Betsy's Letter to Julie

When we were growing up, it seemed that anywhere we went in town there was always someone very excited to see you. The little ones usually enjoyed comparing height with you, especially if they hadn’t seen you in a while, and whether they were adults or little kids, you were never met with anything but sincere joy and enthusiasm. Everyone who has ever known you has absolutely loved you and benefited from your infectiously loving and nurturing spirit.
Your favorite thing to do was serve God and others (I know what that means because of you!). You loved to be the accompanist, on many levels. The accompanist accepts no glory but always supports and encourages so willingly and unselfishly. And though many knew (myself included) that this is the way we should live, it’s easy to excuse selfish, divisive, and other hurtful behavior with some ridiculous sense of entitlement. None of that was a part of the way you chose to live your life. I’ve only known you to be a meek and humble peacemaker. The accompanist also brings people together. Everyone gathers around the accompanist, who acts as the base and steady anchor, the rhythmic pulse, and the complimentary harmony, which allows everyone else to shine and fuses everything together to complete the music.
Your unfailing love has given us an understanding of God’s unconditional and sacrificial love. You’ve always waited with open arms, as we sought refuge with you. How lucky we are to have only wonderful things to say about you and such fun memories of you to treasure eternally. In fact, everything has a funny way of reminding me of you.
I’m reminded of you when I drink coffee, and how it was such a daily necessity for you, how cute you were when you’d get upset at the wait staff for neglecting you refills; the big thermos you’d take to school with you, all of the coffee mugs you received as gifts throughout the years – even just the smell and sound of brewing coffee.
I think of you as I’m cleaning my house, and the way you pretend to be on a show to make your chores more interesting; or how you talked in accents to the dishes and often just for fun. Silly thing stand out in my mind and are so fun to think about like making soup, classic literature, granola, going shopping, singing and playing music (especially with my children), when we made our dog do a series of tricks and called it ‘circus buddy’, and how you called the people going fast on the road ‘Ricky Racer’, and the time you said that the Verizon employee “talked too many words”; and singing in three part harmony and rounds in the car on trips (when we kids weren’t being too obnoxious).
It’s not easy to let you go, Mom. I really hate it!! It’s truly been such a complete pleasure, such a joy to be your daughter! Nothing could possibly replace you or even come close to comparing with you, and I’ll miss you every day of my life, Mom.
Thank you for being the incredible person you were! Thank you for never giving up on me, and continuing to love me so effortlessly! Thank you for constantly investing yourself in other people! Mom, I can only hope to be a fraction of the mother and person that you were. We have a new saying among our family, which is ‘what would Julie do?’, and we’re all trying to be more like you. Thank you for inspiring us all to be much better people, by showing us how. I love you so much, Mom!!

Jake's Letter to Mom

It didn’t take long for those who met my mother to realize that there was something uniquely endearing about her. Her stature was the obvious thing people noticed first. At 4 ft. 11, she was tiny but also disarmingly warm. She was always smiling! She smiled in traffic, at the grocery store, to anyone she made eye contact with, sometimes just to herself. She was eager to learn about those she met. When she asked how you were, you knew it wasn’t just a greeting, but that she really meant it.
Kids loved her! As a music teacher, she impacted thousands of children. I grew used to having someone I’d never even seen before approach my mom and tell her how positively she had impacted their or their children’s lives. She was a truly selfless servant to others.
Mom loved music, and had a tremendous gift for it. She felt uncomfortable with attention, preferring to be behind the piano accompanying others. She sang often and it was infectious in our household. I loved singing with her. Growing up, my sisters and I would stand around her at the piano singing hymns or praise and worship songs, singing while she played and harmonized. She could blend with anyone, and was as giving a singer as she was a human being.
She was a loving wife and grandaughter, sister and cousin, daughter and friend, and a truly outstanding mother.
I feel humbled and gracious that I got to be this beautiful, amazing person’s son. This kind, gentle, patient woman, who has profoundly impacted so many lives, is my mother. Knowing her was a privilege. Whether a co-teacher, a student, or a stranger at the gas station, my mom treated you like a friend, as she was to so many. She liked people who were hard to like, loved her family when we hard to love, and, for a woman as small as she was, has left a deep impression on those who were blessed to get to know her.
Trying to imagine life without you feels impossible right now, but there is a thought that comforts me when the feeling gets overwhelming. I picture you in Heaven, in front of a group of children, singing songs and smiling.
I love you more than words can express and it’s good to know that you’re home safe-Jake

Julie and Zoë

We have been surrounded by family & friends for the past few days - telling stories, singing songs, looking through pictures, praying with one another, hugging, crying, laughing... I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your love & prayers too. Well, our Julie is in heaven today hearing God's stories, singing at the top of her new lungs, reviewing the pictures of all of us in her mind, talking face to face with the Lord, hugging God's heavenly family, having her tears wiped away by Jesus himself and experiencing the full and complete joy of eternal life. But we are missing her very much and we are going to have to hold one another up as we have to face a life without her. So, we will need to talk to the Lord a little more often and let his words sink in a little deeper so we can love on one another a little more like Julie did. Love, Greg

Betsy & her boys are here to liven up the place. The boys have been playing with our outdated toys (sometimes wanting what the other guy has), hanging out with their cousins, and watching the movie "UP" over and over again. Emily & Betsy have been working together this morning to organize our pantry and storage goods in the kitchen (if that doesn't say "love" I don't know what does).

Jake came over this afternoon to have Betsy teach him a couple of pointers on the violin, because he's taking a "Strings" class at EWU. He'll be leaving to visit Hillary in NY for a few days. He got a killer deal for less than 200 bucks.

The nurse & social worker from Hospice gave Julie a uber pill box that has a slot for morning, afternoon, evening & bedtime for each day and they not only filled it up for us but they'll do it each week. It's way better than the hodge-podge method I was using.

Julie's been resting, eating a little, and has been a gracious host to all of her visitors. She is so touched when I read her her blog messages and cards from family & friends. Its great having Julie front & center in the living room so she can be part of all the action. She makes me feel macho by letting me carry her to and from the bathroom upstairs. We have so many little routines. Whenever I leave or come home we kiss three times on the lips and I give her a peck on the cheek & neck for extra credit. I lay out and hand full of clothes in the morning for her to choose from and I help her shower & get dressed for the day. She appreciates everything I do, even the little stuff. She's the best thanker I know.

Thank you for your love & prayers! Greg

We've been enjoying visits from family & friends. Not only are Julie's folks still here, but Julie's brother Darrel (& Kathy), her cousin Cheryl (& Dan) came up from Oregon and our son Jake came over from EWU. Julie had them to sing songs from back in the day and it was wonderful. We also got to hear an acappella song on the computer that Jake wrote. And one of our kids friends, Brad, played the piano and sang a few more songs. So, it's been sort of a little music festival type of day.

Julie's mom, Gloria, and our daughter, Emily, have been sorting through hundreds of family photos to select the ones that will be used for Julie's memorial service. Teri, one of Julie's teacher friends, helped write the first draft of her obituary (at Julie's request). These have been sort of bitter-sweet tasks, but we're walking it through together.

We have had a variety of friends drop by, call, e-mail, blog & text us. We are so blessed to be loved by so many. Our daughter, Betsy (& her boys) are coming tomorrow to spend a few days and I can't wait to squeeze those little guys and get a massage from Betsy.

We have several other family members coming to visit in the next while. So, not only have we had to borrow more beds, but our next door neighbor, Susan, has offered to put people up in her home - how cool is that? Julie's brother, Tim (& family), her sisters, Liz, Carolyn & Janice, my brother Randy (& Patty) are coming next weekend. Her brother, Jerry, will come next week to record our kids singing songs they use to sing as kids. It's a good thing we love all these guys or this could be a nightmare.

Again, thank you for your love & prayers! Greg

We love having Julie's parents here visiting with us. Gloria has been cooking up some great meals and Ron's always so easy to talk with about anything. It has also been great timing because they were able to go to Julie's doctor's appointment with us. Her doctor told her that there are a couple of options: she can either have chemo, which will make her even weaker than she is now; or to involve Hospice. Well, Julie has chosen Hospice. With the impact of that news, we held on to each other, cried and prayed together. We've known her nurses for the past 1 1/2 years and they have become pretty close to Julie, so it turned into a tearful hug fest. Julie told us that she is really okay with the thought of dying, because she knows she is going to heaven, but she is very concerned for our kids. But I reminded her that the Lord will give us the strength to support one another through this so she doesn't have to carry the load of making sure we're okay.

We spent to evening calling family and friends to begin to lean on one another. But I think Julie sensed that we needed some levity so she told Emily & I that she can do anything she wants now. So, I asked her if she wanted to start smoking and she said she'd like to get drunk too. It felt great to laugh in the middle of some pretty heavy stuff.

Our pastor called to talk with Julie and he told her that she wouldn't have to pray in heaven, because she could talk directly to the Lord. We'd already been talking about how wonderful heaven will be. Not only was Jesus a carpenter, but he created the world too. So he's got to be preparing a pretty awesome place for us. I can imagine one of the first things Julie will do when she gets there is to gather a group of kids together to sing some songs to Jesus.

