tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41347670913141018262012-01-27T18:40:26.172-07:00The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.comBlogger921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-60810626143689776402007-11-22T13:17:00.000-07:002007-11-22T13:19:38.172-07:00

Psalm 100Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness;Come before Him with joyful singing.Know that the LORD Himself is God;It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.Enter His gates with thanksgivingAnd His courts with praise.Give thanks to Him, bless His name.For the LORD is good;His lovingkindness is everlastingAnd

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-27714473228792897552007-11-20T19:02:00.000-07:002007-11-20T19:26:39.026-07:00

Hi ya'll!Things seem to be going well with Michelle... she continues to heal from the angiogram, as well as all the other "stuff" she has gone through, and each day she feels a little stronger. The only nagging thing apart from some continuing tenderness from the angiogram is that the "pressure" in her chest is still there. We have no definitive answer as to why she is feeling it but at least we

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-70853615624600106072007-11-17T20:51:00.000-07:002007-11-18T17:28:20.444-07:00

Well, it is Saturday evening and I am sitting here preparing things for church tomorrow - what an absolute joy! As it always does, the excitement is building for Sunday morning to get here... there is something about it, isn't there? To be able to come into the Lord's house, whether that is an actual church sanctuary or a converted middle school auditorium (as in our case!), and corporately, with

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-72437933269334166612007-11-15T08:45:00.000-07:002007-11-15T08:47:00.555-07:00

I wanted to take a minute and thank all of you who have e-mailed, called us, or left a message here - it has been encouraging for Michelle and we have both been blessed by your words of encouragement and support. She continues to do pretty good yesterday and thus far this morning, though she is pretty stiff in her right hip area - the point of insertion for the catheter. Still, the discomfort is

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-21169973741527407912007-11-13T11:51:00.001-07:002007-11-13T12:08:26.709-07:00

Thank you for all your prayers - the Angiogram went fine, no problems with the procedure at all. We are now home and Michelle is resting comfortably, taking the rest of the day off! She seems to be doing well and is not experiencing any real discomfort which is a blessing...The results of the test were good - not perfect, but good. Her main arteries are clean and clear and the rest of the heart

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-54340843991813880392007-11-11T17:03:00.000-07:002007-11-12T11:06:01.369-07:00

Well, I would love to be able to write to you about all the Lord is doing in the church here in AZ (and He IS doing great things!) but at this point I need to share with you an update on Michelle, seeking your prayer.These past months have been challenging for us as we have made the transition from living in the Midwest and serving in post-prison ministry to living once again in the desert and

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-65118853287495654252007-11-09T16:34:00.000-07:002007-11-09T16:36:53.430-07:00

WOW... I can't believe it has been since August that I have posted; we are so sorry! We have been busy trying to settle in while hitting the ground running in ministry. I will be uploading a new post soon; there is more news to share and more prayers needed!Be back soon... we love you! Steve and Michelle

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-82642974791851007082007-08-06T20:44:00.000-07:002007-08-06T21:03:13.749-07:00

Greetings to those of you still checking here. I am so very sorry we have not posted in so long - yes, it has been busy for us but I feel guilty for not having kept you all up to date. So, please allow me to bring you up-to-speed in short order here and I promise to be regular with my updates.The home is coming together; all the boxes are empty and, apart from hanging decorations, things are in

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-69364021910990258522007-07-12T12:33:00.000-07:002007-07-12T12:46:30.766-07:00

To those still checking, howdy!!! We are still here, it has just been an extremely busy week of trying to clean and prepare for our "stuff" to arrive, purchasing things we need, and trying to get some work done!!! Oh, the joys of relocation...We had our first appointment with Michelle's new Oncologist, Dr. Jean Schulman - we both liked her and are pleased at this point. The facility is a little

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-53837022268836362732007-07-09T07:35:00.000-07:002007-07-09T07:40:54.478-07:00

Hi everyone!!!Just a quick note to let you know we have arrived!!!! It has been a pretty wild few days of travel - what with four kids, two cats, two fish, etc. - but we are safe and sound and have spent the first night in our new home! For those of you who were concerned, Michelle DID like the house so I guess that means I did a good job picking it out!I will post again soon, we have much to do

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-66140121851592356732007-07-06T18:46:00.000-07:002007-07-06T19:04:15.317-07:00

Oooook, it has been a busy couple of days - all day overseeing the movers load their truck making sure they only took our stuff and got it all, cleaning rooms as they got cleared, then packing up the Expedition and hitting the road around 6pm. It was a real bittersweet occasion - leaving beautiful Wheaton, which had become home to us, and our dearest friends, the Gracey's, behind while starting

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-43507265746205161522007-07-04T13:20:00.000-07:002007-07-04T13:26:52.809-07:00

Hi to each of you!! Happy Independence Day - 4th of July!!!I am not sure any of you are still checking here since it's been a while since I posted last!!! Sorry about that, the last week plus has been a bit of a whirlwind! It has been a busy week already, finishing the packing a preparations for relocating the whole family but I think we are pretty much there. We just need to pack some clothes

