Nov 3 Update!!!!

November 3, 2013- Yikes, it’s been awhile since I have written: Last week this time we were dancing at Matt and Makenzie’s wedding reception. Yes! Our youngest son, Matthew Jacob, has married the love of his life, Makenzie Halbert! They just got back form their honeymoon (they reported it was wonderful) and are making their home in Portland. Matt has 5 weeks left before he graduates from Multnomah University with a double major in English and Bible. Makenzie graduated in May with the same double major. Makenzie wants to write and edit and Matt wants to be in the graphic design field. We will see how that all develops! Jes and Josh and Dan, Ashley and Abraham all joined us in Portland for the wedding. It was great to be able to stay together at a friend’s home in Portland. Jes is still working on her Master’s at UCLA in Urban Planning while Josh makes the long 10 minute bike commute to work at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. ;) Dan and Ashley continue to reside in Lodi along with baby Abraham. Being a grandma is heaven on earth! Dan is enjoying teaching and helping coach football at his alma mater, Jim Elliot Christian High School. Unfortunately he is still dealing with health issues and thus the request of this letter. Right now he has a pleural effusion on one side that is worse than what the one he was dealing with right after his spleen procedure in July. The ascites he had is better and is being controlled by medication fairly well. I would love Dan to feel GREAT and have energy. Please join my in praying for a total resolution of his spleen/liver/lung issues and stamina and strength for each day. Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. I humbly thank you for your prayers. Your prayers are special to my heart.

praise and prayer needed!

Dear Family and Friends, Today 6 years ago, our son Dan was diagnosed with a serious cancer, neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer. He has endured much and has come out the other side. Hallelujah! Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace and healing power. After undergoing 10 rounds of chemotherapy there was doubt he would ever be able to have children. On May 22 Abraham Theodore was born to Dan and his wonderful wife Ashley! What an amazing blessing this little one is. Words just do not express the heartfelt gratitude I feel. A week from Monday on July 1, Dan will undergo a procedure at Stanford that will embolize his overactive spleen so that it will hopefully not be gobbling up his white blood cells and platelets anymore. We are humbly asking for your prayers for the success of this procedure. He will be spending at least one night at the hospital. Please pray too that the whole procedure and recovery would be smooth and easy. With a thankful heart that you have been with us as we have traveled this road. Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

He is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes sir, he is HERE! WHOOPEE!!!!! Abraham Theodore Howen was born on May 22, 2013 at 11:45 am. Mom and baby are doing fine! Dad is proud! Grandparents are thrilled! Great grandparents happy! Stats: 8 lb 5 oz 18.5 inches Absolutely perfect! Bob and I, the Lodi grandparents, are heading back to LA this week and are so happy to be able to do so. I'm in love :) Thanks to our Lord for His love, His mercy and His gifts!!! Dan wrote on May 24: 7 years ago today, I went on my first real date with Ashley. The next year, I knew I wanted to marry her. The next year, I did. This year, we became parents. Here's to more 'next years' and the joys they will bring. Abraham the first of the great Biblical patriarchs, father of Isaac, and traditional founder of the ancient Hebrew nation; from a Hebrew word meaning “father of many. Theodore masc. proper name, from L. Theodorus, from Gk. Theodoros, lit."gift of god," from theos "god" + doron "gift."

Praising His Name

Dear Friends and Family, LONG time no write! Time to send an update to you all. Ashley is 2 weeks away from her due date of May 24. We are asking for prayers for an easy and painless delivery (well, we can ask) and a healthy baby boy. He does have a name but it has not yet been spoken outside of Dan and Ashley's apartment and the cats are not telling anyone. The Grandparents are so excited ( probably the Grandma's exponentially more in comparison to the Grandpas! ) I am ready to hop into the car and drive to LA for the birth. Praying we will make it in time. On the Dan front, he recently told me that he has a date at Stanford on July 1 with the interventional radiologist who will embolize his spleen in an effort to reduce its size and activity. Hopefully this procedure cause an increase in his platelets and WBC's. But we can say he has NO NEW CANCER! We are praising God for that and praying that will continue for the rest of his life. In other family news, this Sunday marks Jessica and Josh's one year anniversary. If you have not heard about the wedding or seen the pictures, it was a very special day. This year on October 27th our youngest son Matthew will tie the knot with the love of his life, Makenzie Halbert. Bob and I leave tomorrow for Portland to go to her graduation from Multnomah University and meet her parents. What a busy year! What great events to celebrate (except for Dan's Stanford visit). We hope all is well with you and your family too. Next update will be when Baby Boy Howen makes his entrance into the world! Psalm 113:1-4 1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD. 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forever. 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised. 4 The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens.