Please feel free to call, e-mail, blog, send a card, or come by and visit Julie. Please pray that we all draw close to the Lord for strength to encourage Julie and one another. Thank you for your love & faithfulness! Greg

Julie asked me to give you an update. Since we have come back home from Seattle Julie has struggled to bounce back. She has been coughing up some pretty gross stuff and she has lost her much of her appetite. I finally called Julie's oncology nurse and she said to take Julie to the ER. When we got to the hospital we ran into a hand full of mothers of students Julie has taught through the years. One of the mom's, Jenny, was her nurse and she took great care of Julie. After running a few tests they diagnosed Julie with bacterial pneumonia. So they gave her and an IV and antibiotics and sent her home.

I've been getting on Julie about eating something she said that if her mom was here she would eat. So, her mom & dad agreed to come to try and fatten her up on some good old fashion home cooking.

Thank you for being so faithful to pray for Julie! We love you very much. Greg

Seattle #2

Things were better in many ways this time. We stayed in a really nice hotel downtown and Jake let us borrow his GPS again and he even got it all pre-set for us so we only got lost once!

I had a chest x-ray and met with the doctor and he told me that he thought it would really help me to have a stent. It was so weird seeing the x-ray because the left looked empty and my right lung is growing to try to compensate. I thought that was pretty amazing.

We were able to connect with Betsy this time. Even though I just love those little boys I thought it would be better for Betsy to come without Sebastian and Julian. They would get so bored in the hotel room. So Wednesday evening Greg and Betsy and I went out to a very nice dinner. Betsy spoiled us with massage and we had a really nice visit.

Thursday morning I had to be at the medical center at 8:00 to have a test on my heart. At 9:00 we went down to the surgery check-in and since I hadn't been prescheduled they told me I was on stand-by. They would get to me eventually but they would be working me in to the surgery schedule. So we prepared for a long day of killing time and I had two good magazines and a fun book. They gave us a pager so we could wander around the hospital. So off we went, me in my little scooter trying not to run into people, and Greg walking beside me. We had't gone ten minutes and the pager went off. So we hurried back and sure enough they wanted me!

This time Dr. Wood did some coring out plus he put in two stents. After the surgery I was in a recovery area and I had the nicest nurse in the world. She was so kind and attentive. Finally by 4:00 they felt I was ready to be discharged so we went back to the hotel and I got in bed till the next morning. A much more restful sleep than if I'd been in the hospital.

Friday we took it slow in the morning and left about 11:00 so we got back to Coeur d' Alene pretty early. Glad to be home.

I don't feel too bady, but I will have to cough up this yukky stuff. It's just so gross.

I'm hoping Janice will be able to come another time. It was so weird how I didn't want to go to Seattle partly because I didn't want to miss her visit. She decided to come even though we were in Seallte and just wait here at the house till we got back. But then she woke up Wednesday with a fever and couldn't come anyway. So strange how things work out sometimes.

Thank you for your love and prayers. Please know that I feel blessed to know so many people are sharing this journey with me. I never feel alone. Love, Julie

Back to Seatttle

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

I had a CAT scan yesterday and it showed that my left lung is collapsed again. No wonder breathing has been so hard and even simple things are so exhausting. We're heading back to Seattle tomorrow morning to meet with Dr. Wood and he'll probably put a stent in this time.

I was so bummed about the timing of going to Seattle because Janice is coming to tomorrow--the same day as I need to be in Seattle. She's traveling with a family that is heading for Oregon for the weekend and they'll drop her off here and then pick her up when they are on their way back to Billings. We talked to her last night and she's willing to come and just stay at our house till we return from Seattle. But this morning Greg got a crazy idea--we're going to try to fly her from Spokane to Seattle so she can spend the time with us and then drive back with us. I hope it works out but even if it doesn't, it will really be great to look forward to seeing her at my house when we return.

Even though I'm battling feeling discouraged right now, so many great things have been happening. My friend Lana's church gave me a prayer shawl and many people had prayed for me. It is a reminder to me that people are praying and I'm taking the shawl to Seattle. My friend, Julie Powell, came to my house Sunday night and she prepared a spaghetti squash from her garden and we ate it together! It was delicious. Yesterday my friend Sherma came and brought Panda Express for us to eat and we had a really nice visit. On the weekend,my friend Debbie made us some wonderful chicken noodle soup and Lana brought some tasty meatloaf. So the Johnsons are not starving. It's so sweet of people to bring food to us!

I'm also so blessed to have Jake living close enough so that he can come often to visit. He is good at going to the grocery store and he's always so willing to run errands. He's a keeper.

We're working out a very exciting plan with Emily that would allow her the chance to be our sort of "home care provider". Details are being worked out with her current job but everyone is very supportive. I'm so excited about this plan!

We're hoping to connect with Betsy when we're in Seattle. Last time didn't work out. I'm so excited to see her.

I have so many things to be thankful for and it really helps to think about them when I start to feel discouraged. God has blessed me with a wonderful family and so many amazing friends. Words can't express how much I appreciate your love and concern for me and my family. Your prayers are the greatest gift of all. Love, Julie

The Whole Story

First I need to thank Greg for the delicate way he put things into words. He's definitely a keeper. But I'm going to swallow my pride and tell you about what's been happening (and not happening...)

It all started about five weeks ago, a week before our Seattle trip, and I was really gasping for breath in Dr. Tezcan's office. It was expained to me that if I took a pain pill every few hours it would help my airways relax and could help me not feel so frantic about breathing. They warned me that these pain pills cause constipation. So I was warned. But I thought to myself, "Well that might be a problem for some people, but not for me."

And everything was fine for several weeks! I enjoyed the way the pain pill relaxed my airways. Then last week I started to have the problems I was warned about. And Saturday morning at 4:00 a.m. I woke up with excruciating pain below my right ribcage. So I took some painpills and went back to bed. Greg called the doctor who was on call in the oncology ward and asked about controlling this pain. Unfortunately there was no discussion about what was causing the pain. And at this time, it honestly never occurred to us that this pain could be caused by constipation. It was so severe, we were thinking it was my liver being weird or something. I spent all of Saturday and Sunday in my bed with a heating pad and living for the four-hour span between doses of pain pills. And I was so loopy that I couldn't enjoy visiting with my family or anything.

Finally Monday morning we went to the ER and it seemed like they were able to diagnose my problem lickety-split. I was embarrassed and they reassured me that it was common for cancer patients to have this problem because of all the chemicals and drugs. I went home with something disgusting to drink that was guaranteed to get things going.

But thank goodness for my nurse friend, Nancy DeAustin. She's the one who really came to my rescue. She brought a wonerful dinner for us for Monday night and she gave me a recipe for an enema with molasses and whole milk that she said I could try if the guaranteed disgusting stuff I drank didn't kick in. She has been an ER nurse for years and she told me they use it in the hospital.

So here's an example of true love. Greg giving me that enema. And it worked! So I'm feeling like myself again and I won't be taking any pain pills for a long time. And my breathing has been great.

God has been teaching me about pride lately. It's amazing how He's able to use situations in our lives to bring us closer to Him. I am so grateful for your prayers. Love, Julie

Good News

Good News:

We made a trip to the hospital today. Julie has been taking a pain medication to help her relax to breath a little easier. Well, we found out that one of the side affects to her pain meds is constipation, which has been causing her pain in her abdomen. They gave her some "liquid dynamite" (so to speak) which will give her a whole knew meaning to the word "relief."

Forgive me for my alarmist message from yesterday, but I know Julie would still love to hear from you.

Your prayers make a huge difference in both of our lives. Thank you!
Greg

Please pray for Julie's strength. She is experiencing pain for the first time. The pain may be coming from her liver, but we won't know until we meet with the doctor. In the meantime, she has to take pain medication, which wipes her out and it makes it difficult to visit with others (which is her favorite thing to do).



Julie has received so many encouraging cards, letters, text messages & e-mails over this past year. Many of those messages that have included passages of scripture have touched her deeply. Those verses have been "sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."



Please consider sending Julie a note of encouragement and/or a verse from scripture this week, because it is the best kind of medicine she could receive.



I want to thank you on Julie's behalf! Greg

Onward...

We met with Dr. Tezcan this morning and he was pleased that my lung sounded better as a result of my fun time in Seattle. He told us it was our decision about where to go from here and that he does have a plan for treatment. There is only a small chance that it will be helpful, but a chance is a chance! It is also a choice not to seek further treatment. I'm not ready to choose not to have treatment. So I'm already on the schedule for Nov 5! I'll be enjoying the taste of coffee and food for two more weeks then it will be onward with fighting with some kind of chemo again.

Dr. T. also told us that if the creepy tumor in my lung grows into my airway again, Dr. Wood (he did the surgery in Seattle) can do another bronchoscopy and put in a stent. He didn't do it last time because he didn't think it was needed. I'm not excited about that possibility, but I'm breathing really well right now. If I get to the point where I can't breathe again, I'll be more excited to visit Dr. Wood again.

Greg and I had a really fun day yesterday. It started with watching the last part of Jane Eyre. Isn't Greg the best husband ever? After that, we went for a walk around the neighborhood. I was riding my cool red scooter and going so fast Greg could barely keep up! We went to a late lunch at The Olive Garden and then went for a drive enjoying the beautiful fall weather and colors and views of the lake. We feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. It's nice that Greg has Mondays off to hang out with me.

I'm thankful that God has a plan for my life and that He knows what's ahead so I don't have to worry about it. I believe God gives me faith, through your prayers, to stay focused on one day at a time. Thank you for continuing to love and care about us. Love, Julie

Happy Birthday, Mom!

It's my Mom's birthday today and I wish I could give her a big hug and tell her thanks for being such an amazing mother. She is the best.

