In the last week a lot has happened…I enjoy going back to look at the Homecoming pics and feeling good.  I am very thankful for how I’m feeling right now.

We are still being blessed by wonderful people who bring us food or make sure this crazy brain lady has food for all of us – through the blessing of others.  It is such a blessing that we don’t deserve, but so many of you are using the opportunity to be Christ to our family and we see Him in you.  Thank you.   Try this bbq if you haven’t yet…it’s good stuff!

I am very thankful for the memories that are just being poured on as we see people and I watch those around me, like my kids, doing different things.  Time is flying by.  We were very blessed to be able to have a very busy, cold and wet weekend last week!  It was fun to go to the Pep Rally for football, watch Garrett play and see one of my teacher friends wearing my shirt at the rally.  EVERYTIME….EVERYTIME I see someone wearing my shirt or bracelets, I smile and I know it’s a way for the Lord to remind me and tell me, “I’m here.  I’m doing something.  Be still and smile.  I am with you.”  He has reminded me so many times.  I pray the message of the shirt that HE is HOPE and when we have Him, we are a WARRIOR no matter what we face or what’s going on.

But, we got to celebrate before all of that even started.  It was Garrett’s 18th birthday and Scott and Nathan stayed home to celebrate with him and his friends.  The girls missed it because of a soccer tourney.  Abbey and Ashton  left early with another soccer family but still sent us a picture while they ate David’s Burgers on there way to St. Louis.  We were going there for a soccer College Identification camp.

I didn’t leave with the girls because I wanted to stay and celebrate Senior Night with Garrett at the football game.  Cannot believe it.  I love that he will still hug me in public and doesn’t care what people say or do.  He is so hungry to follow the Lord and to lead others and follow older people who are willing to invest in him.  Can he really be a senior????

I was also blessed that night after I said Goodbye to Garrett so we could leave for St. Louis, to see Brandy Hansberry.  She and I worked together for years when I was in student ministry and she was at the same church doing Children’s Ministry.  We haven’t seen each other for years and I was hoping to see her because her son plays football for the team we were paying, but as I walked out the gate I was sad that we wouldn’t see each other… until… there she was!  What a blessing.

My mother-in-law, Ann drove us halfway and then on to St. Louis.  The Lord blessed us with good traffic and getting to the games plenty early.  We had some crazy weather for a couple days.  It was a blessing to see the girls play.  Before the first game even started… I heard a voice that happened to be my cousin Tim yelling for “Nicole Peterson….”  Ha!  What a sweet little gift to see my two cousin’s families at my game.  It was cool, but best game weather wise.  Abbey is heading and Ashton is going to shoot and score in that picture.

Was Excited to see a bunch of my shirts again.  Don’t always get to see my extended family.  So it was a huge blessing to have them come up for the game and lunch.  They live in Peoria, IL so not too terrible from St. Louis, but still a drive for them.  Very thankful for the hugs and encouragement.

On our way home we got to see Scott’s side of the family about halfway home.  Thankful that Bonnie, Ron, Karen and Frank were able to come and visit us at…wait for it….McDonalds! When you hit small towns and want to be near the interstate…your choices are limited.  So good to see them there. And….the shirts!

I have been blessed with so many things.  So many special people who continue to care for me and encourage me as I battle.  I’ve got friends and family who do research on what I should eat and what will help me.  And listen…. I’ll try anything.  It’s been fun.  Carrots are supposed to be healthier for cancer so I have been blessed by Nikki Funk who picks up drinks for me while gone or Trish Humphry who makes me drinks so have to give me energy.  Couldn’t do all I’m doing without the extra vitamins.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord HIMSELF, is the Rock (sunlight) eternal.” Isaiah 26:3-4

As we drove this weekend, we went from battling rain, foggy skies and then the rays of sun getting a chance to burst through the clouds. When I think about these pictures and all that we saw and went through,  weather wise…. it reminded me of our lives…. and the joyous life we get to live when we choose to live with Christ in the center.

