Hi Everyone,

I'd you to meet my dear friends, the Schmitt family – Doreen, Rick, Angie, Amy and Jake.  Even though she’s currently battling lung cancer, Doreen is filled with life.  Her childhood sweetheart and husband of many years, Rick, was diagnosed with Stage-4 colon cancer just 8 months after Doreen's diagnosis.  Their children, Amy, Angie, and Jake, are unbelievably grounded people.  They’re selfless, tireless, and clearly the product of the love, joy, and acceptance they were raised with.

I can’t express in words my love for this family and what they can teach us all about living life to its fullest, so I thought instead I’d show you.  While visiting them in Washington, I turned the camera on them every now and then to document just a few of the many ways they leave me awed and inspired every time I witness the grace with which they live each day.

My friend Gil pieced these clips together so that others could have the privilege of knowing them too, and maybe if you wouldn't mind...send a good thought their way and check out Doreen’s blog at: http://cancersurvivor2006.blogspot.com/.


With much love to my dear friends the Schmitts and all of you,

Nancy

HD Version (will take a bit to download):

Dream Big Video

Low Bandwidth Version:

Dream Big Video

This family, like so many, move me and make my heart swell. The love of a family and friends--there is truly nothing better. GOOD LUCK SCHMITT FAMILY--we will always be rooting for you.

My sixth grade teacher, my hero, and her husband raised their two daughters in a small town in Missouri, he was a judge and she a teacher. They moved to the Lou where he is a judge and she finished out her years of teaching, never forgetting their small town roots. She was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, I believe, three years ago and thought she had overcome the battle! However she was mistaken. Her daughters started a blog somewhat like this one and she kept in touch with friends from "up North" and students.  Cancer took over a few months ago and Hospice was called in this week, and the blog today stated she was very worried that her youngest of two grandsons would not be able to celebrate is first birthday with his grandma! They celebrated yesterday, a month early, and the hospice nurse left yesterday telling them it would be hours instead of weeks and her battle would be over.

So when everybody prays tonight could you send up a special prayer for this family as well! It will be appreciated.

Nancy, on all these links to this courageous story, I'm not finding ways to help support them financially.  Is there a service that they rely upon that could use a donation?  Or an "in kind" donation of medical supplies or services?

I can contact you or one of your people if you reply to this.  Hope you are having a wonderful time on your trip!

COOL