Since getting home from Seattle, it seems like every day there's improvement in my breathing. Hurray! I was hoping it wouldn't be so gradual, but I'm so thankful for the improvement.

This afternoon Jake and his girlfriend, Hilary (she's visiting from New York), the Russells, Greg and Nick's Mom all went to see "Where the Wild Things Are". I was considering going. I know I wouldn't disturb the audience with coughing very often and I feel pretty good. But there are so many people around here who are sick with the flu. I decided being in a crowded theater wasn't the best place for me this afternoon. So I'm sitting in my favorite place on my favorite couch with the Food Channel on. A perfect Saturday afternoon.

My friend, Teri, came to see me this morning and we had such a great visit. She caught me up on what's going on at Fernan. Visits like that really help me feel connected and it means so much to me because I know how busy she is!

Thank you for your prayers. I am so thankful for you. Love, Julie

Pretty Good Tuesday

This is a pretty good Tuesday. I had two cups of coffee this morning and my air supply seems to be improving every day! I just have to pace myself going up and down the stairs. No jumping or skipping steps yet.

I'm looking forward to Janice coming to visit me in early November and it's just amazing to me that that is only a couple of weeks from now! I love when my sisters come.

Thank you for your love and prayers. I have appreciated hearing that my last entry wasn't too much of a downer. Last week was a challenging one for Greg and me. And it's over! Love, Julie

Home feels good...

We came home from Seattle yesterday afternoon when I was released from the hospital. It feels so good to be home and it was so good to sleep in my own bed last night. I didn't sleep very much Thursday night. It seemed like everytime I got comfortable enough to sleep, I was interrupted by some nice person who wanted my vitals, or to do an x-ray etc. I'm not being critical of the care I received--it was top-notch. I just didn't get to sleep very much.

Our attempts to make our Seattle trip a "nice little vacation" were well-intentioned. But I'm definitly glad that little vacation is overwith. It all started off when we arrived at our "premium" hotel room only to find a very old regular nothing special at all room. It was close to the medical center and it had free parking. Those are the best things I can say about it. So we were a little bummed Tuesday night. I guess we were expecting something more like the Davenport or the CDA Resort.

Wednesday I met with my doctor at 1:30 and we were very impressed with how kind and compassionate he was and he explained everything so well. His nurse met with us to go over some details and she thought my scooter was cool. We had a conversation about "retail therapy" that really made us smile. And I realized I'm not the only one who finds shopping theraputic!

We waited for our appointment with the pre-anesthesia people. More questions we'd already answered. I really enjoyed our dinner that night realizing I wouldn't be able to eat till after my surgery the next day.

Thursday was a day to remember. We arrived at the medical center at 8:30 because we were supposed to arrive two hours before the surgery. Okay fine. But they told me my surgery was delayed because the hospital was doing several heart and lung transplants and there were no rooms open for other surgeries. So finally at 3:45 they called my name! It wasn't fun sitting in the waiting area all that time with no make up or jewelry (my poor Silpada had to stay in my suitcase), and nothing to eat or drink. Off to pre-surgery for more questions that I had already answered several times!!

The surgery itself was really easy and uneventful for me because I was asleep! But the procedure was called a bronchoscopy and Dr. Wood planned to either "core out" or put in a stent. He talked to Greg after the surgery and told him that he decided not to put in the stent because he felt coring out the airway was successful and that putting in a little tube of plastic creates its own set of problems. So he literally removed the junk that was in my airway and it's amazing that already I can feel my left lung working!

After the surgery, I couldn't breathe! They had to give me moist air and they did a chest x-ray. They determined that I should spend the night in the hospital so I could enjoy that moist air and so they could keep their eye on me. It was amazing how much better I was by Friday morning. But I can expect to do a lot of coughing for a couple of days while my lung tries to get rid of a lot of junk. And I can expect not to be so short of breath in a couple of days! I was of course hoping that the results of the surgery would be immediate, but I'm willing to wait a few days.

We were sure hoping to be able to see Betsy and Cam and the boys while we were in Seattle. But it just didn't work out because of our crazy schedule. I told Betsy we were so close yet so far away. Hopefully we'll be able to see them again soon and I'll have enough breath to be able to read to those little guys.

Sorry this entry is so long. I hope I didn't sound too negative. But I know you want to know what's really going on so I decided to not sugar coat anything. I am so appreciative of your prayers and your encouragement. I know God was right with me the whole time and His presence was a comfort to me. Mom, I really appreciated the verse you sent me about angels having charge over us! It was so encouraging! Love, Julie

The doc was able to roto-rooter much of the obstruction out of the passage way in Julie's collapsed lung so he didn't need to use a stint. So, Julie should be breathing easier in the next few days. PTL

Julie had to spend the night at the UW med center so they could keep an eye on her - just to be on the safe side. She was such a trooper. She had to go 24 hours without anything to eat or drink. There were a series of transplants that came up and she had to be bumped to the end of the day (understandably).

Thank you for caring & praying! Greg

Go Go Ultra X

I am now the proud owner of a Go Go Ultra X Travel Scooter! Jake came and spent some time with us this weekend--Betsy's boys adore him--anyway, Jake and Greg went to pick up a few groceries and when they got home they had something besides food with them! A very cool red scooter! Now I don't have to rely on whether or not a store has an available scooter for me to use. I have my own! Greg and I went to the mall this afternoon and I was able to go to several different stores. It was so amazingly thoughtful of Greg to get it for me. Now we can go for "walks" around the neighborhood together!

It is very quiet in our house now. Betsy and the boys left for Tacoma late this morning. We had a wonderful week and it just went too fast. We enjoyed them so much. I was pretty much confined to my favorite corner of my favorite couch, but I loved watching them play. I'm sure going to miss Betsy but we're hoping to see them Tuesday at their house. It will be Julian's 2nd birthday that day and we're planning to go to Seattle Tuesday. So hopefully it will work out.

We've decided to think of our time in Seattle this week as a mini-vacation. It will be so great that I can be mobile because of my cool scooter!

Thank you so much for your love and prayers. I have a really sore throat right now as a result of the radiation. I'm hoping it will heal quickly. Thanks again for continuing to pray for us. Love, Julie

The Adventure Continues...

What I mean by "adventure" is that my life is so full of surprises. I wish all the surprises were happy good ones like birthday presents. But I know God allows difficult things in our lives so we can grow. I have another chance to grow.

Today my friend, Debbie, took care of Matthew, Sebastian and Julian so both Emily and Betsy could go to my appointment with Dr. Tezcan. My Greg was with me too of course. It was so sweet because Betsy sat on one side of me and Emily on the other. And just before the doctor came in the room, Jake called and it felt like our whole family was in that room. Anyway, the CAT scan showed that the chemo kept the cancer in my liver stable, but my entire left lung is completely collapsed because the cancer in my lung didn't respond to the chemo. That explains why I'm so short of breath these days! The chemo was not effective in preventing cancer from growing like crazy in my thyroid. Dr. T. told us that he looked carefully at the list of chemo drugs I have received and he said he's run out of options as far as chemo drugs.

The radiation is supposed to shrink the tumor in my thyroid so I can swallow better. My main concern at this point is to not be so short of breath. Dr. Tezcan told me that there is a procedure where a stint is placed in the area allowing for more air. I don't understand this at all but I'm certainly willing to give it a try so I can enjoy more than the view from my couch. They don't do this procedure in CDA or Spokane. Dr. Tezcan called a doctor in Seattle and I will have an appointment with him Wednesday and if I'm a candidate for the stint, he will put it in place in my chest on Thursday! Wow!

After that, we will probably take some time off from treatments and enjoy life for awhile. It will be so great to live without the side effects of chemo and radiation especially if I can breathe and swallow easily! Then when I'm ready, Dr. T. has an idea for further treatment. He's amazing.

I hope this hasn't been too confusing. I appreciate your prayers and your words of encouragement. Please pray that I will be able to get the stint and that the whole process will go smoothly. Thank you so much for caring about us. Love, Julie

Tuesday greetings!

My goodness, I can't believe a whole week has passed since I entered something in my blog. It's been hopping around here!

Liz came from Tri-Cities Saturday morning with all her Silpada jewelry party stuff. Emily came and got snacks and drinks ready and we had a great Silpada party Saturday afternoon. Lots of my friends from Fernan came and it was so good to see everyone. It was a successful party for Liz and lots of fun for Em and me...plus we earned some free jewelry!

Sunday afternoon Betsy and Sebastian and Julian came and they get to stay till next Saturday! Sunday night the Russells were here too and Jake came after the Spokane Symphony concert and we enjoyed having dinner together and letting the kids play. Poor Sebastian and Julian's cousins are in school this week so they don't get to play with them as much as they'd like. But that means I don't have to share them as much! I feel lucky to have Betsy around--she's very thoughtful and helpful. She's been doing the dishes, laundry, and even vacuuming. Plus she spoils me with massages. mmmmm

I have radiation treatments every day this week. Tomorrow I have an appointment with Dr. Tezcan and I expect we'll be making decisions about my further treatment. I've been really short of breath lately and that gets so annoying. I'm hoping Dr. T can pull something out of his hat that will make all the symptoms subside again. I have confidence that if any doctor can figure it out--Dr. Tezcan can!