There are so many times we would love to just sit in the sun and everything is perfect, just the way we want it.  Temp isn’t too high, no chance for rain and the sun just baking on us as a gift.  But, we don’t live that way.

I can remember before my diagnosis, I would’ve been considered a healthy person, with nothing at all to go to doctor for.  I’d go to the doctor for check-ups or for the flu and it was the only thing going on with me.  I was healthy.  The sun was out and I was living life volunteering and “doing” for others…. and I loved it.  And then one day the rain and storms came in…. the deal is I can either choose to live in the storms or I can choose to pass through the storms while focused on the sun (Son) and living with Him.

There are days I admit I’m in the fog.  While in the fog I talk to the Lord and really pour my heart to him.  As I do that, He begins to lift the fog so I can see the road he has for me a head.  I can’t see the end.  I don’t know how or where He will take me.  But, I can choose.  I can choose to allow Him to lead me and to care for me or I can focus on the storms and get to where I feel lost in the fog.  God is too good for that.  He has been good to bring me students to share Jesus with, His love and His Truth and they ask me and want to know.  Listen these kids know I’m not living in the perfect sunshine… according to the world… but, they don’t see me living in the fog and stuck living in the storms, no matter what I have going on.  They see me trusting and living and most want to know HOW.  It’s the Lord.  Everyday the Lord gives me a ray of sunshine to smile about and be amazed by.  Don’t let complete sunshine keep you from chasing after the Lord and don’t let heavy storms keep you from chasing after the Lord.  Life without the Lord isn’t the same as life with Him.  He makes a difference…. He is life.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

 

Continue to pray that tumors are destroyed and not active in their desire to grow and move in my brain.

Pray that I will have continued and extended strength as I continue on my chemo until June.  

Pray for me to have more opportunities to share Jesus with others

Thank you #hopewarrior

 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south…..Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”  Psalm 107:1-3, 8&9

 

Even though we get great days, the week is always crazy?  Right?  Those of you with teens know how crazy life gets!  Obviously the craziness usually revolves around the kids and what they have going on.  Scott is still busy with Razorback games so we don’t get to see him or hangout with him as much as we would like on the weekends.  But, we have been blessed to have Scott’s mom and dad here helping us out and making sure we get everyone where they need to be.

Last week I showed you guys the pictures of HomeComing Week.  It was craziness.  Garrett was tired being involved in a lot of it and the girls were busy enjoying it. But, hanging out with friends during it is always fun.  The girls loved having their friends over to our house and getting pedicures in the morning.  Course Garrett waits until right before it’s time to leave before he’s dressed and ready!

 

As Scott had to go to the Razorback game, the rest of us drove around town to take pictures and to eat dinner.  The girls have a great group of friends and some of them had dates and some of them didn’t.  But, they are all good friends.

Nathan sort of had fun.  He loved talking to the other moms around and was really happy that we were catching a quick bite with a few of the moms while we waited to pick the girls up after they ate.  Garrett was hanging out with his friends and he got home really late.  But, his friends are all solid and have a great time when they hangout together.

Nathan had the opportunity on Friday to carry the “game” ball out for the high school game.  It was pouring – pouring outside.  Everyone was super wet.  Nathan ended up really enjoying it after he was not excited about it for a couple weeks.  He did really great and I was proud that he was asking questions so he would do it right.   Don’t know if it could’ve been wrong!

We’ve started selling these signs to help raise some money for the high school team.  The girls are enjoying the fact that they have a bit more free time when they only have soccer to focus on.  It’s amazing though, I have no idea how we did it last year!

I always love seeing the girls wearing their Hope Warrior shirts.  Sometimes it’s practice, sometimes to school or just around.   It makes me smile and helps me focus more.

The girls are super excited to get their letterman jackets!  I’m thankful because I guess the girl’s team hasn’t gotten them lately.  That makes me a bit sad.  Hoping they fit great and they have pride wearing them.  I also got more bracelets!  So excited.  I’m praying people will be excited to wear them and remember that they are representing the Lord and me as we wear them.  It’s a great way to remember that people are praying for me and focused on helping me feel great!

