It's Official!

Elena has been officially cleared to return to school!! Praise God!!
We received the medical release and paperwork on Tuesday and met with the teachers at Elena's school yesterday.

We can't even begin to describe what we are feeling.
This is such an enormous milestone for Elena!! Looking back to July 16, 2012, the day Elena was admitted into the hospital to today, 264 days later, is amazing!  We thank God daily for our blessings and His provision throughout this storm in our lives.  We are so very thankful and happy to be at this point!

Yesterday's meeting at the school was amazing! Elena's teachers, case manager, and homebound teacher spent so much time with us. They are more than willing to do whatever it takes to make this transition a smooth and happy one for Elena. We are grateful for their understanding and kindness. They even showed Elena their class lists so she could tell them who she would like to sit next to.

Elena is beyond excited about her return to school! We think this is more exciting and scary than when we sent her to kindergarten!

Her first official day will be on Wednesday, April 17th, after our Spring Break. She will begin attending half days and then work up to full days.  Please pray for Elena and this upcoming transition. It will be a huge one!

We are also so happy to be able to spend this Spring Break as a family!! As many of you know, Elena has spent three of her last four spring breaks in the hospital.  This year, we are ready for some much needed rest and relaxation! Thank you God for bringing us to today!

We are extremely thankful to be at this point in Elena's life and recovery.
Thank you for being a part of her journey!

In Him,
The Tates

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

After Easter

On Good Friday we talked about the hope, reassurance, and love we have through God's sacrifice of His son.  God promises that nothing can separate us from His love. Easter Sunday brings to us the promise of everlasting life. He is alive and lives in us!

We enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday together.  It was made extra special with Elena completing Confirmation with the rest of her eighth grade class at church.
She stood with her friends before the congregation and professed her faith in Christ.

That afternoon and evening, we treasured our time together as a family. You are filled with the joy of knowing “He is risen! He is risen indeed!!” It’s a good day for those who believe. Death has been defeated! Christ has won! He is alive!

But then Monday comes. Real life returns and so does the sameness of work and school and all the challenges they bring with it.

Do we lose that joy that Easter brings when we are faced with the troubles that life brings? It is certainly an easy thing to lose. Joy.

On Easter Sunday, I read a post from another mom, a mom whose daughter died at this time last year.  Her words and perspective are powerful.

Here's Susanna's post:

It was promised to me

"Once more heed the exhortation- stand close to the cross of Jesus! It is the most accessible and precious spot this side of heaven- the most solemn and awesome this side of eternity. It is the focus of divine love, sympathy and power. Stand by it in suffering, in persecution, in temptation. Stand by it in the brightness of prosperity and in the gloom of adversity. Shrink not from it's offense, humiliation, and woe. Defend it when scorned, despised and denied. Stand up for Jesus and the gospel of Jesus. Oh, whatever you do, or whatever you endure, be loyal to Christ's cross. Go to it in trouble, repair to it in weakness, cling to it in danger, hide beneath it when the wintry storm rushes fiercely over you. Near to the cross, you are near a Fathers heart, a Savior's side."

Yesterday was Good Friday and tomorrow will be Easter Sunday. Last year we squeezed the funeral service of my second born daughter in the middle and I hardly remember a detail.

That is mind numbing grief.
And yet last night as I sat in church and heard scripture read about the magnificent sacrifice that my God gave for me and my family and you, I was choking back the word "thankful". Not yet thankful for so many details that my life has held, but immense thanks that all is not in vain. Not all is loss.

It was promised to me.

This week we will acknowledge with the heaviest hearts I ever could imagine carrying with me, that it has been a year since Piper was here in my world. I am not certain that I ever even noticed that she died so closely to Easter, the holiday that once was my favorite. Now it holds a meaning and a reminder much deeper than just a "holiday"...it is a season I will grieve both my daughter and my God. It is a season I will ache and yearn for both my daughter and my God. And it is a season that will remind me that I will indeed, be reunited with both my daughter and my God.

It was promised to me.

This me that hurts so deeply and consistently that I should have died many months ago from the sheer weight of trying to carry it with me...of forgetting so many of the steps are not mine to take and the burden is not mine for eternity. That if I stay close to the cross, I am strengthened and encouraged and reminded of how good that the ugly of the ugliest can be.

That when Jesus was hung on that cross with my face in his mind and He chose to carry my sins although He knew, he knew, he knew that I would never be able to repay him or fully appreciate what he had done....that He still did this. And when I remember the details of holding a daughter who is breathing her last breathes and I knew, I knew, I knew that there was simply nothing more I could do to buy more time or fight any harder...and still I would do it again if only I were allowed. I was able to fully love this girl simply because of the strength of my God and the hope and trust in His words.

And so last night as I was weary, grieving, aching for so much, I chose yet again to stand close to the cross. To be thankful that all is not lost and all is not in vain. It is indeed the most "accessible and precious spot this side of heaven" and I will simply fade away if I chose to lean on anything else and to forget that Jesus's death gave life.

http://needhamcrew.blogspot.com/


I pray Susanna's words spoke to you and drew you near. Nearer to the cross, not only today, but every day, no matter your situation or circumstance.

I pray that you know Jesus, that you believe.

Because of Jesus, everything changed….we are changed. I don't want to celebrate on Easter Sunday, only to then forget how to live on Monday.

