A Heart Full of Gratitude in a Hard Week

Brain MRI - April 20

On Sunday, we were surrounded by so much love. The Meinecke side of the family came to church with us, and our pastor said a prayer for our family. There were a lot of tears, many shocked faces in the congregation, and more hugs than I could count. It was emotional, but also incredibly comforting to feel so supported.

After that, we kept the rest of the day pretty low-key, knowing the week ahead would bring a lot.

On Monday, April 20th, I went in for a brain MRI to check for any cancer activity. The results confirmed the abnormal lesion in the back of my skull bone, measuring 25 x 14 x 15 mm—about the size of a grape to a walnut. This was not present on my 2019 MRI, meaning it developed sometime after that.

Hearing the location is definitely scary, but there is some reassurance: the lesion is in the bone, not the brain itself. While it will need treatment and close monitoring, it is different from cancer in the brain and is often more manageable.

Special Visit with Park View Students - April 22

Wednesday was a much busier day. 

Andy and I went to Park View, where I taught 8th grade math, to visit some of my students. This meant so much to me because I had to leave so suddenly that I never really got the chance to say goodbye.

We brought birthday treats (which may have helped draw a crowd 😊), but the turnout was beyond anything I expected. Around 80 students came out to the courtyard to see me. I was able to hug so many of them, they sang “Happy Birthday,” and I was showered with treats, cards, flowers and so much love.

Since then, I’ve continued to receive emails—and even some videos—from both past and present students letting me know they’re thinking of me. To all of my students and their families: thank you. Your continued support means more than I can put into words.

Throughout my teaching career, I always tried to build strong, positive relationships and help shape each student’s character. Moments like this remind me just how meaningful that work has been. I feel incredibly blessed to have had an impact on so many lives.

God has a plan in all of this—He is working, even in the hard moments.