I wrote at the top of this Blessings and Prayers.  I am thankful…. so thankful for all of the Blessings that I have been given from the Lord and from others around me.  People who send me text messages, cards and more.  I know how busy you are and every little thing has blessed me a lot.  There are so many days where I have to remind myself that I’m “sickish” and that the Lord has picked my life to say something-I do not need to live wondering or down about it.  Yes, I would rather just not have dr appts and remembering medication – when I sometimes forget and everything.  Life was so easy just coaching and running myself and being with people I love.  But, the Lord isn’t surprised by what I’m going through and He also has control of it.  I just need to trust him and remember, that He is loving and He chose this suffering for me right now.  No suffering I will ever endure will ever be close to what Jesus went through to go on the cross for me.  And I am so thankful that He did that for me so I can be with Him one day.

As I begin to get ready for school each day and I spend time in the Word and in prayer, I’m always a bit sad.  Sad, because the amount of time I would like to spend, and the focus is less than what it was this summer.  Obviously!  I had more time and minutes to do what I wanted and where the Lord led me.  Right now I’m really praying that I will spend time asking the Lord to help me see more time to spend together so that I will not lose my focus or drive on the Lord.  He desires for me to spend time with Him and growing to TRUST and LOVE him more and more.  I cannot let my circumstances dictate how I feel or how I live.  But, I know I need the Lord to guide me and show me, so that I will never depend on myself going forward.

Please continue to pray these things for me.  I truly want to be a follower of Christ that does and lives how he has said.  I do not want anything around me to hinder the message of the gospel.  There are people who  need Jesus and I want them to see Him through me.  If what I do is honoring to the Lord, then let it encourage others – let the Lord be known!

Pray that my MRI I am having tomorrow (Thursday) shows the cancer clearing up and almost gone and that the chemo pill I’m taking will be ok on my stomach and my energy.  I am finally feeling more energetic and of course there’s a million things I want to be doing and not having the energy is hard for me.

Pray for continual opportunities to share Jesus with others.  He has been so good to allow me to testify and love others.  He has been so good to me.

Blessings! #hopewarrior

 

What a great memory!  The girls and Garrett with my youngest brother Andrew.  Life used to be so simple.  We talked about nap time, snacks and diapers.  Now life is getting ready for college and complex life!  Ha!

It’s hard to believe that Garrett is a senior already.  It’s been a crazy month of – turn this in, do this, pay for this ect.  It makes it harder because I don’t trust my memory – it’s not 100% so I’m always praying, asking Scott, my mother-in-law and my notes will get us to where we need to be.  He’s been busy working at Chick-fil-a and keeping up with what goes on at school.  He loves being at church and everyone who is in the ministry with him.  Hard to believe he will be heading to college next year!  Still waiting to finalize that.  We are celebrating Homecoming this week and in the second picture….Garrett is set up as Mr. Rogers…was supposed to be someone you enjoyed as a kid.

Abbey and Ashton are busy as 10th graders.  They love life!  They have been busy with their high school and club team.  Course I am coaching both of them, but I love them and the girls on their team.  We are planning to head to St.Louis in a few weeks for a tourney.  There has been so much rain it’s been crazy to practice and play.  It’s been really hard!

The girls are always super busy with friends and creating memories.  It’s a new day everyday.  We are thankful they have good friends and spend time with them.  They are doing good in classes and just love spending time worshiping the Lord – especially in the car…even when they are driving.

Nathan is in 3rd grade and just growing so much.

He had no desire to try any other sports but, he’s loving tennis so we are glad about that.  He goes twice a week and enjoys the kids and the sport.  So that’s great.  News to us, he competed in the spelling bee and ended up finishing 1st in 3rd grade.  He’s not someone who usually likes to be in front of people even though he’s a great little explainer and actor.  He loves to sing too!  He was embarrassed to say he won. So now he competes again in a month.  He was asked to carry the game ball out for Homecoming this Friday.  He will walk out with last year’s queen, a girl with special needs.  Course, he wasn’t super excited about it either!  We also celebrated his 9th birthday party and my parents were here for the weekend so they got to go to the party too.  He took the day off and enjoyed time with Scott and his mom Ann.

