Part Two: Friends and Family

Mark and I are both so blessed with great families who raised us and still continue to be there for us. Encouraging, supporting and caring. Wonderful role models!

We've also been blessed with really good friends who feel more like family. Mark and I have lived in College Station (1979-1980 married years) Abilene, TX (1980-1987), Temple, TX (1987-2003) and now back in Abilene as of June 2003. We have made life-long friends in each of these cities. Three of those friends have been Bob Gorsline from our Abilene stint, Becky Smith from our College Station stint and Preston Goforth from our Temple days.

Within the last month, we have buried each of these dear friends. Becky and Bob in April (see my blog April 8th and 9th) and now Preston yesterday. Each in their prime, each enthusiastic and devoted Christians. Each leaving a grieving family and grieving church.

Preston Goforth was just the most wonderful Christian man, husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother, friend and doctor. We met he and his wife, Judy when they moved to Temple not long after we did. They have two daughters and then two sons, one is a year older than Katie and the other her age. We also lived in the same part of town and enjoyed each other very much. We watched our kids grow up together. Preston was a wonderful, respected podiatrist at Scott and White Hospital. He took care of me, Katie and my mom at one time. We knew his parents and they were wonderful Christian role models for us and very dear to us and our kids. As mentioned in his memorial service yesterday, Preston was a bicycle enthusiast. Also, mountain climbing and just outdoors in general. The true picture of health. I imagine his body fat percentage was very low with the way he ate and exercised. (I, on the other hand, eat real butter and sit at the computer way too long! And, what is exercise?) Sunday, after one of his bike rides, he came in and showered, dressed and died. Judy, his wife, came in and found him, but it was too late. He leaves behind his wife of almost 26 years, Judy, daughters Julie and Joanna, sons Douglas and David and five grandchildren. Doug is to be married this coming weekend in Colorado.

I am 47 years old and until Bob died in April, I had never lost a friend. Maybe that's amazing, I don't know? I was preparing myself for Becky to die of cancer when Bob died suddenly. Now Preston. This is all pretty unimagineable to me. Such precious people, such workers in God's kingdom! I'm not asking "why" now, but I think I might just have to save that question for God in heaven.

I am just so thankful for all the friends that God has woven into my life at different times, different stages. Each has marked me in different ways. There is a saying that "it takes a long time to grow old friends." Mark and I are finding that to be true here in Abilene this time around. We are realizing how long it's going to be before these new friends feel like old friends.

But, we will keep on living and loving our friends, old and new. And, we'll keep thanking God for his blessings of friends and family.

Part One: Mark

A "little bird" has told me recently that I need to post more often about Mark's recovery process. And, I would be happy to do that but more often than not, there is really nothing to report on. He's going to radiation treatments Monday thru Fridays at 9am. It takes him usually no more than 30 minutes from the time he walks in the door till he leaves for the car. There might be a time in the next few weeks when other symptoms might appear. But, for now, he's feeling good and looks good!

Mark experienced a tumor. Technically, we know it's cancer. But, we've all talked about how it's hard to say "cancer" when it seems more like it's just been a tumor and they removed it and now there is treatment and then we're done! I suppose it's one of those brain versus heart thing. Our brain knows it's cancer, but our heart says he's cured and it's just not real to us that he had "cancer!" Perhaps it's because of the good prognosis, I don't know.

In the past month, we have buried three very dear friends to Mark and I and our family. Maybe this is why we are not feeling like a cancer patient and just being thankful for each day that comes and living with a good prognosis and every reason to praise God!

Part Two: Friends and Family

Update on Mark

Finally today, after lots of waiting, Mark had his first radiation treatment. He will have 30 treatments in all occuring Monday thru Fridays with two exceptions: May 25th when Mark is gone to Dallas with some students and Memorial Day. So, he should finish sometime mid-June. The doctor has said that the first three weeks should be pretty much symptom free, but the last three weeks could pose some fatigue and nausea, etc. So, I imagine there will be plenty of golf in the next few weeks which will make him a very happy man! Oh yes, he has his finals graded and his grades turned in, so he's finished until the beginning of August! Oh, the life of a college professor!

One other update: Mark went to the doctor today for a post-op check following his surgery a week and a half ago. He's healing fine, but the path report did show a malignancy that was removed. So, the surgery was certainly warranted and the radiation can do it's job in making sure he is cancer free for hopefully his life time.

Blessings to you all!