Category: Extended family

We are praying for you, Susan. We love you! Get well soon.

(Photo from Sanchez blog)

The joie de vivre that personifies Susan is affecting. Her attention to such details as specially wrapped chocolates on a sick bed or blue corn tortilla chips over more commonplace varieties makes us feel special. Her fashions, whimsical and elegant, so willingly shared with me during my teenage years made me feel like an heiress; her laugh, engaging and full, has invited us to join in her enchantment for just a minute as we have laughed along with her.

Susan embraces all things lovely and makes them seem more lovely by her attention. And God who knows and loves her best is watching over her in her illness while we pray for the recovery of her heath and spirits.

I feel blessed to have a very special Great-Aunt Susan, who is much greater than this terrible cancer.

Ryan and Margie Hess are our friends. In addition to prayers, there is something else we can do to help this family. We have learned that if you are a Federal employee, you can donate leave time to Ryan. Margie sent us the following:

***FEDERAL EMPLOYEES- PLEASE DONATE LEAVE TO RYAN HESS***

My name is Margie Hess, my husband Ryan was diagnosed on June 12, 2009 with a rare and aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  Since this is an aggressive form of T-Cell Lymphoma, his doctor has put him on an aggressive chemo regimen that will result in him being unable to work for the next 4-6 months and possibly longer.  At the time of diagnosis he was finishing up his 1^st year as a Podiatry Resident at the V.A. in Tucson, AZ.  Ryan is a devoted husband and father of two children, Hallie (5) and Max (2).  By the end of this month (June 2009), Ryan will use up the last of his vacation and sick leave and will have to go on unpaid leave.  Ryan is the sole provider for our family; I stay at home with both the kids.  Without him working we have no income.  I need to stay home to help care for him, so I cannot get a job right now, either.  As difficult as it is for our family to have to ask for help, we have realized that we must do so at this time.  We were told that any federal employee (ie: military, Border Patrol, DEA, FB I, Dept of Justice, EPA etc.  EXCEPT Post Office employees) can donate vacation time to be used as sick leave for another Federal employee.  We would be so thankful for any number of extra paid days we can accumulate.  Thank you so much.

How can you help if you ARE a Federal Employee?

Go to your HR department and request to donate leave to Ryan Hess who works for the VA.  (Your HR person will know the form that needs to be filled out- each Federal agency has their own form to donate leave)

Once filled out and signed, the HR person will then need to fax or e-mail the form to:

OLIVIA McCLURE – Benefits Specialist (TUCSON V.A.)

Phone #: (520) 792-1450 x 6076

Fax #     :  (520) 629-1849

E-Mail   :  olivia.mcclure@va.gov

ALSO, for those who are federal employees, please print out this message and post it in break/lunch rooms to help get the word out as well as emailing it to co-workers!

How to help if you are NOT a Federal Employee:

PASS this along to ANYONE and EVERYONE that you know and then ask them to pass the message along.  Post it on blogs, Facebook…whatever you can think of.

Thanks again everyone- this will help SO much!

GO TEAM RYAN HESS!

(E-mail teamryanhess@gmail.com to receive updates or to send a message!)

This is my neighbor, Maria and her daughter, Susie. Maria excels in all things neighborly.

Today Maria kidnapped my boys (even Mark) for the day so Paige and I could have some time together. Neat-o. Maria kidnaps my kids occasionally. It’s always well-timed and spontaneous. It’s really uncanny how she seems to know when the kids need to be spoiled for a little while. Today was the first day that Mark was old enough to come along. When I told him to get ready to go, he stopped, mouth gaping, and said, “I. Can’t. Believe!” and then threw his hands into the air and ran around the driveway six times.

I’ve been trying to think of a title for Maria, like “Aunt Maria,” but it just doesn’t fit. She’s more magical than that. She’s like a fairy godmother, appearing with marvelous kindness at just the right time.

Some days she shows up with a specially wrapped lunch prepared just for me. Other days she shows up with batches of cookies that she’s decorated which are worthy of a magazine cover. I have no idea why she chooses us to shower with her kindness, but I won’t rock the boat by asking too many questions.

Her husband, Jeff is just as generous. His wheelbarrow has spent more time in our back yard than in his own.

Her daughter, Susie is our talk-over-the-fence backyard friend. Ok, the kids don’t just talk, they traffic lizards, toys, and squirt guns across our friendly border fence. In fact, I would say Susie will someday be an ambassador to nations, ready to talk to anyone and she’ll always wear impeccably coordinated outfits. She’s charming.

We count ourselves lucky to have these two ladies & Jeff next door.



This is my brother Joe and his wife Shannan at the temple last week. They have adopted three children in the past year and a half or so. Their youngest baby, Ammon was sealed to them last week. Shannan has been sick for a long time and is losing a lot of weight. Gall bladder surgery hasn’t helped. She’s hospitalized today. I want to run to them and help. I hope I can. For now, I pray and wait for answers like everyone else who loves her.