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-65486908833894450252007-06-29T18:43:00.000-07:002007-06-30T07:48:04.182-07:00

Well, Sarah and I made it - we arrived mid-day yesterday and are presently sitting in the living room of my friend and co-laborer, Seth, relaxing before the start of another busy day... not a lot of driving, though, thankfully! We will go over to the title agency later today (11am) to sign the closing documents for our new home, do a walk through at the home in the afternoon (2pm), go to church,

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-89292400893706087162007-06-28T19:00:00.000-07:002007-06-30T07:52:12.943-07:00

Sarah and I made it to Albuquerque and are presently resting in our hotel room before the final drive tomorow - it was a good day of driving... 12.5 hours from start to finish! Sarah drove the last 174 miles and did really well so I guess I need to take her to get her license!!! We found ourselves driving in four different states today - Missouri (for 4 miles!), Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. As

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-58907985873269750882007-06-27T16:40:00.000-07:002007-06-30T07:53:56.675-07:00

Greetings to you all from Joplin, Missouri!!!Sarah and I have completed the first leg of our trip, presently kicking back in our hotel room after a GREAT Mexican dinner. We will rest up tonight since tomorrow holds for us the longest of our three legs - 11 hours of driving (to Albuquerque, New Mexico) not counting stops for gas, food, and those other breaks (!!!). Today's drive was wonderful,

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-35842384496583461342007-06-26T07:35:00.000-07:002007-06-26T07:51:29.156-07:00

Greeting to you all -Yesterday (Monday) Michelle took her first "triple-dose" of Herceptin, which she will do every three weeks for basically 13 treatments (39 weeks). If yesterday was any indication, apart from the possible effect the drug can have on her heart function, there was no apparent side-effects - it was just as if she had not taken the drug at all. Praise the Lord for that!!! For

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-6027477136757689832007-06-22T17:14:00.000-07:002007-06-23T16:48:30.641-07:00

It has not been the easiest of weeks for us; perhaps one of our most difficult to date, taking into perspective all aspects of life as we know it today. The treatment seemed to really hit Michelle hard this week, harder than the past four weeks or so. She has battled headaches and feeling "strange" since Monday afternoon and it's just this morning that she has begun to get some relief. In the

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-6993602723752369272007-06-19T09:35:00.001-07:002007-06-19T11:16:12.953-07:00

Phew... we can't believe 12 weeks have passed and the Taxol plus Herception treatments have been completed; only the Lord could have brought us through so "smoothly", relatively speaking of course!!! HE has been so faithful to hear and answer all of your prayers and to minister to Michelle, the kids, and me as only HE can do!!! This last treatment seems to have hit Michelle pretty hard compared

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-72716736353239795892007-06-14T17:30:00.000-07:002007-06-15T09:13:51.040-07:00

Howdy everyone -Just a quick post to let you know all is pretty much the same as earlier in the week. Michelle is doing well, though she is fatigued both from the chemo as well as working around the house preparing for our move. We are thankful that her parents are in town; they have been a big help as the packing continues. Both the sale of our condo and the purchase of the home we are looking

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-18827288918148105082007-06-12T06:44:00.000-07:002007-06-12T07:02:04.043-07:00

One more treatment down, only one more (of the Taxol!) to go... hard to believe we are sprinting down the final straightaway! Michelle once again handled the treatment well with no complications and, as of last night, no apparent side-effects. She was still sleeping when I left this morning so I can't speak for today but, if these past few weeks are any indication, she should be doing pretty well

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-71283149186088952232007-06-10T07:57:00.000-07:002007-06-10T08:12:16.823-07:00

Good morning!!!Okay, the big question is, "Did you make it to church this weekend??", and the answer had best be yes! I trust and pray the Lord has ministered to all of you and that the same Holy Spirit who moved in our services and lives this weekend has done the same in yours!Nothing really new to report, all pretty much remains the same as it was the last post. Michelle's parents are in town

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-29385085106417589332007-06-07T12:18:00.000-07:002007-06-08T13:03:33.407-07:00

Greetings to all of you!!! Just a quick update on how things are going with us:Michelle is doing pretty good this week once again. The side-effects are at a minimum and, apart from fatigue and an occasional headache, things are well. Of course, that is very relative... you will still hear her say, if you asked, that she looks forward to feeling "normal" again! Her hair continues to thin out and

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-30621042741032316642007-06-04T19:48:00.000-07:002007-06-05T11:45:11.384-07:00

Today's treatment down, only two to go... we can see the final turn just out ahead of us!!! It is hard to believe we are nearing completion of the first part of Michelle's treatment regimen. Though she will continue on the Herceptin for the remainder of one year, soon we will be able to leave Taxol behind!! Praise the Lord for that even now!!!Michelle did really well today during treatment; all