I appreciate your love and prayers. Your prayers are such an encouragement to Greg and me. Love, Julie

Cindy's farm

I loved hearing about your dog and your chickens, Cindy. My brother, Darrel, knows a lot about chickens so maybe he can give you some advice. I love hearing about what you are doing!

I am waiting for Greg to come and pick me up and take me to my second radiation treatment. It isn't very fun and I'll be glad to get it over with this morning so I can enjoy the rest of the day.

Several of my music teacher friends who are retired are going out to lunch today and I'm looking forward to joining them! I love feeling connected with people.

Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday. Thanks for your prayers. Love, Julie

The fight continues...

Today was a two-cup coffee day! I'm so grateful for the days when I feel so good!

I went to church this weekend! It was so great to go Friday night with Jake and the Russells.

We're empty nesters again. This morning I went to Freddies with Jake and we got the rest of the essentials he'll need for his apartment in Cheney. He officially left home to live in his apartment this afternoon. This Wednesday he'll start classes at EWU and he'll have his audition for the Spokane Symphony. He was already hired to play for the concert next weekend so he'll start rehearsing with them Tuesday. A big week for him.

And a big week for me! I will have two weeks of radiation treatments on my thyroid and my first treatment is tomorrow afternoon.

I am so excited that Betsy plans to come to visit next week with Sebastian and Julian. She is such a sweetie and I enjoy the boys so much. She told me that last Monday Sebastian was on his way to a time out and he said "There's no time out in this house! There's just walls, and doors, and rooms!" My grandchildren are so clever.

Thank you for praying for me. I sure appreciate your encouragement and support. Love, Julie

Playing music together

Jake is getting ready for the Spokane Symphony audition next week and he found the piano accompaniment to the solo he will be playing so we played it together. Fun! Greg, our paparazzi, wanted us to pose for the camera so we really cheesed it!

More music news...I finally broke down and bought the music to Pride and Prejudice and I'm having such a great time with it. It's such pretty music and is more of a challenge than I thought. My rusty fingers have to practice. Playing music is so enjoyable and relaxing yet it takes a lot of concentration.

More music news... We also went to Burt's Music Store and rented a clarinet for Hannah to play. I'm excited to be able to help her with it. I was never that great, but that's the instrument I played in Band.

Hope you're having a great week. Thanks for your prayers. Love, Julie

Feeling better!

I knew I would feel better! I was so busy I didn't have time to take a nap today! I went shopping with Jake to hunt for great bargains for his apartment. We went to four different stores and had lots of fun comparing prices. I almost felt like we were on a TV show. I appreciated Jake letting me be part of the shopping. He could have done it himself, but he knew I would really enjoy it.

I can't start radiation until the radiologist sees the results of Thursday's CAT scan. So I have an appointment with the radiologist on Friday morning. We were hoping to get started even sooner.

It is so amazing to know that so many people are praying for me. I so appreciate all of you and I'm so thankful that we have a God who hears our prayers and loves us more than we can begin to understand. Thank you. Love, Julie

Catching Up

Last week was wonderful. Tonight Greg will post some pictures of the unbelievably beautiful Oregon Coast. The weather was spectacular and we stayed in a house that was right on the beach. We saw whales, sea lions, seals, and pelicans. One afternoon a doe went walking right behind our deck. It was so great to spend time with Rob and Carolyn and Mom and Dad. We got to see lots of other family members at Mom and Dad's house. A highlight of that time together was when everyone was gathered on Mom and Dad's deck and we all watched the space station fly by. We had a good time. It reminded me of when I was a kid and we'd all watch for shooting stars.

Last week was truly a vacation from cancer. No appointments, breathing was pretty good, and I felt pretty good almost the whole time. Now it's back to reality.

I had an appointment with Dr. Tezcan this morning and he explained that my thyroid now has the same cancer as my lung and liver. The plan is to attack it with radiation starting this week. I'm scheduled for another CAT scan on Thursday to see if the other cancer is growing. If it is growing, we know the chemo is no longer working and Dr. T. said he'll come up with another plan. It's hard not to feel discouraged. I'm so thankful for your prayers of encouragement and I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow.

One very cool thing is that after the doctor left the room, the nurse heard Greg say "Well we need to pray that the cancer is located just in the thyroid so they can zap it with radiation." She asked if we really prayed and we said yes and she asked if we prayed to Jesus and we said yes and she said "Well let's pray right now." And she drew us in and prayed for us. It was so amazing. She told us she loved that she sometimes got to pray with her patients.

Thank you for your love and prayers. Love, Julie

wonderful day

It was a wonderful day. This evening I got to go to a potluck for the music teachers in CDA. It was so special to see old friends and to meet new ones. I'm so glad that we retirees were invited.

It makes me sad to think of not being part of the new school year. I'm grateful for the timing of the Oregon Coast trip next week so I won't be here to see the buses full of excited children that first week of school. But my friend, Pat, was talking about bus duty and that put things in perspective. There are things about teaching that aren't that fun. But I loved it.

Jake was a very patient son today. He took me to Safeway and to Costco. He followed me around while I drove an electric scooter cart at both places. I had fun turning really fast and sharp a few times and almost ran into him just to keep him on his toes. I'm getting pretty good at driving those things but it would be a shame to run into my sweet son. Just kidding.

Today I felt so good! My response to coffee always lets me know how I'm feeling. No coffee=okay day. Once cup=good day. Two cups=amazing day. Today was a two cup day!

Thank you for your love and prayers. Love, Julie

Dr. T says not to worry

My friend, Debbie King, took me to my appointment at the Cancer Center where I had the PTT blood test that determines how much heparin they put in my shots. I asked the very nice nurse if she could find out about the biopsy I had last Tuesday. She checked on the computer and told me that she couldn't get all the information and she told me she would talk to Dr. Tezcan. When I got home she called me and said that Dr. Tezcan told her to tell me to have fun and enjoy my vacation at the Oregon Coast next week. (He knows I plan to go to Oregon this weekend with Carolyn and Rob.) He said for me not to be concerned and we'll talk about it at my Sept. 14 appointment. So I've decided once again not to worry! Worrying puts a little dark cloud over things and I want to enjoy each day.

Greg, Jake, Emily, Hannah and Matthew are traveling back from Tacoma now. Nick, Adam and I came back last night. We helped Betsy and Cam move into their very old but charming house in Tacoma. It was so fun to see the little boys playing and to watch Hannah working so hard right along side the grown-ups. My favorite memory of the weekend was listening to Emily and Betsy work cleaning and organizing Betsy's kitchen. They were such a good team and I loved hearing them laugh. I was in the living room with little boys who were having the time of their lives playing in boxes.

Carolyn and Rob plan to be here Friday night and I will leave with them Saturday morning and we'll travel to Oregon. They will drop me off at Mom and Dad's and go directly to the beach. Mom and Dad and I will join them at the house they've rented at Yachats on Monday. I'm very excited! The house is right on the ocean.

"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for what He has done. Then you will experience God's peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7

Thank you for your love and prayers. Love, Julie

Still don't know...

I still haven't heard about the results of Tuesday's biopsy. I'm choosing not to worry about it.

Today was a very busy day! I had an appointment at the CDA School District Office this morning to sign some retirement papers. I got to see some familiar faces and that was good. And when I got home my friend, Nancy Ison, came to visit me. She's a dear.

This afternoon I was busy getting things ready to take to Kent this weekend. Lots of laundry. Then there were errands to run with the Russells this evening. Whew.

Tomorrow morning Greg and I and the Russells are driving to Kent to help Betsy and Cam move to their home in Tacoma. Jake, the amazing driver, is driving a moving van with a bed and some other furniture for them as I'm writing this. I'm praying he'll arrive safely. I guess he can't go too fast in that old truck he's driving.

I love you all and am thankful for your prayers and encouraging words. Love, Julie

Greg's Birthday!

Yesterday was Greg's birthday and we had a little surprise party for him. The Russells came over and parked their van in a sneaky place while Greg was gone on a walk with Boris. It was so fun to see the kids be so excited about surprising Grandpa. He really was surprised! And we had chocolate cake that Emily made and Janice and Abbie and Zoë made it in time to celebrate with us. It was a fun party!
Thank you for your love and prayers. Love, Julie

A Little Get Away

Greg and I went for a little get away yesterday and came home late this afternoon. It's so great to feel good enough to enjoy a little walking and shopping. I never seem to get tired or run out of breath when I'm shopping. Hmmm. Maybe I should suggest to Dr. T that shopping could be part of my treatment plan.

Tomorrow morning I will have a biopsy on a nodule they found on my thyroid in my latest CAT scan. The doctor said not to worry about it and I'm not. But we will breathe an extra sigh of relief when we find out the little bump isn't cancer.

I'm looking forward to Janice, Abbie and Zoe coming this Wednesday and Thursday. They will be returning to Billings and I feel so lucky that I live on the way so it's easy for them to come to visit me!

I love knowing I am not alone when thoughts of doubt and fear try to creep into my mind. I am so grateful for all of you and I can be at peace because I know my life is in God's Hands.
Love, Julie

"The joy of the Lord is my strength". Nehemiah 8:10b

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEBASTIAN!

Sebastian is four years old today! Hurray! I wish we could be there to celebrate with him and watch him blow out his candles. But we are planning to be there next weekend to help Betsy and Cam move to the house they are buying in Tacoma. They are so excited to move out of their little apartment and to have a backyard the boys can run and play in. Our plan is to have a birthday party for Sebastian next weekend when we are there.

