Another Milestone

As we unloaded the last of the boxes and furniture, looking around the apartment I realized there was a time when I never expected this to happen. Josh has moved to Amarillo for a new job.

It has been more than six years since he had his last doctors visit with his oncologist, and even after being released, every time he caught a cold or came home with the flu I silently worried that the cancer was back. 

Now he is on his own, working for a blood bank (there is some irony in that) as a phlebotomist. He loves what he does and is great with the people he helps. In his own way he is giving back to those that gave some much to him.

We thank God for all He is doing in our lives and the lives of our children. We are empty nesters again. Sarah is working in the Grapevine area and studying to take the test for the state department. 

As we pass these milestones, we are reminded of Gods faithfulness to us.

Continued Blessing

It has been a long time since we gave an update on our family. Joshua continues to be healthy and is working at Pier 1 in Amarillo. He took a semester off of school but is looking to go back and study nursing. He goes to the hospital almost every week as a volunteer and visits and encourages other patients on the PICU ward that have life threatening illnesses. We are proud of him as he is sharing with others what God did in and through him. We continue to praise God for His faithfulness through this difficult journey.

Sarah started college this fall at Dallas Christian College in Farmers Branch, TX. She is loving being in the dorm and all that comes with college life. She is majoring in business and management. We are so proud of her and thank God for blessing us with her.

Ilene and I are learning to be "empty nesters". We are staying busy with ministry and keeping up with our kids.

Another Birthday

What is the most memorable birthday you ever had? Was it when you turned six and got a new bike? I don't remember a lot of birthdays when I was younger, but the year I turned 50 will remain etched in my memory for a long time. The day before my 50th birthday, our 17 year old son Joshua was diagnosed with leukemia.

This past weekend,  Joshua turned 19.

Last year for his 18th birthday, we celebrated it a few weeks late because he wanted to wait for his hair to grow back in. So we celebrated his birthday along with the completion of chemotherapy. Although his treatment was done, we still didn't know what to expect and spent much of the following year hoping and praying that his remission would turn into a cure.

The road has been interesting to say the least. Over the summer, he finished high school, got a job and an apartment in Amarillo in the fall and started his first semester of college. To keep us on our toes, he fell asleep on his way home from school, rolled his car and was lifeflighted to the trauma center. After a night in the hospital they sent him home to learn how to ride the bus.

He is now in his second semester of college, working 2 jobs, borrowing dad's truck and saving for another car. And Sunday he turned 19. Some cake, ice cream and a few friends was all of the excitement and we are glad to celebrate a calm and peaceful birthday with him.

Happy Birthday Josh !!! Enjoy your last year of being a teenager. We are thankful for the gift of another year.

Turning 50 after Josh was diagnosed with leukemia

It's a New Year

It is hard to believe that we are into a new year. Although 2012 was much better than 2011, we spent the first half of the year recovering from being in hospitals.

Although we had some excitement (Josh rolling his car) the year ended with Josh still in remission, Sarah applying to college, Josh finishing his first semester in college while living in Amarillo and working two jobs.

Our responsibilities at church increased in October. Our pastor resigned after serving for eight years to move back to his home town to help care for his mom and the family ranch. For the last two months I have been busy helping put a transition plan in place including doing some speaking and working with the leadership to identify an Interim Pastor. We will also put together a Pastor Search Team that will develop a job description and profile for the new senior pastor.

God continues to be faithful as we serve Him. We anticipate another year of blessings as we follow His leading.

December 1, 2012

One year ago as we were decorating the Christmas tree, the doctor called to tell us that Josh needed a transfusion. It was already late in the afternoon when we headed to the hospital in Amarillo and I remember thinking how different our lives had become.

After 5 or 6 hours, an x-ray and a blood transfusion, we were on our way home.

Today, we are back in Amarillo, but for a different reason. Sarah is taking her ACT's and  in a few minutes we will go pick up Josh and take him to breakfast. Since last month and his escapade with the rolling car, he has started a second job (to save for a new car) and has learned the joys of working retail during the Christmas season.

The other day as Josh and I talked about our lives over the last year and a half, I was a proud dad to hear him talk about how God must have plans for him after all that he has been though and God has spared his life miraculously (twice in one year).

Last night when we went by one of his job's (Frazzelberry's off of Georgia), Ilene was talking to one of the customers. They saw us bring him dinner and commented on how good of a worker Josh was. Ilene shared briefly what Josh had been through and shared how God had been faithful.

As we go into this season when we celebrate the gift that God gave us through His Son, remember to keep you focus on whose birthday we are celebrating. As you hang the lights on the house and the tree, remember that He wants you to be a light in the world. When you buy those presents and place them under the tree, remember, the gift He gave was hung on a tree for you.

This Christmas we are celebrating the life God gave us, make sure you tell someone this season about the gift God has hung on a tree for them.

Merry Christmas From the Walton's