 

This fall has been crazy for me.  I’ve probably been more tired than I normally am which stinks.  But, I finally feel like maybe I’m not as tired as I was.  I was very regular at the beginning about sleeping and taking naps.  Once school started I had to change when and how I did things.  I tried to stay a head and not allow myself to be super tired.  What I have figured out is that after chemo and radiation I felt good and then I got really tired.  I got myself to take a nap everyday during my lunch to help my body out.  It helped some.  What has been great the last couple days, I haven’t taken a nap.  Yesterday I felt great.  Just really praying for the Lord to provide the energy and focus I need.  School has occupied some of my thinking and I really needed to go back to the Lord and ask him to help me to stay focused on Him.

It’s harder during the school year to spend as much time with the Lord as I did during the summer.  I miss that time.  But, I also get to love on and challenge these teens.  Just really pray for me to share with the kids and be more and to be focused on what the Lord has for me.  That’s my desire.

I was blessed by a student who wrote me a sweet card and got me this coffee mug and lotion.  I coached her in soccer when she was little and she has been in my film class.  It made me smile.  Really made me happy.

I’m about used to my hair ha!  The wig has been hard to get used to and my hair is starting to grow back a bit.  When I take my wig off it’s funny to see how my hair is underneath.  I usually wear it Sunday-Friday and then I take it off and wash it.  I’m more used to seeing myself with the wig than without it.  My head gets colder too without it!  HA!

 

One of our favorite pizza places is Larry’s pizza.  We have enjoyed pizza there for years!  We’ve done bday parties and team parties forever there.  Mr. Larry has been such a blessing to us and makes sure we get pizza from him.  Him and his family have been in our lives for soccer and other things and I have been blessed by him and everyone else in his family.  I am so thankful for how they choose to help us and bring us joy.  Thanks Guys!  Please tell them thank you for us!

 

The Lord has been so good to me.  I’m going to admit, it’s been hard not having the time I love having with Him.  Yet, when we choose to spend time with him and choose to praise Him, he will come and love us and teach us.  My memory and my focus has been crazy and I can tell my brain isn’t focused like it used to be.  When I read the Word, sometimes I don’t remember what I read and sometimes I can’t understand what I’m reading.  That’s been hard for me because I look to the Lord and really want Him to teach me and show me his Truths.  I’ve found myself more like a child lately.  I need to focus on simple Truths and what matters, not necessarily what will grow me or what I can teach.  It’s different, but simple is what Truth is.  Jesus came to show us love, by choosing to die for me.  I deserve death, yet, if I choose to believe and accept what He has done for me, then all the things I’ve done that make me deserve death are taken away from me and Jesus takes my sin and takes them on the cross.

I was in class this morning and one of the kids in my class said a cuss word.  I called him up to my desk and asked him about it.  I have a different attitude and way that I deal with these things.  I told him he needed to do 50 pushups.  He didn’t want to.  He hurt his knee and he couldn’t do it.  I kept telling him he had to pay for what he did.  He was trying to blame another kid, so I had that kid come up.  This kid was like, I didn’t do anything.  It wasn’t me, not my fault.(It was the first kid not his friend.)  So I looked at this other kid who wasn’t even involved with the group and I asked him if he would do the 50 pushups for this kid. (now he is a football player) I said we need someone to pay for this.  The kid looked at me and the kid and said he would do the the pushups.  I asked the kid who said the word if he would let the kid do them.  He was very happy to not do them.  So after a little bit more conversation, the kid who wasn’t apart of any of it did the 50 pushups to pay for the mistake that was done and pay for it.

As I was talking to these kids.  The story of what Jesus did stood out to me.  Jesus chose to save me and die for me.  I am guilty and I don’t deserve his love or forgiveness.  Yet, he gave it to me and took the pain for me.  I’m going through hard things.  I am.  Yet, Jesus chose to DIE for me.  To be beaten so that I could be with him forever.  He has changed my life today and for eternity.  I was thankful for this simple yet foundational reminder this week.  I get so caught going forward so much and wanting to know more, I forget to spend time just being thankful and focused on what the Lord chose to do for me and for those who choose to believe what Jesus has done for those who love and believe Him!  It’s important for me to celebrate and focus on the HOPE of Christ and be filled with his joy and peace.  Pray that this is where I CHOOSE to spend my time and to share this others!