Greg and I went to Lou and Carol Quiring's for dinner last night. Oh my goodness...it's like another world at their house. They live in a log house nestled in a wooded area close to Worley. They have a lovely covered front porch and that's where we spent the evening. Carol is a great cook and she made my favorite cuisine--Chinese! We had such a great visit with our friends. We are so blessed to know such wonderful people.

I'm feeling a little tired today. I got home past my bedtime last night! Thank you for caring about us and praying for us. Love, Julie

Feeling Good!

Wow! They took Miss Fanny Pack off and I feel so free! That little pack is actually kind of heavy and a bit cumbersome. Glad to leave her at the Cancer Center this morning. Another free feeling was that I drove myself to my appointment. My family is so kind and generous and they think they have to drive me everywhere. But I did just fine and stopped at Great Harvest for some nummy cinnamon chip bread on the way home.

The past few days I've been a little wimpy. So I sure appreciate feeling better today. And it's a beautiful sunny day.

I'm looking forward to spending the evening with Janice and her three daughters; Abbie, Bethany, and Mary. And with Janice's granddaughter, Zoë. They are traveling from Billings to Newberg, Oregon where Bethany and Mary will start another school year at George Fox University. They will spend the night and have breakfast then take off in the morning. But we'll have fun visiting tonight.

Emily and Hannah cleaned my house today. Ahh. I love having a house that is clean and smells fresh. Not like my dog, Boris. During that cleaning time Jake took Adam and Matthew on an adventure. It's a blessing to have Jake here. Not just because he's good with kids, he's just a fun-loving great person and I enjoy him. I love when he plays the piano or guitar and I love hearing him practice the bass. He plans to do some symphony work--and he needs to get in shape!

Thank you for praying for me. I feel so supported and loved by you. Love, Julie

Happy But Duddy Day

It was a happy day because I got to continue with the same chemo BECAUSE IT'S WORKING! And it was a duddy day because I started chemo again this morning and I spent most of the day sitting in my favorite place on my favorite couch. But we are so grateful that Dr. T let me try some chemo drugs that are kind of experimental for my kind of cancer. I'm so thankful for your prayers because I haven't experienced any of the extreme side effects that are possible with these drugs.

This evening the Russells came over and we played Cranium with Jake. It was really fun and the hightlight was Hannah spelling BAZOOKA backwards. But inspite of her valiant effort, the girls still lost to the very inspired boys.

I'm looking forward to a great weekend with my little chemo fanny pack friend. Such a delight. I am so thankful for your love and prayers. Love, Julie

Good CAT Scan news!

The tumors are smaller! Hurray! Thank you Lord.

My doctor is gone this week so he has a substitute and I was a little worried about meeting with someone new today. But she was a great doctor and I really liked her. And she had good news for us! My tumors are smaller than they were before I started this round of chemo in June. So I will continue with this chemo starting tomorrow! I will meet with Dr. Tezcan next week and I'm hoping he'll be able to give me more details.

I am having a busy week and it's been so amazing to be able to breathe without wheezing and to be able to walk without running out of air. Tuesday my friend, Teri, came to pick me up and I met with several of my friends from Fernan for lunch at Azteca. It was Sherma's birthday. After lunch Sherma, Teri and I went to see the movie "Julie and Julia" and we laughed through the whole thing. I heard it hasn't gotten the greatest reviews, but it sure was a fun movie to watch with my friends. Meryl Streep was hilarious as Julia Child. After the movie Teri took me to the Cancer Center to pick up my heparin shots. Thank you, Teri!

Abbie, Paul, Zoë and Maddie came and we ate dinner at "Tomato Street". Emily and her kids came over and we player Scattergories and we laughed and laughed. Peach Trees and Pickles were some of my favorite answers. They took off for Billings Wednesday morning.

Emily is a good Mom and my grandchildren are wonderful kids...but Emily felt like she needed a vacation from them yesterday. So good old Uncle Jake took Hannah, Adam and Matthew to Triple Play and they played miniature golf and some video games together. The kids were great for Jake. While Jake entertained the children, Emily and I went shopping and then had a delicious coffee drink. Mmm.

Thank you for your continued prayers. We are so thankful that the chemo is working and...guess what, Janice? They only had to poke me one time for my I-V for the CAT scan yesterday! Another answer to prayer! Love, Julie

Greg and MMA and me and Skype!

Greg loves to watch MMA on television. Mixed Martial Arts is not my favorite thing--I prefer the Food Channel which is equally disgusting to Greg. But last night Greg was invited to watch some very special MMA matches with some of his friends and I was happy for him to go as long as I didn't have to. Well...as I was sitting in my favorite place on my favorite couch--I got a text from Abbie (she's still at my Mom and Dad's) and she was setting up my parent's computer with Skype. She already had put Skype on mine. Anyway, my little technical wizard niece managed to get my parent's and me connected with our very first conversation on Skype. It was so fun! And Robert and Easton were there so I got to visit with Robert for a long time. It's so amazing to be able to see someone while you're talking! Thank you, Abbie! I think I ended up having more excitement than MMA! Sorry, Greg.

In the past two weeks I haven't been to the Cancer Center once! I love the people who work there--I consider them my friends--but it has been so great to not have to structure my life around appointments. Well, this week will make up for all that wonderful time off. The only day I don't have an appointment is Tuesday. Monday is just a blood test for the heparin level, Tues. is my day off, Wed. is a cat scan, Thurs. is a doctor's appt. to talk about the cat scan, and Fri. is chemo and I'll get my little fanny pack again. Hey Mom, I'll have someplace to wear the new clothes I got in Oregon, right?

I'm sorry I sound so redundant--but thank you, once again, for your love and prayers. I would appreciate your prayers concerning Wed. cat scan. We're praying for good news--tumors shrinking, chemo working... I'm not worried about it. It's all in God's hands. He can do anything! Love, Julie
Wed.

A Great Reminder

I just wanted to share a verse from Jeremiah that Mom wrote in a letter to me this week. It's so powerful and such a great reminder of just who is in control.

"I am the Lord the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" Jer. 32:27

I get discouraged sometimes as I think of all the things I would like to do but am limited because of running out of breath so easily. Like I would love to go to the mall and help Emily with school-shopping. But it just involves too much walking. Believe it or not, I would like to clean my own house! But I just can't right now. Every little thing I do makes me so tired.

So thank you, Mom, for sending me that verse that reminds me that nothing is too hard for God. I need to remember to ask Him for strength every day.

Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

It's Thursday Already!

My friend, Teri Burch, has taught kindergarten and 1st grade for years and this coming year she is accepting the challenge of moving to 5th grade at Fernan. I know she will be a wonderful 5th grade teacher but she has so much work to do to get ready. Starting with changing to a new classroom with differet materials and a whole new curriculum to learn. She picked me up this morning and I helped her sort through boxes and move some things around in her room. I was only able to put in about an hour, but it was so fun. I got to see several other teacher friends who were working in their rooms. After about an hour, we got some coffee and came back to my house to visit. It was a great morning.

My friend, Lana, is going to bring dinner for us tonight. I'm excited to see what she will bring!

This week is sure quiet around here. I guess it seems extra quiet after being in Oregon last week and having Jake around for several days. Now he's visiting Betsy and Cam in Seattle. Quiet is good too.

I feel like I don't have much exciting news to share today. I just want you to know how exciting it is to find out who is reading this humble blog of mine. Thank you for your love and prayers. Love, Julie

Home Again

We were greeted last night when we came home by Jake and the Russells. Emily and Nick took care of Boris while we were gone and they returned him last night. It's nice to be home--but we sure had a wonderful time in Oregon the past week. We came home to HOT weather, but we have air-conditioning so it's not bad at all.

Abbie, Paul, and Zoë are on their way to our house and Maddie Hunter is with them. They will spend the night and then head off to Oregon tomorrow for a visit at Mom and Dad's. Mom and Dad are busy with company this month and they love it. They love sharing their home and beautiful yard and flowers and garden veggies with everyone. They amaze me. They work so hard.

I'm a little tired today so I'm taking it easy. I'm getting really good at taking it easy. It's a developed skill I think.

Thank you for your prayers this past week. Jake made it to our house safely. And I felt pretty good all week. I think I even gained weight with Mom's wonderful cooking. My pants sure feel tighter! I am so thankful for my wonderful family and friends. God has really blessed me. Love, Julie

We're having a "hot" time!

Oh my goodness, are we lucky or what? Greg and I are enjoying a historic time here in Oregon. The hottest temperatures on record. But we are having a wonderful time sweating together. My Mom and Dad live in a house that was built in 1890 and of course has been built onto and remodeled over the years, but they don't have AC. So there is a constant hum of fans throughout the house. Yesterday it was 104. Today is supposed to be even warmer. Yipee. It reminds them of Africa.

I have been feeling great this week!!! Mom's cooking sure helps! Last night my brother, Robert, and his kids had dinner with us. They are growing up. Crazy. I really enjoyed seeing them.

I went with Mom to her mammogram appointment yesterday. It was so great to sit in a waiting room and be waiting for someone else. So many people have done that for me. Then we went out to a nummy Chinese lunch. Following that, we went to my favorite place, Costco! You guys must think I'm a little looney because I always talk about the highlight of my day being a trip to Costco. But it's true. But yesterday it was extra-special because I was at my favorite place with Mom!

This afternoon Greg and I plan to go to Dallas to visit his Mom and his brother. It will be good to see them. His Mom lives in a sort of foster home for older people. His brother, Randy, had cancer last year and is doing very well. We have a lot to talk about!

