Easter 2013

Our Eleven Grandchildren on September 9, 2012.

                                                        
Easter Sunday 2013. Blessed having all but our youngest grandson and his parents here.Benj is still waiting on the USA government to issue him the last required piece of documentation that will enable him to travel across the border legally.
Jane and I were able to travel states side on Friday March 22, Plan was to spend the weekend in Crown Point IN. But since there were a number of them sick there, we decided to stay in Michigan. So we spent 6 nights with both Kevin / Christine and Benj / Kelly. So we did get to see all of our clan in the last week. In the picture you can see back row l- r Brynne N ,Noah S,Gideon S,Tehya S,Christian H. Front row l-r Tristan S, Maren N, Annika N, Wyatt S holding Lucas N, Kambria N. If there was nothing else, these kids are more then enough reason for Jane and myself to keep on pressing in for successful treatment and healing for Jane. In case you are wondering about that bold head on the right, that is to show solidarity with Jane and others who lost their hair because of cancer treatments.

Good Friday and Easter day have been most meaning full to us both. Any questions about the meaning of our lives find their answers and peace in what Jesus did for us and all those who accept Him as Lord and Savior.
We hope you will continue to hold us up in prayer before the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is He who sustains us day by day. This Tuesday morning will be blood work and a visit with Dr Aboo, and if blood test okay then another maintenance chemo treatment on Wednesday. The Salls came up on Thursday night, Heenes came up on Friday and the Noordermeer's from Crown Point came up early early morning Saturday (2 am). We all went Saturday morning to Walters Falls for a Maple Syrup Fest Breakfast. (That was also the day this guy turned 65.)

As you can tell, there is a lot that takes our minds of off the health concerns for a time. We are thankful for that.
In the barn, the Amish couple, Levi and Ida Yoder, are so much help to us in keeping Jane out of the barn as much as possible.

Jane is dealing with pain on and off on a daily basis as well as anxiety and some nausea which require her to takes meds at different times throughout the day. We would covet your specific prayers for some of these issues.  Thank you all so much for your interest in our lives and our prayer is that He will bless you abundantly as He blesses us each and every day.

March 8 2013
Yesterday was a whole year since Jane had the biopsy operation in Owen Sound. A day that is certainly etched in our memory. Monic and Christine were both with me in the waiting area when Dr Nicola came out to see me just 45 minutes after the operation had started. Christine had just walked away for a minute. It was then that he shared with Monic and myself his opinion of what he had observed. I remember him asking if we had any questions. I certainly was not prepared for that news and there were no questions coming to mind at all. With in minutes Christine was back and Mo and I shared the news with her. And then we waited as Jane was still in the recovery area. It felt like I just got hit by a freight train. I remember trying to make some sense of it all and it was at that time while trying to process in my mind the information the surgant had shared with us these word "dropped" in my conciusness: For you, everything changed today, but for Me nothing has changed, for I do not change, I do not say now "well what am I going to do with Jane now". Wow we are not in this alone. What comfort to be reassured of the truth that God never leaves us or forsakes us. It was some time later that the three of us could go and see Jane. Christine wrote in the very first blog how we shared the news with her.
The blogs have been an attempt to keep so many of you in the info loop. And what a support you have shown us all along.
It continues to"blow us away". You have shown us your love for us in so many ways. You may have heard about paying it forward from shows like Oprah but that is not their idea. But it is a biblical principle for the words of Jesus are "Lay yourselves up treasures in heaven, where rust or moth cannot touch it". Well you may not realize it always but we are convinced that that is what your are all doing. You are paying it forward.
Since our last posting Jane has been dealing with pain and anxiety at times, mostly later in the day. it is not easy for her to find a  balance between rest and physical activity. The day after her last chemo, her sister Henrietta took Jane on a 5 day trip to Phoenix Ar to see thier parents ,who spend the month of february there as they have done the last few years.
Dr Aboo was okay with it and we had a plan in case something unexpected was to happen, She did well during the trip but on arrival back home a time of recovery was needed. Next tuesday Jane is to have her blood checked and then a meeting with Dr aboo with likely an other round of maintenance chemo the next day.
Blessing to you all and again thank you for all your prayers and support in so many ways.
Marinus & Jane