If anyone is able to donate cooked meals or even a store bought one if that’s easier, in March, we would be so grateful for the help! Feel free to sign up on the calendar. If you have questions feel free to call me at 617-306-8395.
Thanks so much!!! (:
-Lisa

Thank you all once again for the constant love, prayers, cards, notes and encouragement. The last few weeks have been relatively “uneventful” in the cancer world, which is a good thing, praise God. My counts have all been good and stable, which means I can continue to receive my weekly chemotherapy treatments without any interruption. So thank you for the prayers because I know it is only through the love and grace of God that this is. Usually when you are on chemotherapy I am told that you are much more susceptible to colds and infections, and with my 3 little germ carriers and them being sick it has been a small miracle that I really have not been! So praise God! I am exhausted and run down, and have had some little colds but who of us with 3 little ones is not, right?!

I have my first set of scans and testing on March 11th, so please keep me in prayer especially on this day if you can. It is a very long day followed by my regular chemotherapy treatment so it w ill be a bit draining, but God is good and I know that He will continue to fill me. It is funny how He is working on me even with the physical things that I struggle with (like many of us young girls and women do), as some of the side effects of this breast cancer regimen are hair loss,(fun fun!) weight gain, (aagh!!), sores and rashes. All things on the physical appearance that myself and others can see;perhaps God is trying to tell me that the outside appearance is not what is important,but rather of course the inside. How humbling to realize this and also to remind myself to teach my three beautiful little girls about the true meaning of beauty. Now of course we all know this but to stare it in the face each day and still say ” I am beautifully and wonderfully made” is a challenge but a need by all of us.

My side effects have still been minimal, praise God but it is still exhausting. I am reminded of the verse in Isaiah, that reads “They that wait upon the Lord shall re new their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles,they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”(40:31) This gives me strength and encouragement, and helps me to keep going.We are trying to stay as ‘normal” as possible and this helps too, for the girls and for Chris and I. We could not do this without all of you, our family and friends that are giving up so much of themselves in time and love to help us, so thank you truly from  the bottom of our hearts.May God bless all of you.
Oh, and if you could please keep a new friend of mine, Brandi, whom I have met at my weekly treatments, in prayer. She is married with 2 little children and is struggling also with the same diagnosis as myself. Our God is a God of many miracles, and she too knows this, so if you can please pray for her as well. Love you all! April (:

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all  of the people who helped in any way to organize and hold the fundraiser at the Firehouse for us. Thank you does not do it justice but please just know how truly grateful we are for all of the love and hard work that went into this. Our small town is amazing!! To say we were shocked by hearing that 700 tickets were sold before it even started is an understatement! Our family will forever be grateful and please keep praying. God is so good! Love and God bless, April, Chris, Faith, Savannah Grace and Isabella Hope. (:

I think today was my 8th chemo treatment and things are still going well, praise God.They said my counts are great and I seem to be tolerating it really well, so that is good! I am exhausted, but then again Chris says he is just as exhausted and he is not having chemo! I think it is just the season of life we are in with 3 little ones 6, 3, and 1 1/2.! But God is giving me the strength I need each day and also the peace that I have, so thank you all for the prayers. There is no other explanation for it other than God’s grace and mercy upon me from all the prayers being offered up for me and our family. Side effects are also still good, some bad things but nothing to complain about. Again words could never express the thanks and gratitude we feel in our hearts for the constant love, support, gifts, help with the kids and all the other things that are making our life manageable each day.

Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to make this fundraiser at the Firehouse on Saturday happen for us. We are so humbled and touched and are just so truly grateful. It is a blessing to be part of such a wonderful community. We pray we can soon give back once again and pass on all the blessings we have been receiving.

I have my first scans to check on the tumors and see what is going on on March 11th. I humbly ask for your prayers for that day as it is an 8 hour day of tests followed by chemo. But God is good, and I know He will give me strength and contentment during it all. The results will be discussed with us the following Tuesday, the 18th, so please pray for us that day especially. I know we need a miracle, but I also believe in them and am claiming that “by His stripes I am healed”

Isaiah 53:5

New King James Version (NKJV)

5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.”

So thank you for being on this faith journey with us and for believing with us. Jesus is walking with us and He will continue to lead and guide us.

Love and God bless, April (:

If you are interested in the pink support bracelets, feel free to ask April or Chris–they have a supply of them. Or contact April’s sister-in-law, Beth Robert Small at scrappiecat@gmail.com or 619-861-8283. She created/ordered them and can mail you some, too. They are free!
Thank you all! Keep praying for a cure!