Jake is driving across the country from Nashville to CDA this week. He left yesterday. Would you pray for his safety? Thank you.

I have the feeling people are praying for me this week. God has given me so much strength and I've been able to do so much more than sit on a couch and watch the food channel. Thank you so much for thinking about us this week. I love you and I'm thankful for you. Love, Julie

Adventures

It's sad in my house without Janice, Abbie, and Zoë. But Emily and her kids are here today and Em is doing her magic on my house while the kids are playing.

I had some fun adventures with Janice and Abbie. I know Abbie wants me to tell you about my Target adventure. Okay, you must understand that I am getting so much better at driving around the little electric carts. I haven't bumped into anyone or anything in a long time. So we were at Target and I was excited because my eyelashes are long enough to wear mascara again. So Janice was telling me which isle to go to. There was a really cool display of a new kind of mascara on the end of the isle and I was looking at it while I was turning and you guessed it...I missed the isle and banged into the display. It seemed like things were flying everywhere and falling apart. I looked at Abbie and said "That wasn't a bump, it was a CRASH!" It wasn't as bad as we thought. Things went back together easily. But it sure was embarassing.

While Janice was here we also went to Costco where I didn't bump into anything.

Greg and I are planning to go to Oregon tomorrow and I can hardly wait! It will be so great to be at Mom and Dad's and enjoy their garden and beautiful flowers.

Hope you are having a good weekend. I am so grateful for your prayers. Love, Julie

Zoë and the Russells

Adam, Matthew and Hannah are getting acquainted with Zoë!

New Look...

How do you like the new look of my blog? Abbie, my little techie wizard niece, is here and she helped me change it. She also taught my how to put the little dots over the e in Zoë. I feel so smart now. It's been so wonderful to have Janice, Abbie, and the baby here. There is something amazingly sweet and relaxing about holding a tiny baby.

I was so happy to get my chemo fanny pack off yesterday! This kind of chemo has to enter my blood stream very slowly so I have to wear a fanny pack that contains the chemo drug and a little machine that controls it for four days. So I was wearing my little "friend, Fanny"from Friday till yesterday. I have three more radiation treatments and those are daily. So I've been feeling like a pretty regular customer at the Cancer Center this last two weeks. It's been so great to have Janice take me to all my appointments. She's been so patient.

And it's been wonderful to have really good dinners every evening with Janice as the chef and Abbie as her assistant. Food is tasting mighty good this week!

Yesterday afternoon we went to T.J. Maxx. I love going there because you never know exactly what you're going to find. All three of us managed to find some things we couldn't live without. I don't know what adventures we'll have today!

Every day I am thankful for so many things. I continue to be so thankful for all of you who faithfully pray for us. I am so blessed to have so much love and support from so many people.

"The joy of the Lord is my strength."

Love, Julie

Waiting anxiously...

I'm waiting anxiously for Janice and Abbie and little Zoe to arrive! They should be driving up any minute.

Yesterday I had tons of energy and did four loads of laundry, went out to lunch with Emily (after she did her cleaning magic in my house!), and last night Greg and I decided we'd go out to dinner to celebrate our 34th anniversary. Our anniversary is actually Monday, but I was feeling so good and we'll have company tomorrow--we decided to celebrate a couple of days early. It was great.

Today I've been a little tired so I've been resting up for the arrival of my company. My friend Lana brought over some pizzas from Papa Murphy's so dinner is taken care of. She's so thoughtful. Hope you've had a great weekend. I am so grateful for your love and prayers.

Love, Julie

Grandchildren Heaven

Betsy and Cam and the boys got here Tuesday evening and we're enjoying a great visit. Cam had to come to Spokane for a work-related event so the whole family got to come! Last night Cam and Bets had a company dinner and concert to attend and they spent the night in Spokane so we got to have Sebastian and Julian overnight. Greg and I have been a good team and Hannah and Adam spent the night too and they've been very helpful. Both Hannah and Adam are patient with their little cousins and their cousins adore them. I love having the chance to really bond with Sebastian and Julian and I love watching them play with their cousins. Life is good.

Yesterday Betsy took me to radiation and she got to come in with me and watch them get me ready and set up. Now she's met the nice people who work in radiation and she knows what the machines and crazy equipment looks like.

Hope you're having a great summer week. Thanks for your prayers! Love, Julie

Wonderful Weekend

It has been just so great to have Carolyn here since Thursday afternoon and I will miss her when she has to go home to Billings tomorrow. I asked Rob if she could just stay here but he wants her back. Her kids miss her too. She's such a fun person and so full of energy--it's contagious. And she's a wonderful cook too. I think I've gained some weight this weekend as a result of Carolyn's cooking and feeling better. Maybe I'm feeling better because of Carolyn's good cooking! We didn't go shopping at all except for groceries--we've just spent lots of our time visiting and that's been good.

Liz and her kids got to spend the night last night. It was great to have her and Emma and Evan around. They came for Adam's party. It was great to share time with two of my sisters! Yipee! And Janice is coming the 19th with Abbie and Zoe. The sister fun will continue...

And Betsy and Cam and the boys will be here for a couple of days in the middle of the week. I can hardly wait to hug Sebastian and Julian. Little sweeties.

The secretary at Hayden Meadows sent me the name plate that had been on the wall by my classroom door all year and it made me so sad! "Julie Johnson" was their music teacher and I never even got to meet all those children. The reality hits me every once in awhile that I won't be teaching this fall. It's so hard to leave that part of my life behind.

Tomorrow I will have my first out of ten radiation treatments and I'm so excited about being able to breathe better! I had to be remeasured and get new tatoos and it's kind of a complicated process. It seemed like the lady who did those things to me on Friday just loved drawing on me. I had big and little circles and funny lines all over my chest.

Thank you so much for your love and prayers. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful and caring people. Love, Julie

So many changes in one day!

Okay, we are not going to Oregon this week. But we are not bummed because I got a call from the radiation doctor's office yesterday and they asked me to come this morning and get started on a round of radiation treatments. Dr. Tezcan met with Dr. Davenport after my appointment on Monday and they determined that I could have more radiation treatments to shrink that dumb old tumor again that keeps growing and blocking my airway. I am so excited to be able to breathe without coughing and wheezing and to do normal activities without feeling like I just ran a marathon. And I am looking forward to going to Oregon later this summer. Maybe the corn will be ripe then. Right, Mom?

I feel good today. Like I'm finally coming out of that foggy feeling I've had since last Thursday. And I've had lots more energy today. Yipee!

My good friend, Lana, came yesterday evening carrying a big box of ingredients and she made dinner for Greg and me! Mmmm. A delicious vegetable beef stir-fry. Her husband is out of town so she ate with us and we had such a great visit. She even brough homemade brownies and ice cream for dessert. I always feel better after visiting with Lana.

And more great news! Carolyn is going to come tomorrow and stay till Monday! I'm feeling so good--maybe I can talk her into doing some shopping with me. That would be so fun!

And now that we're not going to Oregon, we won't miss Adam's official birthday party. We already celebrated with him because we thought we were going to be gone--but we're going to be able to go on Saturday for the Batman Party. And Liz and her kids are coming for the party and then they'll spend the night here. So it will be a two-sister weekend. God is good. It's amazing how yesterday I felt so sad about not going to Oregon--but now our lives will be so full this weekend. God is so good.

Greg and I are going through the book, Experiencing God, and the emphasis in the lesson the other day was on how God leads us--but He doesn't give us any details about the journey ahead of time. What a great reminder to all of us to live one day at a time and not worry about tomorrow. He gives us what we need each day. Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

Mystery solved!

The mystery of why I've been feeling so tired and lousy is solved. The doctor told me it was from the new chemo I started last month. I was used to feeling lousy for a couple of days right after chemo, and then snapping back. But Dr. T explained that this chemo is different and the side affects hit much later. And they are not fun. We're hoping that with one more day of rest, I'll feel like traveling to Oregon. So we're not planning to leave till Wednesday.

We had a great time visiting with my Uncle Wayne and Aunt Winona today. They are traveling from Minnesota to Oregon and stopping to visit relatives and friends along the way. They are so interested in our lives and our children's lives. When I was three years old I was one of the flower girls at their wedding.

I am so thankful for my family and friends and thankful for all your calls lately. Thank you, most of all, for your prayers. Love, Julie

Hoping to go to Oregon

We will take Jake to the airport Tuesday morning and instead of coming home to a quiet house, we plan to drive on to Oregon to my Mom and Dad's for a few days. I just have to feel better! I have continued to feel a little better every day...but I still don't feel up to going on a trip. I need to pray.

It's been so great to have Jake around. He's considering moving back to CDA at the end of the month and that would make me so happy! He might finish his degree then. Good plan.

Thank you for your prayers. I'm so grateful for your support. Love, Julie

Good days--Bad days

BAD DAY:
Yesterday was a bad day. I had trouble breathing and had a fever and that was concerning to me. But I called the Cancer Center and talked to one of my favorite nurses and she said I needed to give myself permission to have a bad day once in awhile. She said I need to be concerned when I have a week of bad days. That was reassuring. But they also prescribed some powerful antibiotics I can take if Tylenol doesn't control my fever. But today has been better. Still don't feel great, but no fever. Okay the health report is over!