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-35873658522219562412007-06-02T06:46:00.000-07:002007-06-02T07:12:44.472-07:00

Good morning... it's 6:45am out here in our future new home and already I think it is already close to 80 degrees outside; aaahhhh, seems like being back in Vegas!!!It has been a pretty busy week for me. After having Monday off, my worship leader/assistant pastor flew into town late evening Monday for a staff retreat on Tuesday through Wednesday. I got up early Tuesday AM to take him to meet a

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-35357148099142276162007-05-31T06:47:00.000-07:002007-05-31T07:08:54.526-07:00

Greetings everyone -We trust you all had a wonderful Memorial Weekend; ours was good. I am sorry I haven't updated you sooner but since Monday was a holiday Michelle's treatment was moved to Tuesday and as soon as it was completed I headed to Michigan for a mini-staff retreat.Week 9 is "in the books" as they say (who are "they", anyway?) and things went pretty smoothly. This treatment seemed to

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-47429529338046936092007-05-28T08:10:00.001-07:002007-05-28T08:15:02.340-07:00

We wanted to take a quick moment to wish you all a Happy Memorial Day and thank each of you who either are currently or have served in the Armed Forces. Also, those who have lost loved ones or currently have loved ones serving; thank you too! Please know we a thankful for the sacrifices you have made and that you are all in our prayers!Things continue to go as well as can be expected... Michelle

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-60565810628458064372007-05-25T06:30:00.000-07:002007-05-25T06:38:33.236-07:00

Hi Everyone... It has been an extremely busy week so I am sorry for not updating you on things sooner.It has been a good week on the Michelle front. Apart from being pretty fatigued, the only thing she has really battled this week is the itchiness on her face. It's kind of strange but it is one of the side-effects of the Taxol and, since she didn't take the steroid, it seems she may just have to

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-41275578471914944302007-05-22T10:33:00.000-07:002007-05-22T10:50:19.738-07:00

It's lunch time here and since I didn't have time yesterday I thought I would take my break by writing an update for you all on Michelle's treatment yesterday. For those counting, only four more major treatments to go, where she takes both Taxol and Herceptin. Of course, she will be taking Herceptin once every three weeks for the remainder of a year after these twelve weeks of Taxol; still, from

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-63776151954045934402007-05-20T08:40:00.000-07:002007-05-20T09:00:57.806-07:00

It's Sunday morning... have you all made it to church yet??? I trust and pray the answer to that is YES!Just a quick update on some non-Michelle related prayer requests I posted yesterday! First, my dad's surgery went great and when I called yesterday morning to check on him he was out in the backyard giving instructions to my mom on the gardening! The only pain he was feeling was at the incision

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-19520947366250308532007-05-19T09:11:00.000-07:002007-05-21T06:01:18.736-07:00

Well, another week has come and gone. In some ways the weeks are just flying by, in others they are not. Another couple of days and we will be down to only four more treatments, which will mean 8 weeks have come and gone... wow! Still, four more weeks seems like a long time! I know many of you can relate to exactly what I am saying... the rest of you just think I am rambling!!! We finally got

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-88015202867752754832007-05-18T11:29:00.001-07:002007-05-18T11:59:14.045-07:00

Not too much has changed since the last post. Michelle is feeling slightly better, though I can see how fatigued she is when compared to previous weeks day by day. We have not gotten back the results from her blood sugar level panel taken earlier in the week (Wednesday); hopefully we will get those results before the end of the day. She continues to have times of light-headedness and low-grade

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-29286200843965024602007-05-17T07:24:00.000-07:002007-05-17T08:01:11.680-07:00

Just a quick update/post...Michelle is continuing to experience lingering effects for longer periods now, especially with bone pain/discomfort and headaches. It is a very draining thing... in her words, I just want to feel normal again. It grieves my heart to hear her say those words and see what she is going through. Please pray the Lord would intervene today, allowing her to be relieved of

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-10969819315359580312007-05-15T16:44:00.000-07:002007-05-16T10:31:06.203-07:00

Just a quick update for you all...The bone/muscle/skin pain returned overnight, though it is a little less than last week it seems. Still, Michelle doesn't feel all that well, so please pray for quick relief. We are trusting that by tomorrow it will be manageable.Overall, we continue to praise the Lord for the way He is so obviously ministering in the midst of this journey He has us on. We have

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-58311001763410155822007-05-14T19:18:00.000-07:002007-05-14T19:50:49.531-07:00

Made it back late last night, it was a great weekend at the church. It will be great when we finally relocate; already it feels like home and family!Well, today was a big day... we now have completed more treatments than we have left to do. Praise the Lord!!! There is many other great pieces of news as well, especially:1) Michelle's MUGA Scan results came back and her ejection rate actually went

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-42427342894596202542007-05-11T18:44:00.000-07:002007-05-18T20:21:35.571-07:00

