Thanks to Jessie's Angels!!!

We're packing tonight, so I have to apologize up front for a hurried blog. Luckily Dad and Gail live near, so they will be staying at our house and taking care of the boys. Baseball practice, games, school, etc... They are going to be worn out when we get home.

I have a lot to write about, in terms of the send-off, but I figured that the best place to start, is with gratitude. We are so thankful to the community and proud of our community for the way that they supported Jessie. You made her feel special and us feel special, and we will always remember the way that we were treated. You are ALL Jessie's Angels. Thank You.

I want to give all of you a little perspective of how big the send-off was, and how important it was to so many other people. We have received emails from all over, telling us how the story touched their lives. People told us that their "faith in humanity had been restored", and that "they had found God again". People were genuinely touched by all of you in Aledo on a very broad scale.

We have heard from people who saw the story in San Antonio and on the West Coast, and today, I got a call from someone who said that they saw the story on CNN several times!! This means that people all over the WORLD have seen the story of how our little Texas community showed a love beyond belief for a sick little girl. Aledo's own. I hope that this makes you all as proud as it makes me, because YOU, Jessie's Angels, are the ones who did it. By your outpouring of Love, you touched the WHOLE WORLD!! Isn't that amazing what love, community, and faith in God can accomplish.

We got a call from ABC's Good Morning America show this morning, and they are interested in doing something as well. I'm not sure if anything will happen or not.

I pray that the message that we are able to deliver is guided by God, and that the good messages that were delivered last week are once again propagated so that others are touched.

I also hope that we can communicate the message that there are other kids besides Jessie, that have had hemispherectomies, and there are others waiting to have the surgery. Little Noah at Duke, just endured the surgery a few weeks ago, and Cameron, from North Carolina, last year. Jodie, from Maryland had hers done 15 years ago, and she is about to start college. Kim, from Oklahoma, had hers in 1986, and is about to graduate from college.

We want to communicate that this surgery is a miracle of God and medical science. It is a miracle that a child can have half of their brain removed and then go to college? Not all do this well, but some do. Isn't that exciting and amazing and a cause for celebration!!

Anyway, with that in mind, Kristi has been trying to figure out a way to celebrate these kids, and she has decided to start a scholarship fund in the name of Jessie, that will be awarded yearly to hemispherectomy patients. She has been inspired by the love and generosity of our community, and wants desperately to give back where she can. We are NOT looking for community donations. You have all done enough. What we hope, is that the corporate world will embrace this miracle and support the cause. Who knows if it will happen or not, but after what we have seen in the past few months, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

I started this blog with gratitude and I'll end it in the same manner. Thank you to Jessie's Angels. We will be drawing from this deep well of well wishes, love and prayer throughout the week.

The Halls