Highlights

Last Sunday evening Sarah, my sister and I had the extreme pleasure of attending the "Girls Night Live" tour featuring Mandisa, Anita Renfroe and Laura Story!  My main goal was to hear and see Laura Story who wrote the song "Blessings" that has come to mean so much to Tom and I on our journey this past year.  What an night of emotional roller-coastering...from laughing with Anita to tears with Laura.  After Laura performed Sarah, Kelly and I were "pulled" from our seats (Thank you Holly Varian!) to meet Laura in person!!!  Never did I dream to have such a special opportunity.  She is a down-to-earth person who genuinely loves Jesus and is walking out her faith as she too understands what having a husband with a brain tumor is all about.  What a sweet time we shared together.  She and her husband are expecting their first child in September!  What a praise and answer to prayer as they continue to seek the Lord for His direction in their life as they walk this fragile path.

Kelly, Laura, Lisa & Sarah

On Monday I got on Laura's website to let her know what an honor and privilege it was to meet her when I found a place on her blog to write your "Blessings" story.  As I read through the other stories I connected with a woman from Orlando who had a story similar to mine.  I Googled her name and found a realtor in the Orlando area with the same name and I took a chance to e-mail her to see if she was the one who posted her story on Laura's blog...and it was her!  Tonight she will be going to the "Girls Night Live" concert in Orlando to hear Laura sing!  Isn't it awesome how God works?!

After doing some "research" on the song "Blessings...I found out that it was released on March 13, 2011, which is the date we found out Tom had a tumor!  I find God's timing impeccable...should this surprise me?  I think not!  God knew this song would minister to us and provided it at the right time.

Last Saturday Tom and I accompanied Matthew on a car search.  Something Tom wanted to be very much a part of.  Matt has been driving our 1998 Astro minivan since 2009.  He has never complained about driving the "family van" and we know it was never the cool car for a young man his age.  The van has required much work over the past months and we continued to debate whether to put more money into it versus looking for a more reliable car.  We have all been doing Internet research over the past few months collecting our data and making the best decision based on that data.  We went out and looked at a few of our finds and ended up with what we thought was the best deal for what we were looking for.  Matt is now the proud owner of a 2007 Trail Blazer!

Matt's Trail Blazer

We are so thankful for Tom's parents love and patience with us over these past three weeks.  What a blessing they have been to us as they have been able to stay with Tom while either we've been car shopping, going to a concert and even giving me the opportunity to go thrifting with my sister!  We are thankful to our church and to Karen Carmen for allowing Pops and Granny to stay at the Mission House during their stay here.  I know they have enjoyed having their "own place" to kick back and also an opportunity to "earn their keep" by cleaning cabinets and doing some yard work at the Mission House during their stay.  What fun they have had getting to know Karen and enjoy some of her great cooking and even sharing in movie nights with her!  We will greatly miss them when they head to South Carolina on Friday.  They will spend a week in Seneca, SC at Tom's brother's vacation home on Lake Keowee before going to the graduation of our nephew, Timothy who will graduate with honors from Bob Jones University.  From there they will travel to Atlanta and then fly to Chicago to go to another nephew and his wife's, Luke and Jessica's graduation from Providence Baptist College on May 11th...whew!  It is a wild adventure for them and we are so proud of them being willing to go and be a part of such accomplishments in their grandchildren's lives.  Thanks Pops and Granny for loving us with your presence.

Margaret Paparella & Tom

God continues to care for every need...still trying to justify a massage as a need...Margaret came over on Tuesday to give Tom a massage that he was very excited about!  She is so sweet and gracious and very accomodating for Tom's limitations.  Not only did she bless Tom with her giftedness but she was insistent that she give me a massage too!  What a dear sister-in-Christ who is using her talents to bring Him glory and bless us!  Thank you, Margaret!

White Chicken Chili, Spinach Salad, Fruit, Rolls and

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cake and

Sweet cards of encouragement from Miss Burby's 2nd Grade Class at WCES!

Thank You, Jackie Diedrich...dinner was delicious and the cards from Sydney's class

are precious!  We are blessed by knowing you...