Christmas 2012/New Year Update

Dear Ones, Family and Friends, January 2013 We hope that this letter finds you well and that you all celebrated a wonderful Christmas and the end of a blessed 2012. For us, 2012 turned out to be quite a stellar year. It started out with us in full speed getting ready for Josh and Jessica’s wedding day on May 12. It is amazing just how much time and energy can be invested in just one day and just how fast it goes by. But it was well worth it. Jessica and Josh’s wedding was epic! Jessica and Josh crafted a uniquely creative atmosphere and ceremony that incorporated family history, tradition, and culture yet was not bound by “this is how a wedding is done.” constraints. I can’t really explain it but it was simultaneously traditional, really different, serious, fun, inclusive, nostalgic, unconventional, hip, and magical. You kind of had to be there. There were Huntsmen and Huntswomen, Sirens, a bell, a chuppah, wings, sparklers, a hatchet and bow, a pump organ, and a chandelier in the grove, We also had a great time meeting and hosting her friends from many parts of the country. No one counted up the bodies sleeping on the floor the night of the wedding, so I can only guess, but I think there were about 30 who stayed here and then we had 50 people for brunch the following day. These amazing and talented young men and women were a pleasure to meet and get to know. They all enthusiastically helped with the cooking, cleaning and moving heavy objects that would have been a monumental task for us to do by ourselves. To those who were there, Thank you so much! I have a new faith and confidence in the next generation. btw... There are 1700+ pictures to look at if you would like to catch a glimpse of the day: http://awclients.smugmug.com/Other/Jes-and-Josh-Wedding/25430942_KfKNFc In June we celebrated an anniversary. No, not our wedding anniversary. Indeed, better than a wedding anniversary. It has been five years since our son Daniel was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent and endured his procedures and horrible treatments with grace, strength and dignity. And yes, there are still residual effects that he needs to deal with on a daily basis. However, in the five years, we have not seen any new tumors arise and the ones he did have, have been completely treated and are GONE! As I write this, he has no evidence of any activity of his cancer. What a miraculous blessing this is. In addition, he was able to get a hip replacement surgery and now can walk without limping for the first time in years. That is very cool. But wait! There’s more! On Oct 10 we found out that we are going to be grandparents! Ashley and Dan are expecting their first baby in May! And that is a miracle too! We actually got to see the baby on Nov 11 along with Ashley’s parents when we went to Bob’s office and did a sonogram. Even at 12 weeks he is cute, active, and wiggly..... and I have video to prove it! And we just found out that little baby Howen is a BOY! I can tell you that this grandma is beaming every day. I carry around ultrasound pictures and show them to whoever will indulge me. May cannot come soon enough because you can be certain that we are SUPER EXCITED to meet this new little man! Our youngest son Matthew, mostly in Portland reading in the rain, is studying English and Bible at Multnomah University and will be graduating in December 2013. He spent last summer at Hume Lake being the Lead Counselor for their junior high camp, Meadow Ranch. They love him there and I am thinking he will be sorely missed next summer since he is planning to stay and experience the sunshine in Portland this summer. Sometimes he dresses up like an Egyptian (for the play at Hume, bullwhip included) but mostly as a hipster. He even got Bob to start playing the banjo this summer. Who would have ever thought that would happen! His girlfriend Makenzie is from Idaho and he spent Thanksgiving with her family as well as a few days after Christmas. We have spent some time with her and she is a delightful young woman who brings great joy to Matthew. She also came to CA with him for a few days in mid December and she enjoyed joining us for our annual caroling party. Our caroling party is truly a highlight for me at Christmas time as we minister to those who could use some Christmas cheer. After all of that it almost sounds inconsequential to tell you that In March I traveled to Israel with a group of Jim Elliot Christian High School students for the third straight year, competing at the F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition in Tel Aviv. It was an amazing trip and this year our robot WON! Thrilling! It was so good to be back there with good friends we have made over the 3 years of going. I think I am finally comfortable driving everywhere in Israel including Jerusalem! The Israelis were wonderful, our students were great, the Land is continually amazing, and the food, as always, yummy. We were first hosted by other Israeli robotics families and then later by friends who are Messianic believers. If you ever want to do a “Jamie tour”, let me know. I am always looking for an excuse to return:) While I was in Israel, Bob flew to Minnesota for a wedding shower for Jes and Josh. He stayed with an old friend from his Guadalajara days and also got to meet Josh’s family at their farm. On the 3 hour flight there, he was inspired to write a parody of a song that Jessica wrote the lyrics for called “Josh McBride” (on youtube: Josh McBride The Head and The Heart). He recorded it in the summer and can be seen on You Tube under “Jes McBride” if you want a good laugh. Now that the kids are gone, we have a lot of empty rooms and we like to make them available for strays. We were privileged to host guests not only for Jessica’s wedding but also for a friend’s wedding, a rock band that was passing through town and a teacher from a Christian school in Ibaraki, Japan. Our Japanese guest joined us for a local open mic night and he, Bob and I sang Silent Night in four languages: English, German, Spanish and Japanese (ok, so Bob and I did not sing the Japanese version). It was very fun! All in all, we have loads of fun with our out-of-towners, so if you ever want to make “Lodi” a destination, please know that the hotel is always open! Bob and I are continuing to work at our respective jobs. I was able to do over 200 ultrasounds for women at our Pregnancy Resource Center, most of whom are in a crisis pregnancy. We feel it is so important to give people accurate information on all their options so they can make the best choice. I count it a privilege and blessing to be there. I know the Lord has placed me in this position. Well that sums up our year’s highlights. We hope and pray that your Christmas which translates, “celebration of Messiah” was one that was full of the joy that He brings and that your 2013 will bring a deeper awareness of His love and mercy and grace. Enjoy the following 4 pictures:  Wedding Day Family Picture: Please note the color co-ordination which, unbelievably, was totally unplanned! KEEP SCROLLING DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to see pictures of Baby Howen, looking comfy in his current digs.  13 weeks -BABY BOY HOWEN! Keep scrolling to see him at 20 weeks:  one more to see, keep looking...........  With much love to you and your families, Bob and Jamie

