May Fun and Craziness

The end of year craziness has set in here at the Tate house! This time of year is typically crazy for everyone - no matter what season you are in.

Here's are some of our highlights:

*Liv sang during the 7th inning stretch at a Gwinnett Braves game with her school choir.
*Liv enjoyed her last field day in elementary school.
*Elena enjoyed a great carnival at school for all the eighth graders.
*We celebrated Elena's 14th Birthday with a pool party (in the rain) at the home of our friends - all the girls had a fabulous time thanks to the Weavers!!
*We were able to volunteer with Family Promise for the first time in 17 months - we loved being with the families! The giggles and laughter from the children and our girls is priceless!
*We spent a wonderful Mother's Day afternoon on a picnic with friends.
*We sang along to the music of the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s during Liv's spring chorus performance.
*We attended school meetings for both girls to put transitions plans in place for next school year. Praise God both meetings went great and we have wonderful plans in place for both girls.
*Both girls have had end of the year yearbook signing parties at school.
*We enjoyed Liv's dance recital.
*We had fun writing letters and making teacher appreciation gifts for the girls' amazing teachers!
*We attended Elena's eight grade graduation ceremony - so grateful Elena was there!
*We celebrated the girls passing all five areas of the state test (even succeeding in some areas!)
*We celebrated with friends as their high school seniors will be graduating this week. We held these seniors when they were babies!

So much going on! So much to be thankful for!
Thank you for still checking on us, even when we haven't updated!
Thank you for still caring, still praying!

Looking ahead:
This is the last week of school for us!
The girls finish up on Wednesday, Christy finishes on Friday.
We will attend Liv's fifth grade graduation on Tuesday. 

Friday, Elena has a clinic appointment at Scottish Rite at 1pm.  It will be her first time there since June of last year!  We are so very thankful to be returning "home"!!

Please pray for us this week:
For Christy and Liv's ear and sinus infections to quickly clear up, for renewed energy, and to feel 100% soon
For Elena as she has finals this week, for calm and for her to do her best
For Elena's counts to have risen when they are checked at Friday's appt

Please pray that we don't get lost in these crazy days and that we slow down to enjoy each moment, to breathe in the beauty and love that God has given us in this life and in each other.

Thank you!
In Him,
The Tates

" The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:18

Clinic Update

Sorry for the delay in updating!
Thank you for your prayers!

We are happy to say that Elena had a great appointment yesterday.
Praise God!

The BMT team at Egleston are very happy with Elena's progress. They have lifted all restrictions and officially transferred her back to her oncology team at Scottish Rite! Another HUGE step in Elena's road to recovery. Even though Elena's counts dropped some, her doctors are considering her counts stable. They think her counts went down because Elena is back on an antibiotic that helps prevent pneumonia, which can suppress counts.  Also, they noted no signs of GVHD. Another praise!

So, we will continue to enjoy the last days of school before summer is here. We will celebrate Elena completing eighth grade and Liv finishing up fifth grade. We will happily attend each field day, awards ceremony, and celebration walk, thanking God for bringing us to this point. God is good!

In Him,
The Tates

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  Romans 12:12