I Did It!

I passed the exam I had blogged about earlier. Yea! I am so excited! I have to admit that once I took the exam, I did not feel too good about it. But, I did it! Yea!

-J

Prayer Request

My aunt Diana was diagnosed with leukemia last week and begins chemotherapy today. She has incredible family support (we are a close bunch of folks) and is a unique person. I am always impressed with her compassion for others. Here is a picture of aunt Diana cuddling with Kaylee. They are both cuddle bugs. Please pray for her as she deals with (and conquers) this challenge.

Thanks,

-J

What an Encouraging Week!

This past Monday, I flew to Kansas City for the 26th Annual Mid-West Lectures in Independence, Missouri. It was an encouraging week! Click here to view the lectures online. You will have a greater appreciation of Jesus Christ for taking the time!

-J

Tests, Tests, and more Tests or Just Tests

Tomorrow morning, bright and early at 8:00 AM on a Saturday, I get to take my comprehensive exams. Now, we get to see if all this schooling was really worth it. I have been cramming with a very interesting book entitled Encyclopedia of Counseling: Master Review and Tutorial for the National Counselor Examination, State Counseling Exams, and the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination. Yea, doesn't that sound like interesting reading! I plan to take the National Counselor Examination on the 18th of October so hopefully I am killing two birds with one stone. At any rate, I decided to take a break from all this intersting reading and blog about it. Aren't you excited now?

-J

A Walk for a Cure

On September 27th, my mother and two younger sisters will be walking in an Alzheimer's Association Memory walk. Both sisters are trying to raise funds for alzheimer's research. Our maternal grandfather deals with this illness. Shawna's grandmother struggled with it the last 15 or so years of her life (she passed in March 2006). Obviously, this illness is close to us. Shawna and I are preparing our kids for the idea that both their parents may struggle with it one day. With donations, there is hope of a cure by then or even sooner.

Please visit one of my sister's blogs and donate if you can. They can be reached at:

Michelle: http://www.thelifeofchelle.blogspot.com/

Lisa: http://preachmanswife.blogspot.com/

Both have headers with a link to donate to the organization.

Thanks.

-J

Recent Updates

I know it has been a while since I (Shawna) have blogged about anything. So, I am going to give a brief update on life. I am back teaching Kindergarten and am enjoying it. I have 16 students and a very smart class. I only have 4 students who cannot write their name and these can write part of it. However, we had a bad bug in my class last week. On Thursday, I had 6 students out and 5 out on Friday. One of the students had strep throat and the others were stomach viruses. By the way, I am convinced that is what Kaylee had last weekend, just a super bad case. So, I am going to be playing catch up this week. I did not teach anything new Thursday or Friday so I am behind.

I am taking two more classes this semester. They are very interesting because they deal with administrative legal issues. I have homework to do but am the worst procrastinator so of course I haven't even started it.

Kaylee started water therapy this week. She was so excited and did so well. She has gained so much strength after being down for 12 weeks. We have therapy twice a week and I have class once a week and Jeremy has class once a week so we see each other in passing (ha ha). Actually things have calmed down a little bit but we never have a dull moment. Until next time...

- S

Interesting Change of Events

Yesterday, I went to work at the mental health center and had an interesting day. I was instructed to call my immediate boss. I did and had to leave a message for her to call me back. She did and informed me that they no longer had a position for me. I was instructed to finish the day. I have seen this coming for some time now. Being an intern and part-time (thus at the bottom of the todem pole), when it came time to cut cost, it stands to reason that I was the first to go.

You would think that I would be more disspointed about this than I am. I genuinely think this will turn out to be a blessing in the end. Right now, I am still in shock.

-J

Back Home, But Still Don't Know

Kaylee came home from the hospital today. Shawna stayed with her last night and they got home around 6:00 PM today. The last hypothesis concerning her illness was that she had a urinary tract infection that had spread to the kidneys. However, she was not showing all the signs of a kidney infection and they never did recognize the bacteria culture from the urinanalysis. They treated the infection with some strong antobiotics through the IV while she was in the hospital and then sent her home with a prescription for other oral antibiotics. She is feeling much better and back to her usual self.

The most exciting part of her stay in the hosptital for her was that she won a stuffed animal playing an inter-hospital game on the television. The most difficult part for her was that the doctors told her she needed to eat more fruits and vegetables. She doesn't like any of them so the adjustment will be difficult.

Thanks to all for their prayers and concerns. Beth, thank you for coming by and checking on us. We are so blessed to have a good family.

-J

Miss Kay in the Hospital

Yesterday, my sister's tummy was hurting her very badly. My Mom decided to take her to the doctor but they had no idea what was wrong with her. So, at the doctor's referral, they when to the emergency room. Later on, they admitted her to the hospital. She has had a series of tests done and they think it might be a urinary tract infection. They are treating it. Please pray for her to get better. Please keep reading the family of N.

-J&JT