Hi Everyone-
We have some upcoming, unfilled spots in our February/March calendars for volunteers. Feel free to check them out & sign up if you can!
Also, I am no longer working for Patch.com, (I was laid off Wednesday) so please update your contact list: my new email: lisagenteshunt@gmail.com or 617-306-8395.
Feel free to contact April if you are cooking dinner & want to ask her about diet/preferences for her, too.
Thank you! Have a great weekend!
-Lisa

Thank you to everyone for all of your constant love and prayers; they have been truly carrying us! I have felt really good these past 2 times after chemo treatments; no major side effects praise God! I am getting more and more tired, though, so I do ask for prayer for this please. Ask God to give me His strength so I can continue to take care of my 3 little, beautiful but very high-energy girls! I know that He will carry me and has been when I am feeling just so exhausted.

The girls are doing well; I don’t think they are phased too much by all of this quite yet which is great; however yesterday Savannah Grace, (now 3) says to me” mommy, do you have to go to the doctor’s today?” and i said “no baby, why? ” and she said “oh, so you are going to stay home with us ALL day?! ” and I replied “yes!” and she ran and hugged my leg! So i guess they do notice a change in their routine but I pray that me being gone more now is worth it to have a healthier mom who is here longer in t heir future. And Chris is so loving and understanding, but I know it is harder on him too, now, trying to make up for what I am not able to keep up with now AND just do his normal things keeping up our home and working so hard for us each day. So please keep him in your prayers as well, but don’t tell him I said that! (:

6. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” This is how we have tried to live before and certainly how we need to live now. I say this verse quite often throughout my days, especially when I do not understand why some things are happening, and it always brings me peace and reassurance. If you would like one of these bracelets let me know and I will try and leave some at some central places I will be or some of my family will be. Thank you Beth  for doing this for us!

Our town has just told us of a fundraiser they are doing for us; how humbled and touched we were! A chicken BBQ at the Voluntown Firehouse for take-out on Feb. 15th. So if you are in or around town and want some delicious chicken, please stop by! We are so grateful that they are doing this for us, and cannot thank everyone enough for all of the love and hard work that goes into one of these events. We just love our town!
Chris’ work has also been wonderful for allowing him to be with me as much as he can for my chemo treatments and when I have been sick after, so we are truly grateful for that as well. It is amazing how greatly cancer impacts one family’s life so much; but I know it is still more amazing how greatly God cares and comforts us as well.

Thank you all for your love and prayers, and please keep on praying! We are claiming our miracle in Jesus’ name! God bless and love, April, Chris, and Girls

Hi, sorry for the confusion, but the bracelets are free, just a reminder to please keep us in your prayers and pray! Thank you all! April (:

Thank you to everyone for all of your constant love and prayers; they have been truly carrying us! I have felt really good these past 2 times after chemo treatments; no major side effects praise God! I am getting more and more tired, though, so I do ask for prayer for this please. Ask God to give me His strength so I can continue to take care of my 3 little, beautiful but very high-energy girls! I know that He will carry me and has been when I am feeling just so exhausted.
The girls are doing well; I don’t think they are phased too much by all of this quite yet which is great; however yesterday Savannah Grace, (now 3) says to me” mommy, do you have to go to the doctor’s today?” and i said “no baby, why? ” and she said “oh, so you are going to stay home with us ALL day?! ” and I replied “yes!” and she ran and hugged my leg! So i guess they do notice a change in their routine but I pray that me being gone more now is worth it to have a healthier mom who is here longer in t heir future. And Chris is so loving and understanding, but I know it is harder on him too, now, trying to make up for what I am not able to keep up with now AND just do his normal things keeping up our home and working so hard for us each day. So please keep him in your prayers as well, but don’t tell him I said that! (:
My sister in law had these beautiful pink bracelets made with one of my favorite life verses on them-Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” This is how we have tried to live before and certainly how we need to live now. I say this verse quite often throughout my days, especially when I do not understand why some things are happening, and it always brings me peace and reassurance. If you would like one of these bracelets let me know and I will try and leave some at some central places I will be or some of my family will be. Thank you Beth for doing this for us!
Our town has just told us of a fundraiser they are doing for us; how humbled and touched we were! A chicken BBQ at the Voluntown Firehouse for take-out on Feb. 15th. So if you are in or around town and want some delicious chicken, please stop by! We are so grateful that they are doing this for us, and cannot thank everyone enough for all of the love and hard work that goes into one of these events. We just love our town!
Chris’ work has also been wonderful for allowing him to be with me as much as he can for my chemo treatments and when I have been sick after, so we are truly grateful for that as well. It is amazing how greatly cancer impacts one family’s life so much; but I know it is still more amazing how greatly God cares and comforts us as well.
Thank you all for your love and prayers, and please keep on praying! We are claiming our miracle in Jesus’ name! God bless and love, April, Chris, and Girls