Howdy everyone -Just wanted to drop a quick note to you all and let you know that all is well on the Venable front... Michelle is doing well, the kids are one week closer to school being out, and I am out of town once again in our future new home for a weekend of ministry. It's been a busy, busy day of running around in the heat but I have enjoyed every minute!The rest of my weekend is full of

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-73325956894249907932007-05-09T17:40:00.000-07:002007-05-09T17:50:25.282-07:00

Thank you all for your prayers this last 24 hours... Michelle feels 100% better today when compared to yesterday. Though she still has some discomfort it is more than manageable and she was actually able to function normally today. As always, the only answer is that God hears your prayers and is answering them!!!"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman!) avails much."(James 5:

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-33363652004641302442007-05-08T16:41:00.000-07:002007-05-08T16:58:12.762-07:00

Well, it has been a bit of a trying 24 hours. Michelle's bone pain started quickly, seemingly within about 3 hours of completing her treatment yesterday. It consistently got worse as the evening wore on and through the night so, of course, she didn't sleep well at all. Today it has gone beyond bone pain to being skin and muscle pain as well; in other words, don't touch her! She has been taking

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-33293805217283818232007-05-07T17:22:00.000-07:002007-05-07T17:46:47.903-07:00

Good evening to you all (is anyone out there still reading???) -Once again, your prayers have been effective and God has shown up as only He can! The nurses seemed to be so amazed and pleased with how well Michelle is doing; her counts either remained absolutely steady or went up. In fact, both of the important white blood counts (WBC-total mature white cell count, Neutrophil-young white cell

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-43140561111391712092007-05-07T06:30:00.000-07:002007-05-07T06:40:56.400-07:00

A quick note on Monday morning -"The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness,The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas,And established it upon the waters." (Psalm 24:1-2; NKJV)Please be praying that the Lord, who established, fashioned and formed all things, would have His hand upon Michelle as she goes to take chemo again today. This will mark the

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-50508767167286143002007-05-04T16:46:00.000-07:002007-05-04T17:01:48.380-07:00

Hi everyone -I have been beating myself up all day long over the fact that I have not posted more this week; I had every intention of doing so but "life" just kept me from doing so. I know, no excuses... I can hear it echoing in my mind!It has been a very busy week, though. Steven is caddying at a local golf course and this week he went through training each afternoon for FIVE days (Sunday

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-84082907209906723002007-04-30T16:47:00.000-07:002007-04-30T17:01:11.165-07:00

Today's treatment went well; uneventful and it was actually the quickest treatment yet. We once again had a different nurse and, like all the others we have had, she was wonderful. We saw our past nurses as well and we are quickly making new friends; funny how that happens even in situations like the one we find ourselves in. Please add these incredible women and one man to your prayer lists,

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-34295329175875091762007-04-29T18:04:00.000-07:002007-04-30T07:07:57.928-07:00

It's Sunday evening around 8:00pm or so... sorry I haven't posted more this week. Sometimes I feel like I am just re-writing the same things over and over; though I know you all probably don't see it that way. Things are going pretty well for us, though it was a very busy week in my new position. Busy but I loved every moment of it!!!There are some looming symptoms that Michelle seems to be

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-26405156985530513602007-04-24T20:52:00.000-07:002007-04-24T21:09:09.957-07:00

Well, it's a little late on Tuesday evening and I finally have the opportunity to post an update. Today has been a good day, apart from the expected onset of bone pain. Michelle has pretty much "lived" on Motrin and Tylenol all day trying to not allow it to get too bad; it's bearable which is about the best way to describe it. Even her face (cheeks, jaw, skin) is sore!!! She also has a slight

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-64537634418944734822007-04-23T20:42:00.000-07:002007-04-23T20:53:22.701-07:00

Greetings this Monday Night!!!It is a little late so I will be brief... Michelle's treatments today were once again uneventful for the most part and she seems to be doing just fine. Today the toll the treatments take on her it was a little more apparent; a friend who was there with us said she could actually see fatigue kind of work it's way into Michelle as the treatments were administered. It's

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-38330237467460521772007-04-20T16:56:00.000-07:002007-04-21T09:56:20.006-07:00

Greetings!!!I know, I know... you are wondering why I (Steve) am posting at a time when the home bible study is going on that meets at our house on Friday evenings. Well, that would be because I am not home; I am out on the road.One thing we have not posted to the blog, because the focus has been to keep everyone up to speed on Michelle, are some other changes going on in our personal life as a

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-91682205453480349682007-04-18T17:02:00.000-07:002007-04-18T17:05:58.194-07:00

We are so sorry we have not posted sooner... it has been so crazy here this week; lots going on, nothing bad!Quick update and I promise to post more info soon. Michelle continues to do well, though she is experiencing bone pain again as well as some "blah-ness". Please pray for that to go away and for her blood counts to remain up. All in all, she is doing really well considering, especially when

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-90284170237280941622007-04-16T16:16:00.000-07:002007-04-17T05:52:00.452-07:00

