Bittersweet sums up this week.
Two MPNST warriors lost their fight, Tyler and Kelsie. All Sarcoma deaths sadden me but especially MPNST deaths and double especially when they are kids. My heart goes out to their families and my resolve to advocate and find a cure is strengthened. It's personal!! Yet in the middle of these stories are moments of inspiration, of deep compassion, of communities that come together to support and rally around the afflicted. A few weeks ago, a member of our little Sarcoma community, relapsed with Sarcoma. This Sarcoma warrior just HAPPENS to be local and is in Kris's class. He asked Schaumburg High School if they would participate in a St. Baldrick's event. Here is the story that ran in our local paper. SHS St. Baldrick's fundraiser I had the pleasure of meeting the family at a celebration at our church. This story illustrates so well how one voice can impact so positively.

It is Spring Break. I have put the kids to work cleaning the devastation that has occurred in my house since I started classes in November. We are slowly but surely tending to the wreckage but not without fights and screaming and anger at me because for the first time since last July, we can see sunshine and they want to go and have fun. By the looks of my house, lots of fun has been going on around here as we recently found leftover Christmas crackers, dips and chips still ground in the carpet and are sweeping up piles of debris. You may think I'm exaggerating but um..no, not really. Now that I can see the sunshine through the newly polished glass, it's so much brighter in here and I can actually get a full view of all the dirt. NOT PRETTY! As I'm on Spring break myself, I have enjoyed not HAVING to have a book in front of my face but as I'm sitting here, there is one there anyway though it has taken me all day to read two pages.

Now for the really sweet. At work on Saturday, one of my co-workers had asked me how I am going to fund Nursing school and still pay my mortgage. I told her that I am hoping that God can pull a few strings for me. That evening when I came home, there was an email from an unfamiliar name asking me to call her ASAP. The email came from Possible Woman. I won their annual scholarship and they are awarding me $5000 towards my education! I was thrilled beyond thrilled. Could not even speak an intelligible sentence. I applied for this scholarship in January and as I found it 5 days before the deadline, I hustled to get the application finished and in the mail on time. Again I will thank Sue, Nonalee, Deb, Clyde, Andrea, Cyndy and all of those that encouraged me to go for it, wrote letters of recommendation, and proof read the essays to make sure they sounded intelligent. I am supposed to go to Atlanta, GA during the 3rd weekend in April to attend the banquet and accept the scholarship in person. I will post a link to PWI so that other women reading this blog who want to further their education, can apply for next years scholarship. It is not income dependent or age dependent and will not disqualify anyone for already having a college degree.
In all things, I am truly thankful.

PS: PLEASE vote for our Sarcoma Awareness NASCAR :)
Sarcoma Nascar