friends

it is sad how sometimes we can take our friends for granted. i am thankful that even when distance creeps in, just a simple act can bring restoration. :o) thank you God for the friends you have placed in my life!

Cassidy's Diagnosis

It has been a couple weeks since I posted an update regarding Cassidy Clark. It has been a busy week for her and her family! Chad and Jennifer moved their wedding date closer and were married on Sept.1 and later that week Cassidy celebrated her 5th birthday. There have also been several trip back and forth to the doctor and they found out that her sister McKenzie is a match for bone marrow, so if treatment goes that route she will be able to help. Just yesterday they received the results from the bone marrow tests and Jen posted the following note.... Please continue to keep this family in your prayers!


September 17, 2008
Dear Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this tonight. To be honest, I don't feel much like typing or writing anything and if it weren't for your faithful prayers, I wouldn't write.

We received Cassidy's diagnosis today. She has AMML. The good news is that it is treatable, well at least there is a treatment plan. Some of the Leukemias that were a possible diagnosis lack even that hope. It is not a sure success. We believe we still have a 50/50 chance of beating it. The bad news is that it will be a long, difficult journey for our little angel. Starting next week, she will go into the hospital for a 4-6 week rigorous chemotherapy treatment. Doctor Storch has informed us that this one will be much more difficult on her. She will have to stay in the hospital the whole time. Our next prayer request is that the chemo puts her leukemia into remission. I do not believe we can do a bone marrow transplant unless it is in remission.

Please pray with us as it will be difficult for her to understand that she is so sick when she feels so well. She will have to miss school this year and she will be very disappointed about that. Likewise, Chad will not be able to work.

Also please continue to pray that God continues to strengthen us. We already feel the affects of your prayers.

Because of Christ,
Jennifer Clark
Lam. 3:21-24

headed back to school

well...i am very excited because it looks like i will be headed back to school!! those of you who have known me for a while, know I am a total geek...I love school, always have. i think i could have stayed in college forever. then I was blessed with a family and my journey at home began.

ok...this doesn't mean that i have gotten a job. (still don't have the nerve to go back to the classroom as a teacher at this point!) but I will be helping out in JT's kindergarten classroom one day each week. this is very exciting for me on several levels!! first of all i get to be in the class with JT and observe his kindergarten experience up front! secondly, i love all things school, so even little things like bulletin boards, daily folders and reading groups get me pumped!! thirdly...this may be an opportunity for me to get my foot in the door with the school and actually pursue a part time position of teacher's assistant. at this point i do not even know if there are any openings, but i am praying this will be a start. if I could hand pick a job it would be working with jason again--that was the best part of doing secretarial work at cabc--but this would definitely be the next best option! :)

week three....check

well another week has come and gone. i am continually amazed as i watch jt grow and learn! everyday he picks up more and more and he is becoming excited about learning and even seems to be enjoying his homework each afternoon. a few evenings he has even pulled out his spiderman learning book and i have been able to spend some time helping him with sounds, numbers and writing. he also really enjoys reading through the little take home books each day. pretty much ever since day one he has figured out the sentence patterns and likes to "read" the pages before i get a chance. ofcourse is he relying heavily on the pictures, but he gets it right most every time! i am excitedly awaiting the day when he is able to read his take home books to me all by himself! it won't be long. oh and for those of you who are keeping track...he has decided he wants to be called JT again! :o)

lexi appears to be breezing right along. she has found a common bond with her teacher because she agreed that "boys have cooties!" she has found her "soul-mate" ;) i know this phase will not last long, but mommy is rather enjoying this stage...all to soon will come the boy crazy stage which I am NOT looking forward to at all!

alyssa is doing very well so far in 5th grade and has gotten several good reports already! this is a relief beyond words for me to see her ejoying her class and teacher. last year was rough, so this is a welcome change...or return to normal, i guess. this week her class started a program called Starbase in which they get to travel to the local naval base once a week for 5 weeks. here she will be learning all sorts of things as well as building a rocket. the final day she will get to launch it. she is very excited about this and i can't wait to be able to watch her finish the program and celebrate with her.