Pray for Brandon

Pray for Brandon

This blog started as a way to share our National Park trips with friends and family. These trips are taken with the Williams family. They are more than travel buddies, they are our neighbors, friends, Berry alums, and educators. Their children have spent many hours with our kids.  We share holidays together, dinner, dessert, a hike or bike ride at Berry. 

Waiting for  the bus in Boston

Brandon is 16 years old, and has endured years of  medical procedures. I call him a human pin cushion.  Without going through his whole medical history, the last 18 months have been especially trying for his family as he has dealt with intestinal issues.  Next week he will go to Scottish Rite to have a colectomy with an ileoanal j pouch.  Basically he will have a his large intestine removed, and have a temporary, which the j pouch will replace once that part of the surgery heals. The surgery will take place on Wednesday February 1. Please pray for Brandon, his doctors, nurses and his parents, Stephen & Beth.  

Brandon loves to play video games, and Aaron is always happy to  join him.  This is Brandon at age 10.

Brandon with the weasel the kids found in a house  in New Hampshire during our New England trip.  There is a story here, and no one tells a story quite like Brandon!

Beth, Brandon, Emily & Stephen in Boston

Brandon & Mom on the Golden Gate bridge

Brandon has a loving, supportive family, friends and church family.  He has a terrific outlook on the situation, but he would rather be fishing, kayaking, or watching NASCAR!  I look forward to Brandon getting to resume the activities he loves!

Colorado is calling Nobles/Williams travel crew in May, and we need Brandon ready to skip some rocks!

Alyssa's Exciting News!

 Alyssa will graduate from Berry College on May 5 with a Bachelor of Science in Education.  She is currently student teaching in 3rd grade at Elm Street Elementary.  Getting a teaching job in this economy is not easy, and Alyssa knows that.  She learned about Teach for America through the career center at Berry, and decided to pursue that program.

It's a long process, but the short story is she was accepted into the program! She found out today that she will begin her two year commitment to teach in the Mississippi Delta area.  Teach for America places teachers in poverty areas of the country.  They want them to impact the community and the school where they serve.  They give them training before they begin, they provide transitional funding and there is also money for a master's degree.

It will not be an easy assignment, but I know Alyssa will be ready.  She'll need our encouragement and our prayers.  We are so proud of her, and know God will use her mightily in this new environment.