Another treatment down; we have taken the step into single digits when it comes to number of treatments left... from 10 to 9!!! Wooohooo!!! Every little step is a big blessing!!! Everything went absolutely fine today, no complications or difficulties whatsoever.We have one main message to send to you all today; we just want to tell you all... YOU ROCK when it comes to prayer!!! All of Michelle's

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-23561899136514246432007-04-14T20:13:00.000-07:002007-04-14T20:32:39.521-07:00

Greetings ya'll -Just checking in with you all; we trust and pray you are all doing well. Ya know, you all have been so diligent to pray for us as we walk this journey, here's a thought... we would love to be praying for you all too. So, if you have any prayers requests please feel free to forward them to us through the comment section and we will add them to our prayer list! Please, please,

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-40135579181991039202007-04-12T14:58:00.000-07:002007-04-12T15:18:39.937-07:00

I am sooooo sorry I have not posted since Monday evening; it has been a busy week for a lot of different reasons but that is life, isn't it?!Be encouraged that Michelle continues to do well, though we have experienced the first of the outward side-effects this week. We are not sure if it is the Taxol or the Aranesp (the drug she was given to boost her hemoglobin) but she began to have some bone

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-77386588380090497652007-04-09T17:55:00.000-07:002007-04-10T06:29:10.420-07:00

The title says it all; Michelle received her second treatment today and now she ONLY has ten more to receive. Seems like a "forever" kind of thing but by God's grace we will one day in June saying,"Twelve down, no more to go!"Today's treatment went absolutely wonderfully... none of the "drama" from last week, everything went like clock work, so to speak. They first accessed Michelle's port to

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-85919616855752089652007-04-08T19:20:00.000-07:002007-04-08T19:47:06.591-07:00

We trust and pray each and every one of you had a blessed Easter, remembering Jesus!!! What an awe-inspiring Savior, what a humble King, what a gracious and merciful Lord... willingly taking upon Himself the punishment due each of us so that we might be reconciled to the Father... hell cancelled, Heaven bound!!! Hallelujah!!!It has been a wonderful couple of days since our last post. Michelle

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-49130138193132879022007-04-05T16:46:00.000-07:002007-04-06T14:31:32.286-07:00

A big "HI" to each of you -Just another quick update/post to tell you Michelle continues to do well. If I wasn't there on Monday with her you wouldn't be able to convince me she even took chemo. It is absolutely amazing to watch the Lord answer the prayers of the righteous (that would be all you!) as He has held back any side-effects from the first treatment. We are wise enough to know that chemo

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-73605370775368427082007-04-04T16:47:00.000-07:002007-04-04T17:10:40.893-07:00

Greetings to you all -Sorry we didn't post yesterday, the time just got away from us. I'm not sure why that was the case; one minute the day was starting and the next it was over!! Ever been there?I don't have a lot of time this evening but I wanted to be sure to bring you up-to-date. The best way for me to do that is to tell you YOUR PRAYERS ARE BEING ANSWERED!!! WoooHooo... Following the long

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-30580537615222849072007-04-02T20:20:00.000-07:002007-04-03T07:43:49.537-07:00

"Dad, the basement is flooding in the laundry area!" Not the words you want to hear as you are walking out to get some breakfast before cleaning up to take your wife to her first of twelve chemotherapy treatments. Yet those are the words that came from my sons mouth... and the day began!!!It seems there was a clog in the line somewhere, so between calling our friends to get a plumber, moving

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-68956516391852915142007-04-01T09:14:00.000-07:002007-04-01T16:57:23.707-07:00

It's Sunday morning, sunny and breezy outside as I look out the windows... it appears to be the perfect Spring morning. Occasionally the sun dips behind a cloud or two, betraying the fact that they say some storms are coming later this afternoon and evening.Seems the fitting weather for today. Michelle is feeling much better, the pain having subsided quite a bit and she is feeling in many ways

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-64324885471657946082007-03-31T12:59:00.000-07:002007-04-01T09:12:09.324-07:00

Hi All -Just have a minute but wanted to let you all know how things are with Michelle. She is feeling quite a bit better though still pretty sore. You just don't realize how much you use the muscles in that upper portion of your chest - including brushing your teeth! - so Michelle still has limited movement of her right arm at the moment if she doesn't want to deal with the discomfort. Still,

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-63874300607511833892007-03-28T16:54:00.000-07:002007-03-28T17:10:08.042-07:00

Greetings and good Wednesday evening -Thanks for checking back to see how Michelle is doing today. I wish I could tell you she is doing great but I cannot; it was a night of fitful sleep due to quite a bit of pain. In fact, she is in more pain after having the port inserted than when she had the surgery to remove the tumor! The pain has continued though thankfully it is slightly better this

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-85465742687679866632007-03-27T17:00:00.000-07:002007-03-27T17:37:30.136-07:00

Hi everyone -Sorry I have not posted since Saturday; there has not been anything new to report until today so life has just been "normal" for a few days. Of course, that changed today as we took the last step before starting chemotherapy next Monday (April 2nd).First, Michelle did have the port surgically inserted today and everything went fine, apart from taking a bit longer than expected which

