjoyed by everyone, especially the children, and that would stand as a testament to our son and his special feelings for this little town.
This playground may not have all the bells and whistles that many of the new playgrounds do nowadays and it’s certainly not as big or as flashy. There are other playgrounds here in New Sharon that are very nice and, if judged by their outward appearances, may look “better” than this one. But this one is special. To me, it represents everything that was Jace. Just as this playground is special and different from the others here in town, so was Jace different than other kids, not to mention special. He couldn’t run fast like the other boys or ride the cool bikes and scooters that others could; I guess you could even say he wasn’t as “big and flashy” as other boys his age. But, given the trials he endured over the course of five years, he was certainly special and stood out among his peers for reasons other than the attributes so highly-prized by this world.
His uniqueness is reflected in the different parts of this playground. For example, his love of performing is reflected in the theater window under the canopy; his love of “neat” things like tree houses is reflected in the jungle canopy roof, and even his love of all things “Spongebob” is indirectly reflected in the large undersea creature that is the centerpiece of this playground. Incidentally, I think Jace would have really enjoyed drawing this playground and would’ve had taken extra time to make sure he included every detail in his work.
Finally, on behalf of Tara and Jenna, I would like to offer our sincere thanks to everyone for your love and support as we’ve rejoiced in the highs and suffered through the lows of life since December 17th, 2003. It is your love of Jace, concern for his family and your unimaginable generosity that has made this special place a tribute to a special boy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 5:37 PM CDT

**** If you are interested in a Jace Race shirt, please email me with shirt information. We have Youth XS - Adult XL. Shirts are $12 and all money will go to The Jace Foundation. Please add $2 to the final amount for shipping. ****

Two updates in a week... We were blessed with beautiful weather on Saturday for Jace's playground construction. We had a lot of great help, however it did take the entire day. Thank you to those that gave up their entire Saturday. The pool ended up opening on Sunday instead of Saturday, which was a blessing. We will dedicate the playground on June 13th at 11:30. This will be shortly after the Jace Race. The dedication will be short but we thought it would be nice to have something. Travis picked up the bronze plaque and it is amazing.

I took a break from race planning today and created a short slideshow of our Colorado trip in August. I sometimes wonder if we should have went.....would life have been different if we would have started radiation a week earlier and skipped the trip? After watching this, I realized that we did the right thing. We had an amazing trip with Jace and had so much fun together. The song on the slideshow was one of his favorites and was sang at the cemetery as the balloons were being released. I've also added a clip of him talking (or yelling :-)in the middle of the show. He was so excited... as I listened I wondered if that is what he said two short weeks later when he went to Heaven.

Miss you buddy....

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 3:41 PM CDT

On to business....

Lyndsay Morris was the recipient of the Jace L. Carrico Memorial Scholarship. We were honored to give her this award - she is a beautiful young lady that Jace adored. She will begin her nursing classes in the fall at Indian Hills. Way to go Lyndsay!

The Jace Race will take place on June 13th at 9:00 A.M. If you are interested, please visit The Jace Foundation to download a registration form. At this time, we are getting close to 300 signed up. Our goal was 75, so we are more than excited and overwhelmed. We'd love to have you still....

We are also installing Jace's playground on Saturday starting at 8:00 A.M. I will add pictures soon so that you can see it completed. The dedication will be sometime during Spring Festival weekend. I will post that information when we finalize our plans.
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Now on to my ramblings.... I have found that I miss coming to this page and venting or sharing about our lives. However, it seems wrong to come here and not share about Jace - the whole reason this page was created. The last month has been an emotional roller coaster for all of us. Although, we are doing great things in Jace's name, honestly I would rather be planning our summer activities right now. I would rather be saving for his college tuition than giving away a scholarship in his memory. I would rather be planning a trip to his favorite playground than installing a park in his memory. Yeah....you get the point. The scholarship, the race, the playground have kept us busy and we are so happy to be able to give back to our community and the kids of New Sharon. The reality of "why" we are doing all of this has been hard to accept lately.

Today was the last day of school. Jace loved the last day of school :-) He was a very emotional kid. So when something was exciting to him - you felt it. (You also felt it when something made him mad or sad.) We missed that excitement this morning and felt a sadness most of the day. The strangest "last day of school" I have ever experienced. I'm usually just as excited as the kids.

A HUGE holiday is coming up for us. It's not your typical holiday and you won't find it on the calendar, but to all of the kids here in New Sharon it is a day that they look forward to all year - "The opening of the pool" If you've followed our page long enough you will know how much Jace loved the pool. It was a place where he could play like everyone else. He loved pretending, jumping off the board, and most of all break time when he could buy his sour gummy worms. I don't think we ever missed the opening day of the pool. When he was really sick we would have him imagine the sunny days at the pool and he said it made him feel better. The pool was supposed to open last weekend, but because of a drain problem they had to postpone the opening day. It is now set for this weekend. How ironic that this is the same day that we will be building Jace's playground...... right beside the pool.