As my husband so eloquently puts it: 5 years ago today, June 19, 2007, is a day which will live in infamy for me. Instead of starting a fun week of vacation, our family was collectively horrified to be thrust into the reality of Dan's cancer diagnosis. None of us could have possibly imagined on that day the struggles, and yes, the miraculous victories that we have experienced since then. No parent should be forced to deal with the suffering of the child they love so dearly, and yet that is exactly what elucidates that love. There is nothing quite like a hopless situation that makes the healing so obviously miraculous. There is nothing quite like mercy to demand humility. I would like to honor Dan for his character and faith throughout the seemingly endless suffering he has endured. I would like to honor his mother for tenaciously doing battle for her son. I would like to honor Ashley for sticking by his side when things were not beautiful or easy. For loving him, and giving him encouragement in a way his parents could not. I would like to honor all of the others who were his nurses, doctors, and others involved wiht his medical care. I would like to honor the rest of you who have supported Dan, Ashley and our family throughout all of this ordeal. Five years down the road with no evidence of active disease is a big deal. We have indeed witnessed a miracle. May I never forget nor cease giving thanks to the Lord for this day. Dear Friends and Family, Just a reminder that Dan's hip replacement is tomorrow morning at 10. He goes in early for an infusion of platelets since his are on the low side (in the 50,000's). This can be a very bloody surgery too. Please pray for an uncomplicated surgery and swift uneventful recovery! Thanks so much! Love Jamie Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 Just spoke with Dan. He is awaiting his dinner! He has not been up yet but is hoping to get up tonight and walk. The pain is subsiding (YEAH!) So glad the surgery went well. Thanks for praying for him. Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:8-11

