Homework & HEROES

This is Martha's senior year. She has worked so hard to get to this year. She spent the summer of 2004 completing her sophmore year with homebound studies and a tutor, finished her junior year by attending regular classes and took two summer school classes last summer in order to have all the needed credits to graduate this year. During all of this time she took oral chemotherapy drugs daily. Stuff that wipes out energy and causes nausea and heartburn. She went to oncology appointments twice a month or more and was constantly having sticks for bloodwork. She started her senior year with NO MORE chemo and just sixty days into the year, she was back on homebound and back in the clinic everyday. We're proud to say she has a 3.4 gpa and is still on track with her credits. The big challenge came when we were faced with the necessity of moving to Memphis for her stem cell transplant. Then along came an opportunity that is new and never used at Tulsa Public Schools until this year - NovaNet. Then along came the question of how do we get her a laptop computer in order to do the work away from home.

Well thanks to the love of some very fantastic people - our heroes, that question was answered most generously and the computer need has VANISHED. What APPEARED was a brand new Compaq Presario Notebook with wireless connetivity, just exactly what the doctor ordered. We appreciate my friends and co-workers at The Salvation Army in Tulsa for this marvelous gift, it would not have happened without YOU! God bless.

Both kids, Martha & Michael, are going online to continue schoolwork with this pilot project that Tulsa schools is testing (NovaNet). Martha began her online studies this weekend. A problematic start included DOS software (what century are they in?) a time-out failure that logged her off and lost all her work and the software window measures only 4X6 inches which is very hard for her to see with the use of only one eye. BUT, she is still determined to graduate this year no matter what NovaNet throws at her. And she wouldn't think of letting any of you down, either.

A quick aside, to let you know that Michael is accompanying us to Memphis because Mark leaves for work at 4AM - returns at 4PM, and works 6 days a week. Not a lot of time for a son. So I am very thankful that these arrangements can be made for him. Michael is also an amazing caregiver and will help Martha if she needs it in the hospital or when she is outpatient. I don't think he would do it for anybody else but Weezer. So today, the picture is all about Michael, our biggest hero with the heart.

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love sam & weezer