“May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

ROMANS 15:13

Thank you for the love and prayers!  Want to thank the families who are still bringing us food and come to talk to us.  Nikki Funk has been such a blessing making sure we are where we are supposed to be.  Was blessed the other day to get to talk with Darla Self and just laugh a bit together.  All these moments bless my heart and make me smile.  Thank you!!!!!

Love you,

HOPE WARRIOR

My Story On Video – Click Here To Play Video

I haven’t fully written in a while.  The last time I wrote, I wrote a few paragraphs and then got distracted and quit writing.  Then I’m sure I moved on with life and that was it.  So Lord, don’t let me do that again!

Enjoy this story done by my friend Billy and feel free to share!  Please continue to lift us up to prayer – we love you all!  If you click on the link above  you will see the short video.  Hope you enjoy it!  #hopewarrior

 

 

 

 

 

 

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”’

2 Corinthians 12:8

How long has it been since I told you all about my life?  I feel like forever.  It’s been different, and harder than summer was for me.  I was thankful for the rest and thankful for feeling so great all summer.  Then the beginning of August hit and I started school things and life changed a bit.  It got busier and my body got tired.

I have been so blessed to have so many people around me who have prayed for me, written to me and checked on me.  I feel so blessed and I needed it.  My life has been a bit different the last few weeks.  I started school and started ok.  But, then I got sick for a couple days, I think with the lower immune system I was getting sick really easily.  Which really isn’t me.  Last year I didn’t miss one day of school and this year I was already missing school.  It’s hard when you are dealing with sickness and your body make you feel weird.   But, I was thankful I came out of it with a couple of day before we had to leave for Duke.

Going to Duke was new for Scott and I for lots of reasons, but we were glad we were able to go.  They were very organized to have me come in and be a part of what they were doing.  I saw 4-5 different people in there which was nice.  The new doctor that was there Dina Randezo to see who was very nice and helped me understand what was going on with me.  We just hired someone at the doctor’s office here, her name is Shirley Ong and set an appointment coming up who is a Neuro Oncologist .  It was nice to meet the people there and let them give us their opinion on what we were doing and how to do what we needed to do best.  After we talked to them for a while they told us we were done….the remaining days weren’t needed by the doctors any more.  Which was hard to realize.  There was nothing else at Duke we needed to do until we got done with a year of chemo.

I am going to be busy taking the chemo pill for 5 days every month.  I will also be going in for my MRI every couple months to see how they are seeing what is going on after the radiation and the chemo.  We are really praying that as time goes on the shape shrinks and that what the doctors see will be pleasant.  Please be praying about that.  We don’t need a slow year that doesn’t get cleansing from the Lord and doesn’t give us a huge opportunity to just tell others about the Lord. 

We did get to spend a day together while  we were near Duke.  We were able to look at some places, eat a little food and we enjoyed just being together.  Since Scott and I didn’t get to take any trips this summer together, at lease we had a day where we could spend time together and looked at some of the town a bit before we were going to fly home.  We went to the chapel on Duke’s campus, looked at the basketball court, we ate lunch on campus, we looked at the old baseball park from the movie “Bull Durham” and we loved seeing all of the sports areas that were there.  We finished the night with a movie “Beautifully Broken”. I slept a bunch while I was there and really started sleeping a whole lot more since then.

We were blessed to have my roommate from Mexico who drove over two hours to see us there with her husband and one of their daughters Jane.  We had a great time sharing time together and eating at this really old place.  We walked around and got ice cream and just loved seeing each other again.  Kate had come this summer to see me and visit us.  It was such a blessing for us that they would drive and see us again.

