1 Year!

I cannot believe that it has been 1 year (well almost) since Eric finished his treatments.  One year ago he was so close to finishing the last treatments, when his body was just too exhausted to continue.  As frustrating as it was, it was necessary for his body to heal  in order to endure the final treatments.  Last year seems so far away, but yet it still seems like it was yesterday and is still a tender memory.  The strong feelings as we walked out of the hospital after finishing the last chemo treatment of wondering if it was enough to kill all those cancer cells floating in his body.  Well today as Eric went to PCMC for his last set of scans before heading to Sacramento helped to rest assure me that all was well.  It was a gift from heaven to hear this great news and even better was the news from Dr Spraker, as we spoke on the phone tonight of how impressed she was of Eric and how he had touched so many lives.  She said that she knew that I had to be proud of him.  That statement cannot even begin to touch the surface of how much I love this kid. 

I love hearing all the great stories of how much he has learned and grown while in the MTC.  I know that he is very anxious to get out into the “Real World” and begin to get to know the Lao people.  The 6 Laotian speaking missionaries in the mission field are all in Sacramento.  When Eric and the group of Elders who all have been working hard to learn the lao language will continue to work together in Sacramento.

He said that hard part of the MTC has been that he has greeted several groups of new missionaries and then have sent them off to their missions…. Only to stay behind.  But the next group that will be greeted by Eric and his group will have the opportunity to leave with them also.  They are truly looking forward to October 2. 

I love his letters and the stories he tells me, here are some more pictures that I was able to get my hands on. 

The boys were having fun with these glow sticks and this is the Lao word for Heart.

This means Love

This is the chair he sits in all day long studying.  I feel claustrophobic for him... But he has had such a great attitude.

And of course we have to show the name tag.  :) 

What a great day to know that he is now 1 year clean of any cancer, and ready to begin a new adventure.