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-74632827379421893632007-03-24T08:46:00.000-07:002007-03-24T12:57:00.904-07:00

Good Saturday morning to you -Sorry we didn't get a post up last night, it was a bit of a hectic day that was culminated with having Bible Study for the first time in four weeks! It was good to have everyone over again, studying the word together and fellowshipping with one another; for those who couldn't make it, we missed you! I'm working at getting the teaching(s) accessible through the blog,

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-15521975096301852792007-03-22T16:41:00.000-07:002007-03-22T20:00:14.569-07:00

Good Thursday evening to you all -It is so hard to believe another week is almost in the books, life is so full of "busyness" right now! I am so thankful we have a God who is into even the smallest details, guiding and directing our lives even when we don't consciously realize it!!! Praise Him for all His goodness and greatness!!!As you know if you have been following along, we take our next step

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-57416985477829476052007-03-20T17:36:00.000-07:002007-03-21T12:20:56.711-07:00

A Tuesday evening greeting to you all -Okay, well it seems the schedule is now set for us as we continue this journey of faith in the Lord. In short, our next 13 days look like this: MUGA Scan on Friday (March 23rd), port surgically inserted in Michelle's upper chest area on Tuesday (March 27th), start chemo the following Monday (April 2nd). That means, barring any complications or delays during

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-89603194809061543702007-03-19T14:13:00.000-07:002007-03-20T19:34:25.131-07:00

Greetings to you all from my own living room, having arrived home around midnight last night from California. The trip to and ministry at San Quentin State Prison went very well; it was genuinely good to once again be with our Christian brothers incarcerated there, renewing relationships that started last November when I found myself there the first time. I send you their greetings and ask that

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-79404209888407729602007-03-17T21:53:00.000-07:002007-03-20T08:02:06.070-07:00

It has been a few days now since making the decision to move forward with the Taxol/Herceptin regimen and we are slowly getting our "heads around" the fact that we find ourselves having to endure chemo again. It seems we have been living this scene over and over these past weeks... cancer diagnosis again, surgery again, slowly healing again, staring chemo right in the face again; not the kind of

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-71451604367021695232007-03-15T22:57:00.000-07:002007-03-17T21:53:20.974-07:00

Thank you all for your continued prayers for Michelle, the kids and me. We so appreciate them and have felt each and every one. It has not been the easiest last 24 hours for us as we have considered the post-op treatment options placed before us. We really didn't believe that chemo would be in the "mix" and we REALLY didn't want to go through that all again. To say it has been a bit emotional

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-43988693037847165652007-03-14T16:19:00.000-07:002007-03-15T22:57:47.886-07:00

We just got home a bit ago from the days appointments with the surgeon and the Oncologist. Dr. DeHaan (surgeon) was able to remove the stitches without too much discomfort, very little in fact. Over the last couple of days the bruising and swelling has subsided substantially and he was real pleased with how things look at the surgery site. Things are doing wonderfully on that front.Following our

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-35078282362255844402007-03-13T19:13:00.000-07:002007-03-13T19:39:25.782-07:00

Well, hello again!!!Sorry we have not posted recently, but not much has really changed since the last post... and then it was a really busy weekend for the Venable family! Overall, we are doing very well.Michelle is doing better each day, though she still has some discomfort. Most of that is due to the muscle tissue that needed to be removed which has limited the use of her left arm some; though

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-74536070362880565702007-03-08T16:34:00.000-07:002007-03-08T16:40:16.468-07:00

Hi everyone...Well, yesterday we were supposed to see the stitches removed but, alas, they are still in. We arrived for our appointment 10 minutes early, at 3:20pm, and didn't leave there until after 6:00pm with only a couple of needle holes to show for it. A little disappointing and frustrating but we know the Lord has His reasons even for this.The situation is that Michelle has continued to

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-41096705554851097012007-03-06T05:19:00.000-07:002007-03-06T09:47:52.548-07:00

It has been a few days since our last post, which is actually a good thing because it means there is nothing really new to report. Overall the weekend went very well and Michelle continues to recover from her surgery at a good pace. We only had one setback, if you would call it that. On Sunday evening, after her busiest day yet, her back and neck muscles tightened up which brought on a pretty bad

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-34264407805973810322007-03-02T19:23:00.000-07:002007-03-02T19:25:42.970-07:00

I apologize to those of you who come here daily to get the latest "news" on Michelle and how she is doing; I was just too worn out to get a post done last evening, not that there was much new to share with you.Michelle finally removed the surgery dressing late Wednesday night prior to going to bed. It was a pretty emotional thing, seeing the stitches and all. Dr. DeHaan had to actually reopen the

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-33376315683563892242007-02-28T20:05:00.000-07:002007-03-01T10:56:00.593-07:00