The above picture is from the opening day of the pool last year. This picture will be placed on a plaque at the playground.

Thanks for supporting the race, the playground, and our family with your prayers. We could never do this without all of you.

Friday, May 8, 2009 4:23 PM CDT

If you are interested in the Jace Race please go to The Jace Foundation to download a registration form. We could also send you a registration form - just send an email with your address. Can't be here with us - be a phantom runner and we'll send you a shirt.

Thanks for your support - Tara

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 4:32 PM CDT

Good afternoon,
Spring is Here! I have found that the nice weather brings a new round of sadness. Spring means "new life"...and it has been hard to go through this season without our little guy. He couldn't stand the cold, but he loved this weather and my heart aches every time I drive by the kids at recess or the boys playing ball.....sigh. I'm sure Heaven is full of sunshine and lots of play time. :-)

The playground will be going up on Saturday, May 30th. We are excited and we will have a dedication some time during the Spring Festival Weekend. Travis needs to line up between 15-20 workers. If you are interested, please email us at carrico4@mchsi.com and we will put you on the list. It sounds like it will be a busy day.

On to more news.....the Jace Race! The 5K and 1 mile fun run/walk will be held at 9:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 13th. We have had a few obstacles, however we are planning on a successful day. It has been challenging to find a route here in our little cute town, but we think we have found one. For those serious runners: this is not certified race, but just a fun time to get together and support the foundation. It is also our towns Spring Festival, so there will be plenty to do on the square, too. Of course, if you are not a runner or walker, there are others ways you can participate. Be a phantom runner or donate in memory of someone and a sign will be posted on the route.

For those that live in New Sharon, we have registration forms going in the mail tomorrow. However, you can always download a registration form from our new website The Jace Foundation. If you would like one in "color", feel free to email us and we will send you one in the mail. We would love to have you join us for the day.

Here is the logo that one of my students helped us create for the shirts and banner. The silhouette is Jace when he was running at Brant's Race in 2007. It was the 50 yard dash and to be honest, I really didn't want him to do it. He was on chemo at the time and he had always struggled with running. I knew that he would be last and I tried to talk him out of it. However, he was determined to do it. I remember how focused he was and how he didn't care that all the other boys had finished way before him. He was just excited that he had done it. When he finished he yelled, "Woo...Hoo..." with his hands in the air It was one of the many lessons that he taught me. No matter what....press on and don't be discouraged. We hope to see you on the 13th!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009 6:23 PM CDT

These are Travis' words last year at this time.... every Easter we will think of this special moment that we had with Jace and be thankful that we had it.

...."just a quick post this glorious Easter morning to share a special moment with all of you. Jace made his public debut behind a drum kit this morning at church. I can't tell you what an overwhelming feeling of pride and joy being on the same stage with my son playing music to glorify God! Tara is playing the keyboard, I'm playing bass guitar and we're doing a song called "Jesus Is Alive" by Ron Kenoly. It was hard for Tara & I to concentrate on the music with our little guy playing drums for the first time."

Always with us....

Monday, March 23, 2009 3:36 PM CDT

Thanks for stopping by Jace's site. We have been busy preparing for the playground and for the first annual "Jace Race" that will be held on June 13th, the morning of Spring Festival. We are hopeful that we will be able to dedicate the playground on June 12th. It will be a busy weekend...playground dedication, Jace Race, and Travis' band (The Mangini Brothers)will be playing for the street dance that night.

On to other news, we have started the paperwork and are setting up a non-profit organization called, "The Jace Foundation". More details will come later on this... however, it will help many NM children in the future and hopefully help those in the hospital with Jace's love of music. We are still sorting out all the details.

Here is a picture of the playground. I'm not sure if we will have enough money to include the benches and picnic tables at this time. We will be adding landscaping, a tree, and a rock with bronze plaque telling Jace's story. (I have to say that we were completely surprised when we started planning this playground - we had no idea how much they really cost. I now look at playgrounds and REALLY appreciate them.) Thank you to everyone that has donated to this project already.

Race details will come soon. Keep in mind this will be a 5K and mile walk/run. We want this to be a family event - you don't need to run the entire thing (or any of it.)

Here's a little sign from Jacer that happened a couple months ago. I thought you might enjoy:

A couple months ago, I was looking through my bookcase at my old books. I came across the devotional called "Hope" by Nancy Guthrie (love her!) When I took it out I could tell there was a paper in it. I found this card that Jace had wrote to me for my birthday. It said "with you" on the outside of it. It was bookmarked on the chapter "Angels"....week 25. (25 is my favorite number) On the inside he had wrote I ♥ U.

Always missing him and forever a part of us ♥

Monday, March 2, 2009 7:11 PM CST

I wanted to share with you a special bronze plaque that was placed in our high school. Thank you to everyone that helped put this together. The saying is perfect for Jace.
Every day when I walk into the school - I look right at this. What a great way to start my morning.
(My apologies for the quality of the picture - my camera and I were having problems.)

Thursday, February 19, 2009 6:46 AM CST

Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday dear Jacer
Happy Birthday to You!