GOOD DAY:
Today is Adam's 8th birthday. Greg and I got him a guitar and he loves it! Actually Jake shopped for it yesterday and I think Jake is as excited as Adam. He taught him three chords already this afternoon. Adam is a very musical person and I think he'll really enjoy playing the guitar.

Jake went to a 10th CDA HS Reunion gathering this evening with his friend, Julie. They were bummed because both of them really made an effort to come to the reunion but none of their best friends from high school are going. At least they have each other to hang out with.

We don't have any big plans for the 4th. Emily's family is going camping at the Russell Reunion at Spirit Lake this weekend. We may go to a BBQ tomorrow afternoon.

Happy 4th of July! I appreciate your prayers. Love, Julie

Happy Birthday Jake and sorry I forgot you, Jerry!

It's Jake's 28th birthday today and I'm so glad he's here in Coeur d' Alene to celebrate with us. (But I feel just awful that I forgot your birthday, Jerry. I thought of it as I was going to sleep last night at 11:00 and I thought about sending you a message but it would have been late anyway because you're an hour ahead of us.) We are real party animals around here--we'll probably go out to dinner then have cake and ice cream at the Russell's. Jake is shopping for his own present right now as I'm typing this. Pretty lame.

Yesterday was full of fun and excitement. I went with Emily and her kids and Jake to Micky D's for lunch--Matthew's favorite--then we went to Target and finally to Costco. I had fun riding the little scooters at Target and Costco and I'm getting pretty good at not running over people. I only knocked over a couple of items and pushed a big display of t-shirts out of place.

My friend, Roxy, has been the librarian at Fernan forever and she is retiring from the school district so I went with my friend, Sherma, to a party. It was great to see so many Fernan friends and to enjoy Polli's beautiful yard. I didn't cough very much at all at the party!

Susan, Dr. T's assistant, was so encouraging and great to talk to on Monday. I didn't ask her anything concerning my treatment because I could tell right away that her job was to explain the results of the morning's blood tests. And they were great! They were expecting that I might have to have a blood transfusion or an I-V of magnesium, but my test results were good! When I see Dr. Tezcan on July 6 I can ask him questions about my treatment.

I am enjoying the beautiful sun and breeze today and I made myself a delicious salad for lunch with lettuce and radishes from my friend, Carol's, garden. Life is good.

Thank you for continuing to pray for me and for my family. This is not an easy time and I'm so thankful for having such a loving family and caring friends. I appreciate you all and thank God for your faithfulness. Love, Julie

Back home in Coeur d' Alene

Oh brother! Sorry I kept hitting the wrong key as I tried to get started on this blog. I wish Abbie was here to show me how to delete things like that!

My goodness! We got home at 9:45 or so last night from our dream vacation at the Oregon Coast. It's great to be home but I'm sad that it's over. I'm sorry that Jerry and my Billings sisters didn't get to come because our planning was so last minute. But I got to see my other four siblings and Mom and Dad too.

Thank you, Dad! Mom and Dad have hardly been apart, even for a night, in their almost 59 years of marriage. But Dad went home with Robert and Easton on Thursday and Mom got to stay and go home with Darrel and Kathy on Saturday. It was so great to have Mom there to make sure I was eating and resting and taking care of myself. She really spoiled me. I guess we never stop being our Mom and Dad's children, do we? It was hard to say goodbye yesterday.

A real surprise and one of the best highlights of the week was that four of my cousins came to visit on Friday. Lauri had called and said she was coming, but it was so amazing to get to visit with all three of her sisters too! I have had a special bond with them my whole life because our mothers were twins and we shared so much of our childhood. They feel more like sisters to me than cousins. There is a picture of all four of them with my brother Darrel, sister Liz and me.

I am so thankful for the past week. We stayed in a beautiful home, God gave us lots of sunny weather, and we shared so many wonderful times with loved ones.

Tomorrow I will meet with Dr. T's assistant, Susan, who I really feel comfortable with and like, and she might be able to assess whether last week's chemo is having an effect. I am praying that the chemo is winning against the creepy cancer cells yet having confidence that God is in control.
Thank you so much for your prayers. I have never been depressed, I've never felt consumed by cancer--I know these are answers to your prayers and I'm so grateful. Love, Julie

Back home in Coeur d' Alene

Dream Vacation

Yes, I'm sitting here by a fireplace in a beautiful home by the Oregon Coast. I can see the ocean from where I'm sitting and it's so peaceful. Weather at the Oregon Coast is so unpredictable and even when it's stormy, it's beautiful--but we have been blessed with lots of sun these past few days.

One little blip in my perfect week was that this new chemo is actually spread over exactly four days and I started it on Friday. I carried it around in a fanny pack. My little four-day friend. So I had to return to the Cancer Center Tuesday at exactly 11:45 a.m. so they could take it out and then I had another chemo drug in an I-V. Jake (my good unselfish son with a lead foot) volunteered to drive me back and forth so that's what we did. I think the trip was a little less than 500 miles and we made amazing time. We left Coeur d' Alene at 2:45 and drove into the driveway at this house at 10:00 p.m.

Sunday was a special day because Betsy and Cam and the boys came from Cannon Beach where they were camping and met us at Rockaway at a great beach! There were hardly any people on the beach and it was a wonderful sunny, not windy day. It was so fun to watch the kids play in the sand. To see all five of my grandchildren playing on the beach. One of my favorite things was watching Uncle Jake with Matthew in one hand and Sebastian in the other--all three of them laughing while they jumped waves and then ran back.

Betsy and Cam had to go back to Seattle Sunday evening and Emily and Nick left yesterday. It's so quiet with no little children in the house. But Liz is coming today with her kids! And Mom and Dad and Robert are planning to come. So it won't be quiet for long!

Greg just told me something so cool that his assistant, L.J. told him. She just reminded us that Dr. Tezcan and the other doctors are physicians with knowledge and experience. But I have the Great Physician to depend on! My Creator who knows me and loves me more than I can imagine. And my life is in His hands. That's so comforting!

Thank you for your love and your prayers. Please pray that this new chemo combination will shrink my tumors! Thank you! Love, Julie

Catching you up...

The past few days have been challenging and I'll catch you up on the latest...

I had a cat scan on Monday and because I've been coughing, wheezing, and running out of breath, I expected that the darn old pneumonia was still bugging me. But it wasn't pneumonia. We met with the doctor Tuesday and he told us that the good news is the blood clot is gone. But the bad news is that the tumors are growing again. The symptoms are back because my airway is getting blocked. He was very kind but he explained some very tough realities. He has already used all the statistically most effective chemo drugs to fight the cancer. What we're left with is deciding between three not very cool options:
1.stop treatment
2. take part in a phase 1 clinical trial at a university in Seattle or Portland (this sounded like a good idea until he explained what it involved and the risks...) 3. try another chemo drug that hasn't proved to be as effective statistically, but has worked with some people
We decided on option #3 and I'll start with this new drug tomorrow. If my symptoms start to improve, we will know that this drug is working.

Greg and I have been feeling like we did that first week I was diagnosed almost a year ago. It was so disappointing and shocking and difficult to process. I am not afriad of what's ahead and I know that the Lord has me in His loving hands. But it's still hard.

But this weekend we are going to the Oregon Coast for a week and we'll be enjoying lots of family. I am so excited about this trip! Jake is coming from Nashville, Besty and Cam will be camping not too far from where we'll be staying, and the Russells will get to go for a few days. We've also let my brothers and sisters know so if it works out, maybe some of them can come for a few days.

Thank you for continuing to pray for us. We love you and are so thankful for you. Love, Julie

Can it be Wednesday already?

This week is flying by! Busy, busy. We had a short but great visit with Tim, Mika, and Elijah. Tim has to teach till June 17 because of making up four snow days. Whew. It's so fun to talk to him about teaching. He gets so excited when he talks about it. They are such conscientious parents! And they just love toys that make lots of noise in case you were thinking about giving Elijah a gift. Just kidding. Elijah is a sweet boy and it was so fun to watch him play with my dog, Boris. And one more thing, Elijah can read lots of words!

Mom and Dad came Saturday night and left Sunday morning. They were on their way back home from Amanda's graduation in Billings. They are amazing.

I went to Dr. Denny, my family doctor, this morning for my "yearly" check-up. The really fun one. I'm in great health except for stupid cancer.

Jake is coming from Nashville for a week at the beginning of July. He'll be able to go to his 10th high school reunion and celebrate his 28th birthday with us! Hurray!

I felt great today! Yesterday I had to go to get an I-V of magnesium and this time I really noticed a difference in how I felt before and after the magnesium. Dr. Denny told me that low magnesium causes muscle weakness and now I understand why I was feeling so lousy and tired before--and why I feel like my old self today!

Thank you for your love and friendship and prayers. Love, Julie

Surprise, surprise!

My brother, Tim, called me this morning and he and Mika and Elijah are coming for the weekend! He tried so hard to come to visit during his Spring Break, but Mika was sick. It will be so nice to see them and have them all to myself. Elijah is 3 1/2 years old already.

I'm a little tired today so I'll just rest up before my company comes.

It was Hannah and Adam's last day of school yesterday and they could go home after lunch if someone came for them. Adam told me he wanted to spend the whole day at school, but Hannah was excited to have me pick her up. So I got a burrito at Taco Bell for her and sat outside with her while she ate. I brought her to my house--but before we got home we did a little shopping at Target. It was really fun. Hannah's last day of elementary school.

Hope you have a good weekend. Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

Finally wrote it...