Thank you Susanna for this reminder!

In Him,
The Tates

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

A Very Good 'Good Friday'

Last year on Good Friday, Elena was in the hospital. It was day 24 of what would turn out to be a 29 day stay in the hospital. Elena had just begun her treatment for her relapse of leukemia. 

Last year, we couldn't imagine what our next hour would hold, let alone a year from then.

It has been a year.
Today is Good Friday.

At Elena's clinic visit we were given very good news.  Elena looks great. She is showing no signs of GVHD and her counts are holding steady!  And the good news didn't end there.  We also found out that we can start relaxing Elena's restrictions with regards to social interacting and diet.  While we know that it will take some time to get back to "normal", Elena is ecstatic with the idea of "finally being free".  We certainly share in her enthusiasm and were so excited to see and hear the sheer joy in her voice when she said earlier today that "this was the best day ever".

This was the best news we could expect to hear today and we give all of the glory to God! He has brought us through a terrible storm. He has brought us to today. He has used you to remind us that we would make it, no matter what!

A year ago, on a very dark day, our friend Stacee reminded us that even on the darkest of days, we can experience the hope and joy His promises bring. Because Jesus died and rose again, we know this life is not all there is. We have the hope of heaven! 

So many years ago, this day was the darkest of days, Jesus' crucifixion.
But, in the bible, Jesus says  "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26

We are grateful for this reassurance.
We are grateful for God's sacrifice for us.
We are grateful for His promises, grace, and steadfast love.
We are grateful to each of you for your prayers and for being the hands and feet of Christ to us.

We are so very grateful for this good day!!

In Him,
The Tates

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
John 14:27

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More Praises and Prayers

Today we celebrate more good news!  Elena took her last cyclosporine pill this morning!!  Praise God!!  Hopefully we will find out tomorrow that her counts are spectacular and that she can also stop taking her magnesium supplement as well.  This will leave her with just bactrim, the antibiotic she will take only on the weekends until her 1-year anniversary in July.  What a welcomed relief, especially after the 42 pills/day she was taking in the hospital right after transplant and the multitudes that have followed these past 8 months.  We pray that all of these pills have done what they were designed to do and that Elena's body will now take over and continue to strengthen and heal itself.

Please pray specifically for Elena's clinic visit tomorrow.  Pray for wonderful news with regards to her counts and physical condition and pray for clear direction as to what Elena's next steps will be with regards to school, food, and being out and about.   

Please also continue to pray for the girls colds to go away.  They are both still bothered by coughing, congestion, and stuffiness.

In Him,
The Tates

"Be still, and know that I am God;"  Psalm 46:10a

Praises and Prayers

Yesterday we celebrated a BIG praise -- Elena's 8 month anniversary of her Bone Marrow Transplant!  What a wonderful 8 months it has been!  We have seen Elena grow and mature during this time into a beautiful young lady and we couldn't be more proud of her!

This week also holds another milestone for Elena.  She is scheduled to take her last cyclosporine capsule on Thursday.  This is the anti-rejection medicine that she has been on since transplant.  She is so excited about no more pills!

Elena is also scheduled for her once a month visit on Friday to get a check on her well being and her counts.  This is where part of the prayers come in.  Last night Elena said that her ear felt like it had water in it and was stopped up.  Later in the evening she was complaining of a headache.  Thankfully she has remained fever free!  Praise God!  We will be calling the clinic this morning however, to make sure of our next course of action.  Please pray for Elena's head and ear to stop hurting and for clear direction from her doctors on how to treat these symptoms should they persist.

Please also pray for Olivia as she went to the doctor yesterday with a bad cold and was put on an oral steroid and breathing treatments to help open her lungs.  She has a bad cough which in turn gives her a bad headache as well.  Pray for the cough and headaches to subside and for the medications to take care of Liv's respiratory problems.

We give thanks to God for where we are today and ask for His continued blessings on our family.  We also continue to pray for the complete and total healing of Elena's body and for patience and peace in the waiting.

In Him,
The Tates

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

What a Weekend!

We are continuing to enjoy every moment we can together.  The weeks are still crazy with the busyness of work and school, so when the weekends come, we try to fill them with as much fun as we can.

Last weekend, we enjoyed our first weekend getaway since last June!  We were so happy to be able to go spend time with our friends Cori and Phil and their son, Cooper. We were able to relax, spend time outside, eat lots of yummy food, and simply enjoy being together.

We first met Cori and Phil in July 2009 at the Lighthouse Family Retreat. They took care of us for one fabulous week in Florida. We formed a close bond that week. Cori and Phil are like family to us and have brought us so much joy, laughter, and love over years. A true blessing!

July 2009

Thanksgiving Weekend 2009

 September 2010

September 2010 - Cooper arrived on October 10, 2010!

June 2012 Horseback Riding 

Last weekend March 2013

I think it took 20 shots to get this one!

This is what most of the shots looked like!

We are SO very thankful for such a wonderful weekend with amazing friends!

Thank you to all for continuing to pray for us and be a part of our journey.

In Him,

The Tates

"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17

Fun in the Sun

Over the past several weeks, whenever we have gotten a break from the cold, rainy days of winter, we have taken full advantage of these beautiful, sunny days!

We hope you enjoy these pictures

from our days at the park,in the backyard

and on the trails at the nearby nature center with some friends!

Enjoy this weekend!