CaCa did great yesterday.

CaCa began her day on Monday morning with a special book about a little tree that has a few branches that fell sick and needed to be trimmed off, yet although it has a few branches cut off, it still grew up to bear abundance fruits. And right away, CaCa says she's like the tree because she has a "branch" cut off too. She was glad to know that the tree grew up to be a happy and useful tree bearing many fruits and then she moved on to other things and had a quite happy day. How amazing it is that God would use a storybook about a little tree to help CaCa see herself as still being useful and still can have a very happy life ahead of her.

The nurses helped CaCa to flip onto her tummy so to help her operated leg stretch. CaCa first told the nurses that she wouldn't be able to do it but after a little bit, she agreed to give it a try and the nurses were hoping that she would be able to stay on her tummy for about 30minutes. After a few painful moves, CaCa was finally on her tummy with a few pillows under her to help her stay at a position that the needles and tubes on her won't get in the way. Although the epidural was bothering her back and causing some discomfort, but CaCa ended up staying on her tummy for almost 2 hours because we got her the Barbie Rapunzel movie to watch. She watched the whole movie till the end and she actually had more pain in her neck than anywhere else after that because she kept her neck turned towards the TV for the whole time. Good thing the pain in the neck didn't last and she was so happy when the nurses helped her turn back to lying on her back, she says she has never been so comfortable.

CaCa's appetite is still not too great but she has started to eat a little bit. Let's continue to pray for her to have a better appetite so that she can build up her strength fast. Her oncologist saw her briefly yesterday and told us that they will consider starting chemo again by midweek this week depending CaCa's blood work reports. Her epidural is supposed to come out today and CaCa will be given oral painkillers to help with the pain in her leg. Please pray that all the medical treatments work out for Cassidy so that her leg heals quickly to enable her to start her rehab treatments soon and be able to go home even sooner.

Also pray for the Sheng's family as they are considering a new residence that would accommodate Cassidy's future needs. However there is no urgency to this so please do not flood them with your recommended agents or listings or what you think they should look for and buy. Unless you yourself have gone through the same situation that they are now in and can share with them your experiences with a child with physical needs, otherwise, please JUST PRAY for God to guide them and to give them wisdom to select what is best for Cassidy for Aaron and for their family as a whole.

Please also remember Aaron in your prayers as he has started yet another busy school year with extra curriculum. Air cadet is another extra curriculum activity that has been added to his already full activity schedule. Mama Carmen worries that he might get too exhausted from attending too many activities but on the other hand she is not able to give more time to be with Aaron herself. Papa Andy believes that Aaron is mature enough to choose what activity to join and whether he can handle all the extra curriculum. Dr. Jesse heard that Aaron is also taking the bus to school this year so to free up mommy and daddy to tend to Cassidy more easily. Let's give our Big GorGor Aaron a big round of applause for being so understanding and so independent. Although Carmen and Andy were the ones taking care of Cassidy all these months, but without Aaron being such a good boy in taking care of himself and being so independent, it would have been really hard for Carmen and Andy to juggle things around. Let us pray that God continue to nurture this wonderful boy in all the things that he needs so that he grows up to be yet another strong witness of the goodness of God to others. Pray also for his road safety and his health and well being going between school and activities.

Aaron, we thank God for making you such a wonderful boy. We can all see that your mommy and daddy are so proud of you. Thanks for your understanding especially in the last few months of your parents' need to run off to Cassidy all the time and thanks for being a big hero to Cassidy. You are surely an angel God sent to your family. Hang in there for a bit more, as CaCa gets better, things will slowly go back to normal. God is not only with Cassidy, He is also with you all the way. He knows about your sadness and tears, He knows all about your struggles, He's around even when mom and dad are not. So feel free to tell God everything in your heart and He will share your burden. Life is full of burdens, but we who know God have Him to share our loads, so Cheer!