"I will bless the LORD at all times;His praise shall continually be in my mouth.My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;The humble shall hear of it and be glad.Oh, magnify the LORD with me,And let us exalt His name together." (Psalm 34:1-3, NKJV)It has been another good day for us; Michelle woke feeling much better than the last two mornings, though she did not sleep all that well. As the

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-63496985511696482102007-02-27T20:46:00.000-07:002007-02-27T21:19:31.394-07:00

Yes, that is correct... working together Michelle and I actually blow-dried (is that the proper way of saying it???) her hair today. It was one of the first big steps of "normalcy" she has taken since the surgery, so praise the Lord for that!!!It's 9:50pm as I write this; it's the first opportunity I have had to update you all. Today started off a little rough, with Michelle seemingly a little

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-24246376835901787512007-02-26T20:16:00.000-07:002007-02-27T06:30:47.847-07:00

Good (Monday) Evening...Phew, what a day! Whoever said stay home moms who home school don't really work was out of their minds!!! For the record, I never said that but even I was surprised today by the amount of work I had to do between breakfasts, shovelling snow (again!!!), school, lunches, a little more school, dinner, etc., etc., AND making sure Michelle was doing ok.... WOW! Busy, busy, busy

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-25709798142523424122007-02-25T18:24:00.000-07:002007-02-26T06:20:24.395-07:00

Hey, almost sounds like the name of a newspaper, magazine or something? (see title) I know, wrong day of the week!!! I trust you all have had a blessed Sunday, worshipping the Lord...Well, I just got in a bit ago from my second go 'round of shovelling snow. It's been a very busy day to be sure, between the snow, fixing meals, making school DVD's, etc. I thought Sundays were supposed to be a day

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-29151149416092168012007-02-25T11:14:00.000-07:002007-02-25T12:29:37.412-07:00

Just a quick post to ask you to continue praying... Michelle's temperature is normal and swelling is about the same as early this morning. Right now, she was thinking of taking a shower but became really weak and shaky. I'm sure it is just the effects of having surgery, etc., so no need to get concerned. Just pray that the Lord would strengthen her and ease off these "bumps in the road" of

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-36593538072381922012007-02-25T09:07:00.000-07:002007-02-25T09:28:13.660-07:00

Good morning! First, let me apologize for not posting another update later yesterday. By the time I got Michelle to bed I was pretty tired and just couldn't bring myself to picking up my laptop. I trust you will each forgive me...Michelle slept well last night, having taken a Darvocet around 7:30pm last night and then again around 11:30pm. She seems to be doing pretty well this morning; the

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-3056660612835249322007-02-24T15:30:00.000-07:002007-02-24T15:45:48.144-07:00

It's about 4:30pm here and I wanted to give you a quick, brief update. Michelle struggled through the morning with on again, off again nausea; felt a lot like car sickness for those of you who can relate. We purposefully held off on her Darvocet (since 7:30am) to see if that was the problem. By 2:00pm she was able to eat a little chicken, potatoes and mixed veggies and was doing real well. The

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-43136458431188198162007-02-24T09:00:00.000-07:002007-02-24T11:19:29.445-07:00

Good morning... we had an okay night, thanks for your prayers. We got up around 2:30am so as to not miss taking pain meds, best to stay ahead of the curve on that so Michelle doesn't have to feel too much of the discomfort. All in all, she seems to be weathering that fine as long as she doesn't try to move around too much, especially her left arm. She ate some yogurt at that time too and was

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-78723929741805588372007-02-23T19:39:00.000-07:002007-02-23T20:30:51.147-07:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your prayers... each and every one of them have been felt by us and answered by the Lord today!! We are home and Michelle is resting comfortably in her own bed as I type this, Praise the Lord! I cannot begin to tell you of all the little and big ways God answered yours and our prayers throughout this whole day, He is so faithful!Ok, the particulars for

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-78375518775235869252007-02-23T08:38:00.000-07:002007-02-23T08:53:42.891-07:00

Good morning to you all!!!Well, we ushered in Friday by staying up and feeding Michelle a nice big turkey sandwich and a bunch of grapes just before midnight since she couldn't eat after that time. I think she popped the last grape in at 11:59:59... We are doing well; Michelle is actually fully in her teaching role at the moment. So here's the basic plan for the day: We need to head out no later

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-17208051133057896392007-02-22T17:03:00.000-07:002007-02-23T08:38:23.934-07:00

We received a call today informing us that Michelle's surgery time had been moved up from 3:30pm to 2:00pm, so please adjust your prayers accordingly. Apart from that, really nothing new to report. We are resting in the Lord and in the peace that only He can give us, while at the same time looking forward to just getting tomorrow over with.In the meantime, the kids were having some fun today

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-19061047659077539872007-02-21T14:06:00.000-07:002007-02-22T19:49:18.002-07:00

It seems like forever since the surgery date got set, certainly since we first found out about the recurrence of Michelle's cancer. The saying "Let's just get on with it!" is pretty much the mindset for both of us right now. Friday, 3:30pm can't get here soon enough for Michelle; the thought that there is cancer inside of her creates a sense of urgency to get the surgery done. For me, I'm looking