Much has happened in our family since our last note: Jes and Josh got married on May 12 in a beautiful and unusual ceremony filled with antiques and symbols, friends, fun and laughter. Many have told me it was the best wedding they have ever been to. They traveled to Iceland for their honeymoon and had a wonderful time! Dan has finished his first year of teaching, enjoyed it, and has been rehired for next year. Good news! Today, Father’s Day, 5 years ago our family was all together eating at Moo Moo’s Burger Barn in Lodi. Little did we know that a few days later, Tuesday June 19, 2007, we would be heading to the ER with Dan and start the beginning of the long hard trail (and trial) of combatting Dan’s neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer. Many of you have traveled down that road with us in prayer and helps and for that we are most grateful. Five years later we shout “hallelujah to the Lord” for His goodness and mercy to us! Dan’s last PET was negative. In 11 days he will undergo surgery to replace his left hip which is related to his bout with cancer. Hopefully, this is his last operation ever! We are praying for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery and would ask you to join us in that request. We are also still praying for Dan and Ashley to be able to conceive. I am including Ashley’s last note from their blog and also a link to a message that Dan shared at his church in La Mirada on April 29. Dan does not readily talk about himself or his situation, so if you have 28 spare minutes, I encourage you to listen to it: http://redeemerlm.podomatic.com/entry/2012-04-30T07_36_32-07_00#.T59o9HCm_-g.email Ashley’s note: Love, Marriage and Babies (and a cat) May 14, 2012 This just a quick update on life to let everyone know we're still alive and kicking. You'll notice that cancer isn't mentioned in the title. This is simply because we have nothing new to share on that front. Dan had a couple weeks in which he wasn't feeling good, but it looks like that may have been related to a new medication that has since been stopped. Now, we just keep watching and waiting until the next CT in June. In the "love" news, our best friends Lisa and Andrew recently got engaged with a wedding set for November in the Wine Country. Lisa and I have been friends since the 3rd grade, so it feels like my sister is getting married! We've also known Andrew since our freshman year at Biola, and he was in our wedding. My goodness, are we excited! And, our friends Laura and Brian got engaged, too. They'll be getting hitched this summer. This will certainly be a memorable year! In the "marriage" news, Dan's sister Jessica just became Jessica McBride. Jes and Josh got married this past weekend up in Lodi at a very unique and beautiful wedding. The entire event screamed "Jes and Josh" and they looked fantastically happy. They are headed off to Iceland for their honeymoon today. Now, Dan and I can start bothering them for a baby...well, we'll give them a few months ;) Also, my family was invited to the wedding, so I was able to hug my parents and brother for the first time since December. It was also the first Mother's Day that all my mom's kids were in the same place with her for almost 5 years! It was very sweet and way too short. We'll be looking forward to another visit from my family in June for my dad's graduation with his BA from The King's College. So excited! Finally, in the "babies" news, a lot of craziness has been happening. I'm taking far more meds than I'd like, but hopefully they will help us conceive anytime now. We had been working under the assumption that Dan's chemo treatments were to blame for our current infertility issues...but he is very close to normal! I, however, am the one to blame for things being so tricky :( It turns out that I failed my glucose tolerance test because I have insulin intolerance. This is different than diabetes in that my body just makes a ton of insulin, but my cells won't use it properly so my blood sugar takes longer to normalize. This elevated insulin and glucose ratio throws off other hormones which has essentially kept me from ovulating for Lord knows how long. No ovulating means no babies. Because of this, the doctor started me on metformin to balance the ratios and bring my levels to normal. Also, I have had to change my diet around a lot. No white carbs, lots of fruits/veggies and protein, no caffeine...it's been "fun". Dan has been AMAZING about helping me stick to this diet because I get really sick if I don't. Many women  begin to ovulate normally just with taking the metformin, but the doctor wanted to throw a couple more punches. After some more investigation, the insulin resistance is part of a syndrome called PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) which is the most common reason in women my age for infertility. As one can probably guess from the name, I also end up getting pretty large and painful cysts on my ovaries. When the ovaries occur we have to put fertility treatment on hold for a month while a different medicine shrinks them. This has already happened once and is very frustrating. (Yet, God knows what is happening in every cell of our bodies and knows the exact perfect timing of every need. Even if that means, we wait a long time for a baby or we never have one at all. As painful as that thought is, I trust that God has a perfect reason for His will and actions.) My most recent cyst is gone (yay!) and I've added 3 new meds to my daily cocktail of drugs. The next few weeks (or months) will involve a lot of doctor appointments and waiting and ultrasounds and waiting and praying and hoping and waiting and praying some more. Dan and I are really praying that we are able to conceive with just medications helping us, so that we don't have to move to more invasive technologies. We would appreciate your prayers in this, too! Oh, and the last bit of our update: a cat! We made the decision to get Toulouse a new friend to help him be less lonely and crazy. We are still holding out on whether or not this has actually worked, but it has been very entertaining. The new kitty is named Fleur de Lis (Dan's choice to keep with the "cats are French" notion in our home). She is 1.5 years old, very small, very spunky and very loud. She talks all the time. Poor Toulouse. Prayer Requests: * Keep the cancer away! * Safe travels for Jes and Josh * Good timing, successful meds and God's hand in helping us in the baby-making * A quick recovery for Dan's hip surgery with NO COMPLICATIONS Remaining at peace in God's will :)  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4