We love you and miss you Little Buddy. Happy 10th Birthday in Heaven!

This clip was taken on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008. We had KB over for a party to celebrate, um....August, I guess. Jace just felt like having a party, so we did. One week later he was taken from us...one week.

Tara & I couldn't help but notice the poignant moment at the end when Tara says, "Don't blow it out yet." ...and he paused, if only for a week.

Happy Birthday, Little Franky! We love you!!!

Thursday, February 12, 2009 6:56 AM CST

One year ago today, Dr. Wetmore gave us the news that no parents ever wants to hear. It was one of the most heartbreaking moments I have ever felt; I can actually compare it to his passing. The pain was raw, however it helped that Jace was there with me and I could still hold him. I rank it as the second worst day in my life.

I often hear from people that we were "lucky" that we got to live in the moment and say goodbye to Jace. However, it was so hard to look at him every day and know what was ahead of us. I'm not sure if we were "lucky" or not - would the other way been easier? I'm pretty sure both ways stink - I do feel blessed that we got to have all of those moments together. We never gave up the hope of a miracle, but sadly we knew the reality of our situation and every doctor we contacted made that clear.

On this day one year ago, we left the Mayo Clinic and drove to Toys R' Us. The rest is history....Jace got his drums and played them non- stop for the next six months. He loved those drums! I can still remember specific moments from that day.....the look on our doctors face and the tears in her eyes, the compassion that I felt from my husband as he held me (all while he was hurting just as bad), the phone calls to our family and friends, and one of the hardest parts of the day - sitting on Jenna's bed and explaining to her what had happened and what was ahead of us.

The next day we put on our "face" and returned to life. One day at a time...... we had a great six months together. My only regret is that we didn't have 60 more YEARS together.

In one week, Jace would have been 10…instead he is forever 9 in our hearts. Another first that we will get through. God has been with us and He will be with us as we deal with all of the emotions.

Thank you for your prayers and your support. God Bless!

The Carrico's

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You can still donate to Jace's Team. . Thank you to all that have given to our team in Jace's honor. Praying for a cure always!

Here is a little clip from one year ago:

Sunday, February 1, 2009 8:37 AM CST

Thanks to everyone that has contributed to Jace's Page. Please consider donating if you haven't - it would be a great way to honor him and us for his upcoming birthday on February 19th. Walk information can be found on that page, too.
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Some days pictures are hard to look at and at other times they give us comfort. This morning, I've decided to share some random pictures with you. I've come to this page almost every day for the last 5 years...it helps me feel connected to him.

I hope you enjoy...

One of our favorite places to go and take pictures - down by the river. (Notice Chipper in the background getting a drink.)

Fun times with Bueford at the Hospital. Beuford went through blood draws, MRI's, eating at the cafeteria, and many car trips to hospital. Mrs. Gruber was so nice to let Jace take him along. They both enjoyed it :-)

Our sweet boy in his robe - he loved that robe!

"Puppy" and "B" - that's all he needed! Sweet dreams...

Silly Monkey Face....I think he got this from Tammy's house when he use to go there. She had the best craft time - he loved his time there.

He loved to Rock...and dance...and sing! And the Cubs!!

Two Angels in Heaven...

This pictures says it all....they had a special bond!

Looking up at his Father...

Photo taken August 12th....the birthday party he wanted to put together so bad. At the time, it sounded kinda goofy and yet fun. We would have never imagined that this would be his last birthday photo one week before he went to be with Jesus. Happy Birthday, Buddy! We Love you and Miss you!

Sunday, February 1, 2009 8:37 AM CST

Thanks to everyone that has contributed to Jace's Page. Please consider donating if you haven't - it would be a great way to honor us for Jace's birthday.
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Some days

Sunday, January 11, 2009 3:07 PM CST

I've put together a donating page in memory of Jace for the Childhood Cancer Walk. You can give any amount - $5 or $500...it will all help to get us closer to a cure. Please support this cause and help our kids!

Jace's Page

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"Children with cancer are like candles in the wind who accept the possibility that they are in danger of being extinguished by a gust of wind from nowhere and yet, they flicker and dance to remain alive, their brilliance challenges the darkness and dazzles those of us who watch their light."- Unknown

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We really don't have much to say right now. We made it through Christmas, New Year's Eve, and will prepare for his birthday on February 19th.

Please be in prayer that a cure for childhood cancer will be found. I will never understand that we can put a man on the moon but we can't figure out how to end this disease. Too many children are passing away and too many families are facing the pain of life without their son or daughter.

***46 children will be diagnosed each day and 7 will pass away today!

Curesearch is a wonderful organization that funds childhood cancer. Please go to their site for more info: www.curesearch.org

On Saturday February, 28th a Milestones Walk will be held at Valley West Mall. Information and donations can be found on www.milestoneswalk.org. I'm hopeful that next year we will have a team in memory of our Jace - this year, pick a team and help them make their goal. Do it honor of all the children fighting each day and........Jace!

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