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-86700735942413607802007-02-19T17:18:00.000-07:002007-02-19T17:53:42.545-07:00

Happy President's Day!!!Things continue to proceed normally as we enter into this week, the kids and Michelle having the day off from school. For the most part, we are just waiting for Friday afternoon to get here so we can get the surgery over with and get on with the healing process. We have not had any further discussions with the Oncologist so we do not have anything new to report on the

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-42961958672895141172007-02-16T07:38:00.000-07:002007-02-16T15:36:02.018-07:00

After all the "craziness" of the past few weeks it has been nice to have a few days of normalcy, where you actually feel like you are participating in the flow of life. Reflecting back, the days of testing and running here and there remind me of one of those commercials you see on TV of a person standing still on a street corner in complete focus while "normal life" speeds by around them. You

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-27031375531215292712007-02-14T17:21:00.000-07:002007-02-14T17:54:50.954-07:00

We are still riding on a bit of a spiritual and emotional "high" from yesterday's news; I'm sure all of you can imagine the relief we feel knowing we are only dealing with a local recurrence. We KNOW that is the result of your prayers... thank you seems so inadequate to express to you all our immense gratitude for your "standing and walking" with us through this time. God has not only shown

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-64735199917207680662007-02-13T14:19:00.000-07:002007-02-13T15:09:17.403-07:00

I only have a minute but wanted to be sure I got this information up as soon as I could. I spoke with our Oncologist, Dr. Hantel, and he informed me he now has the official Radiologist reports for the Bone Scan and PET Scan and they both are NEGATIVE!!! He feels the possibility of the CT Scan showing anything is not likely, especially since the PET only "lit up" exactly where we would have

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-61665600016594021652007-02-12T19:43:00.000-07:002007-02-12T19:51:59.298-07:00

Hi everyone… First, Michelle and I want to thank those of you who have left comments/messages for us here on the blog, as well as those of you who have sent e-mails, cards, or called. Each message and conversation has been timely and encouraging, giving us strength to continue on this journey the Lord has us on.These past few days have been kind of like riding a rollercoaster when it comes to our

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-11423249494882643112007-02-10T12:50:00.000-07:002007-02-10T20:14:35.378-07:00

Sarah writes: "Once more, we're out at sea being battered on all sides by waves seeking to drag us down. The storm is fierce, but we know that our Captain is capable of keeping us afloat and bringing us unscathed to harbor. No matter how many fears and anxieties the enemy sends our way, we know that God is able to fill us with the peace and strength we need if we will only trust in Him. Our

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-23054435034092090202007-02-09T17:31:00.000-07:002007-02-14T08:41:26.725-07:00

Battery of blood tests, check; CT scan, yep; PET scan, done... one more test to go on Monday, the bone scan, after a couple days of needed rest.It has definitely been a long, emotional, tiring week. I think we both forgot that part of this "journey", how draining "holding it together" and walking the path before you can be. Praise the Lord that when we are weak, He shows Himself mighty and strong

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-21166867305805517262007-02-08T18:00:00.001-07:002007-02-08T18:29:34.818-07:00

Rumbly Tumbly... that pretty much describes Michelle's stomach after the CT scan today! Something about drinking that liquid barium, or whatever that pink-colored chalky drink is, and having it work through your system that results in undesirable after-effects! At least she could smile and laugh about it; between trips to the bathroom that is!The scan went fine; pretty much uneventful and they

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-80192967335876673112007-02-07T18:17:00.000-07:002007-02-07T19:12:10.790-07:00

It is going on 8pm Wednesday evening; it has been a very busy day. Michelle and I just got home from having dinner with two men from Ames, Iowa who are looking to open a post-prison ministry home. But hey, that's not why you would be coming here to check this blog, now is it! :-)We had the appointment this morning/afternoon with our Oncologist, Dr. Hantel. We were reminded again of why we really

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-9203764424293876162007-02-07T08:05:00.000-07:002007-02-07T08:37:46.282-07:00

It seems this last week has been one long wait; wait for biopsy results, wait through the weekend to make an appointment with the Oncologist, wait another couple of days before you actually get in to see him. The thought of having to wait a couple more days for tests to be run and then more days for the results of those tests somehow just seems "cruel." We try to stay busy with home schooling and

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4134767091314101826.post-57676506741796865932007-02-05T13:45:00.000-07:002007-02-06T12:26:54.472-07:00

I have been toying with the idea of creating a blog for some time, but have resisted the urge to do so; considering it a time-consuming endeavor that was in some ways self-centered (like, "Of course people want to read what I have to say!"). But life, or I should say the Lord, has a way of changing our thoughts and perspectives, so here I sit writing. As many of you who will come here to read

The Venables -http://www.blogger.com/profile/15178745792105481938noreply@blogger.com0