I am feeling so grateful tonight. Chemo was great today; no major issues praise God! The doctor actually said that my levels and counts are “perfect!” even though I had been so sick last week, incredible! Thank you all for the love and prayers,; we know they are making all the difference! The help God is providing us is just incredible; people to help us, donations to pay the medical bills that quickly keep coming, food to feed us, hope to lift us and prayers to carry us, just all of it. It is so incredible that He knows our every need even before we do and just provides us with it. Thank you all for listening to your hearts and hearing His voice and praying for us and carrying us during this time. Here are the words to our new family song we have adopted; they are just beautiful. May you be filled with as much joy and hope that we are as you listen to them. God bless! love april (:

“What Faith Can Do”
Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes
And make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you’re stronger
Stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason
For someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
Overcome the odds
You don’t have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can
‘tIt’ll tell you that you can
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That’s what faith can do
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

Thank you is not enough, but it is all I can say. So thank you, thank you, and may God bless you all with His love and blessings.

No chemo today due to the terrible stomach bug that started last night. We will be spending the day at the ER loading up on fluids. Thank you for the prayers.

Hello and Happy New Year to everyone! The last two weeks have been good, praise God! My treatments are going well; Chris is able to come with me during them so we are blessed to have some nice quality time together that we never get anymore! and my mom even came today with us to see what it is like and ease her mind a bit. I think it helped! The people there are wonderful; so kind and caring and great at what they do.
Everyone has been asking so I will share with you that my side effects have not been bad at all, praise God! It is certainly no day at the spa but they truly are okay!! I have some bad mouth sores from the chemo, and exhaustion, some nasty rash and some sickness, but I am able to get up with my girls and Chris each day and take care of them! This is amazing to me and I am so glad to be able to keep our life as “normal” as we can each day. One day at a time,and Jesus is carrying me right through this storm. I told one of my friends when I stop and think abo ut what is really going on I start to lose it, but when I keep my eyes focused on Him -like when Peter did in the boat during the storm and walked on water -I walk. But when Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the storm raging around him he got scared and then started to sink. But then Jesus reached out and saved him. The same thing happens to me; when I stay focused on Him I am walking on water through this storm. And when I stop I sink; but even then He reaches out and carries me.
I can’t tell you how grateful Chris and I are for all of the help we have been receiving each day; we could not fight this battle alone but God said we do not have too and He is providing us with the people and the means to do it. We have gotten so much help; from laundry help, (which is Huge-my girls make such big messes on their clothes each day I wonder why I even bother putting clean clothes on them each morning!) to the house cleaning,- we joke saying our house hasn’t been this clean since before kids!- , to the delicious meals, healthy snacks, great books as resources to read and use, help with the kids,free chiropractic care and energy medicine treatments; gas and grocery cards, and donations it is truly amazing! We are utterly and completed humbled and grateful and pray one day we will be able to pass all this on to others during their times of need.
Above all though, we are most grateful to our loving and all powerful God, and for all of the prayers so many of you are desperately praying for me. It is no exaggeration that we do need a miracle to beat this but I am so filled with hope that Jesus will grant that for us. He came to grant us life, that we may have it abundantly. And not just to have it here in this world but to have it in heaven after when it is our time. So please claim that with me; allow Jesus to give you and me life, accept Him as your Lord and Savior here and you will not only have life here with Him but also in heaven. For that is why He humbled himself and come to earth so many Christmas’ ago, to be born to save us from our sins-just as we are, and to give us life by dying on the cross for us. But I am also claiming that life and healing for me here in this world that He gave us. I am claiming that by His stripes (from the cross ) I am already healed and He is doing that for me. We have a loving God, a healing God, a Strong Tower, a refuge in our time of need. This is my time, and I am running to Him with open arms and want all of you to join me; “How great is our God, sing with me how great is our God and all will see how great, how great is our God! Name above all names, worthy of all praise, how great , how great is our God!”
Thank you for loving us; me, Chris, and our three beautiful girls. Thank you for listening to the prompting in your hearts and writing the notes and the cards and the messages and saying the prayers. You have no idea how much it is carrying us. May God bless you all abundantly i n 2014 and may it be a year of miraculous healing for us! Love April (:

Heading out to Yale, we have a later appointment today. So blessed to have my wonderful husband besides me again and through all of this. We cherish all of your prayers, thank you thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I want to send a special thank you to all of my assumption college friends . Words cannot express how humbled I was to receive such beautiful cards and generous gifts, I am deeply touched . Thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am sorry I cannot thank you all personally . May god bless you all , he is so good. Love April

So I apologize to everyone but we did not get a chance to send Christmas cards this year. I know that everyone understands but I still wanted to take a moment to send out our Christmas wishes to all of our family and friends. Thank you for all of your wonderful Christmas cards, by the way. I pray that you all have a beautiful Christmas day filled with the love of Jesus and feel His love all around you. Oh how truly blessed we all are. With lots of love, April , Chris, Faith, Savannah-Grace, and Bella.