I haven’t had a chance to really write too much lately because I have been tired and unable to really be focused when the radiation finished and really made me tired the last few weeks.  I am starting to feel better and starting to be able to focus on what is going on with me a little at a time.  I used to consider myself someone who could really figure out what I wanted to say and what the Lord desired to say.  It’s been harder.  I noticed it more this weekend.  I had the opportunity to teach Sunday school and I was so excited to start doing it again.  My brain was slow and shut off for the few days leading up to teach.  I prayed a lot and I was very thankful that the morning of teaching, my brain was at least clearer than normal.  It still wasn’t as clear as normal, but the Lord did what He wanted to do and honestly, I just left him in charge.  I was thankful….very thankful.

Having started back at school, was harder than I thought.  It’s hard when your brain is slower and more tired than it used to be.  I have to admit that when I sit in my class and try to teach every day, I felt very behind.  It’s hard when I have never been that way and I can’t focus or do what I need to do these things.  I am thankful to see the Lord providing for me and continuing to give me everything I need every day.  We have been blessed with foods from so many people and people continuing to minister to us. Thank you.  I’ve noticed the cards, flowers and gifts have been a constant blessing, because the tiredness is hard to continue to fight against.

One of the things that has encouraged me and makes me smile, are all the students that come and see me in my office.  Especially when it’s my girls and their friends.  They are always encouraging me with the shirts to remind me that I have Hope and I am a Warrior.  I need that reminder everyday.  I had worn all of these bracelets to school one day, and two of them were lost.  I thought I may have lost them in the field house and the next day one of the softball girls and one of my soccer girls found them both.  What a sweet blessing.  It made me happy.

We have been really busy since before school started with club soccer.  I have been trying to keep the girls growing and engaged, while my brain is trying to stay caught up with training!  It’s so crazy how it’s hard for me to say things I know and I have to think longer to know what I’m trying to say.  UGH!  Thankfully it’s getting better and the girls and their parents have been super gracious and loving to me.  I am grateful for the other coaches that want to pray for me and help me.  My team was very giving to give me money for foods, airplane tickets and spending money while we were in Duke.  So, So sweet.  I am blessed.

It really is hard to believe that we are in school already.  I have enjoyed getting to know the new students, but I would ask you to pray that I would I have the energy and focus while I’m at school.  I don’t ever want to not give my best to everyone, so it’s challenging when I don’t feel 100%.  So just pray that I will let go of having to be perfect or look like I know what I’m doing all the time.  

The girls are finally getting more excited about the thought of playing soccer in college. I am really praying that they love the game, work hard, and enjoy the process of learning.  This was a picture from going to OBU the day before school started.

Well….. One of the other big things this summer we wanted to do was get some stuff done around the house.  We had not done much after we built the house, so we decided to go a head and get some of it done this summer.  Well, I passed out right before I found out of my cancer and didn’t think doing home stuff during treatment would be a good idea.  So we put it to the side.  Until school was about to start again and we really decided we needed to get it done.  Oh my.  We are thankful for Philip Rye and all he did to help us get it all done. We are glad to be almost done and ready to just rest this fall.  Now we have some new things in the house and our house is finally painted again.

I would really like to thank everyone for helping me and praying for me.  I need the prayers again a lot as I look at trying to wake up again and get my life on track how the Lord desires to use me.  He has been so faithful.  I wish I could tell you the million things he’s taught me…But, one of the amazing things the Lord has done for me… this summer as I wrote I was writing a ton on warrior angels.  Ok, since school started and the Lord knew my time would be less and I would be more tired, I didn’t read about Warrior Angels anymore.  And as I read really felt the Lord desired me to be quiet and to rest in Him.  He gave me this passage from 2 Corinthians 12:5-7-10.

 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. ⁶ Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Anything that happens is never about me or because of me. The Lord desires to teach me so much and asks and desires me to learn from Him no matter what.  And I have to be honest, being busy has made it harder for me to learn from the Lord and to be able to rest.  I am choosing to be faithful and give Christ my weaknesses even if it’s not what I would “want.”  Thank you to everyone who prays for me and encourages me.  I am so thankful in this battle and I need each of you every moment of the day!  Thank you Lord for providing for me.