This evening I finally wrote my official retirement letter to the school district. It isn't a surprise to them of course, but writing the letter was a formality I had to take care of and I've been procrastinating for several months. I've enjoyed many years of teaching music for the Coeur d' Alene School District and it's still hard to think that I'm really not going back.

Yesterday was a long day of chemo. But I had my favorite nurse and I had my new bag that Kathy made filled with lots of things to occupy my time. My nurse gave me the option of having a good chair or a little room with a hospital bed...I chose the bed and it was so comfortable!

It's been very quiet today. No chemo, no company. But Greg surprised me and came home to eat lunch! And I feel pretty good, just tired.

Thank you for your friendship and prayers. I love reading the comments you write. You are so encouraging to me. Love, Julie

And the fun never stops...

What an amazing week this has been! Starting with Darrel and Kathy, then Mom and Dad and my very cool Retirement Party at Lana's house, and now Betsy and Cam and Sebastian and Julian are here. The weather is beautiful and we're having a wonderful time.

Last night I felt like I was in Grandma Heaven as I watched all five of my grandchildren running and playing in our backyard. The cousins love each other and I love having them at my house.

I loved my Retirement Party. Tons of people from Fernan were there and lots of people I worked with in the past. There were even some parents and two boys who are now finishing 6th grade performed for me. Trey played the piano so well while Colby sang. It made me so proud! And I totally enjoyed the teacher's white-glove performance of a rewrite of one of my good old favorites, "Dancing on the Rooftop". It was almost overwhelming that so many people came. Their kindness and generosity was humbling.

I'm enjoying these last days before I have chemo again. I feel so good and I have so much energy. Then it will be back to the sleepy sicky days after chemo on Monday. But I'm so thankful that the treatment is causing the tumors to shrink. It's worth a few sicky days.

Thank you so much for your love and prayers. Love, Julie

Thank you friends & colleagues!

THANK YOU!

I want to thank you very much for being such a great friend and colleague to Julie over the years. Your cards, calls, meals & visits (as well as notes from the students) have been powerful medicine for her. I know she was deeply touched by you at her wonderful retirement party. I almost lost it when Colby & Trey performed “You had a Bad Day,” but I couldn’t stop grinning when the ensemble did their rendition of “Dancing on the Roof Top.” So, here is a short story that best conveys how I feel about you being there for Julie.

When Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ²So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. ⁴Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. ⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
⁶Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
⁸Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? ⁹Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? ¹⁰But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, ¹¹"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." ¹²He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" Mark 2: 1-12

You have been like these four who brought their stricken friend to Jesus. Your prayers to the Lord totally lift Julie up and she is supported by your faith that God will see her through. This is evident because cancer has never been able to stop her from loving other’s well. She said that God’s love keeps her from being consumed by this illness or its treatment.

Again, thank you for your love & prayers!
Love, Greg

Eventful Weekend!

It was a fun and busy and eventful weekend! We had such a great time with Kathy and Darrel. We had a BBQ with the Russells, Darrel and Greg went to two movies, Kathy and I had lots of great visiting time and she patiently reviewed crocheting 101 with me. I'm making a scarf! Darrel and Kathy took us out to Red Lobster to celebrate my retirement. I got to go to church! And Kathy and I designed, and she made, a very cool bag for me. And somehow Darrel was able to sneak in some time to work on his doctoral disortation. He's amazing.

I'm very excited about my Retirement Party tomorrow afternoon. And I'm so glad that Mom and Dad are going to be able to be there.

This morning I was scheduled to have an I-V of magnesium and it was supposed to take about two hours. But things ended up taking such a long time today! I got home from my 8:30 appointment at 1:45. I was going to write about why it took so long. But it's really not that interesting.

I appreciate your prayers and concern for me and for Greg. Please know that we both feel so supported by our family and many friends. Love, Julie

Harry Potter

I'm just a little behind the times I guess...but the first Harry Potter book came out in 1997 and I'm reading it now. Fantasy books aren't usually my favorite, but I'm enjoying it. Historical fiction is my favorite.

You probably figured out that if the most exciting thing I had to write about was that I was reading Harry Potter, I'm having trouble figuring out what to write about today. My life hasn't been very exciting this week. Chemo on Monday, felt good on Tuesday, felt lousy on Wednesday, feel good today. That pretty much sums it up.

Here are some things I'm looking forward to: *Julie Powell is coming in a few minutes and we're going to have lunch. She's a great friend and fellow music teacher. She'll catch me up on all the music teacher news. *Tomorrow morning Emily is coming over and we're going to plant flowers! *Darrel and Kathy are coming tomorrow and I can hardly wait to see them. We'll share grandchildren stories and have a good time together. *Next weekend Betsy and Cam and the boys plan to come to visit. I am so anxious for that! *My friend, Lana, is planning and hosting a retirement party for me that will take place at her house next week. Mom and Dad will be able to be there and it will be wonderful to see people I've worked with. But a little bit sad too.

Thank you for praying for us. I'm so thankful for my family and friends. I feel so blessed. Love, Julie

Exciting news...

I'm excited that Darrel and Kathy plan to come to visit Memorial Day Weekend! We always have so much fun with them and they might even bring their puppy, Charlie Brown. So Boris is excited too. But I'm afraid I'll be disappointing my very patient crocheting teacher, Kathy. I finished the pot holder I started when she was here. But I didn't even start another project and now I've forgotten how to crochet. I have to start all over again. Sorry Kathy.

Another exciting thing is that when we went shopping the other day, I bought hair care products for myself! I actually have some hair now. It's so weird because my eyelashes are falling out again, but I still have hair on my head.

I had to go to the Cancer Center yesterday to get an I-V of magnesium. I didn't get a good chair, but that was okay because I only had to be there about 2 hours. I've been there so frequently that the staff at the C.C. feel like my friends now. All of them are such caring people and I'm enjoying getting to know them.

Thank you for your prayers. Love, Julie

Pretty Good News

We met with Dr. Tezcan this afternoon at 5:30 and he showed us the cat scan I had yesterday and was able to compare it with the one I had a month ago. The great news is that my shortness of breath and cough is not a result of the blood clot growing. It's smaller than it was a month ago. And the tumors are the same or smaller. So he doesn't think the symptoms are a result of cancer either. The doctor pointed out an area in the lower part of my left lung that looks much different than it did a month ago. It is cloudy and gunky looking. He said it looks like pnemonia and he prescribed some medication and told me to try to breathe deeply so I can try to get it to break up. We are so relieved that what's causing my cough etc. is treatable! So I'm saying it's "pretty good news" because it's wonderful that it isn't the cancer or blood clots...but it seems so strange to be thankful that it's just pnemonia. I'm looking forward to getting well!

Thank you so much for your prayers. I appreciate your faithfulness and love.
Love, Julie

Happy Mother's Day

It was a great day! Greg and I went to the Russell's for a BBQ to celebrate Mother's Day. We had chicken, corn on the cob, watermelon...it was like a summer BBQ menu. And it was a beautiful warm sunny day. So nice.

And I'm feeling pretty good! I feel like I'm coughing less and not so out of breath. I hope that means the blod clot is smaller. That would be so cool. Thank you for your prayers!

I have a cat scan tomorrow and I meet with Dr. T on Tuesday afternoon to find out the results. I'll let you know about the results--we're expecting good news. I appreciate your love and prayers. Love, Julie

That's it, Liz!

Just another manic Monday...yes, that's it! I can't believe you figured it out, Liz. You are brilliant with that 80's music for sure. Just another chemo Monday...

I feel good today! After three days of feeling lousy and not having an appetite, it is great to have a little energy today. But my coughing and running out of breath is really making me mad this week. I'm pretty sure it's the stupid blood clot in my lung that is causing the annoying symptoms. I have a cat scan on Monday so Dr. T will be able to see what's going on. I would sure appreciate your prayers about this blood clot situation. Thanks. It's so good to know that no matter what, God is always in control.

I hope you all have a good weekend. Happy Mother's Day. Thanks for your prayers.
Love, Julie

Yesterday was chemo day

Just another chemo Monday...there's a tune running through my head as I think of that line...just another chemo Monday...but I can't think of what it is. Can you figure it out, Jerry?

It actually was a pretty good day, except I had to have an extra I-V of magnesium which made the time longer that I had to stay in the Cancer Center. But I'm beginning to feel like they are spoiling me! Yesterday I had a good chair again! So from 8:00-3:00 I sat in a reclining, heated, massage chair. I read my book, did my daily newspaper puzzle and read the paper, listened to my Pride and Prejudice CD, had a nummy lunch that Greg brought me from Schlotksy's, talked on the phone, and took several naps. Not too different from most of my days at home! Getting well is a lot of work!

It was great to have Steve, Luke and Mary Strutz spend the night Saturday. Steve and Luke had gone to Oregon to George Fox College to pick up Mary. She's now home for the summer in Billings. Our little Mary is finished with her freshman year. Wow. We had a very nice visit.

Bethany, Mary's sister, is also a student at George Fox and she is leaving today with a group from her school to study in Africa. They will go to Rwanda and Uganda. We are praying for her health and safety. I hope to see her and hear all about her trip before she heads back to Billings for the rest of the summer. It's so great to be a pit-stop for my Billings relatives when they travel between Montana and Oregon.

My tummy is upset today. I'm so thankful for anti-nausea medicine. Hopefully I'll be able to face food pretty soon.

Thank you for your faithful prayers. I feel so humbled by your love. Love, Julie