My dearest Jenni

Tonight one of my most beloved friends went Home to be with our Lord and Savior. Jennifer (Jenni) Rae Cornwell was the greatest person I have ever met. I am honored to have known her in her short 26 years here on Earth, but I am also privileged to be able to call her my friend and a part of my family. She married my cousin, Josh- but the two of us have been like peas and carrots ever since we roomed together at Western the Spring semester of my Sophomore year.


I have so many happy memories of the two of us together that I can cherish forever. She put a light in my life that had not been there before and she helped me to love God deeper. She showed me what marriage and love really were-- and even though her and Josh had only been married just over 3 years, I believe they were closer than most couples married 40 years. The love present between the two of them was powerful and will live for years to come.





Jenni will be greatly missed by her family, friends, co-workers, students, and acquaintances. She had a personality that was hard to dislike or resist. If you were having a bad day, she could find the most perfect way to make it better. (Nagano's always seemed to work for me.) Our times together will be greatly missed and the coming days will be filled with sorrow. I am glad to say I have no regrets regarding my friendship with Jenni. I was there for her through all three rounds of cancer, both transplants, and her most recent battle. Yes of course I wish I could have more time with her, as does everyone who knew her. But I worked hard to be the friend she needed when she needed a listening ear (or decorating advice) most.

Her friendship will forever remain an important part of my life. She would have been the God mother to mine and Matt's children. I hate her time here was cut short of seeing their birth, but I know she will be there in spirit when we do get pregnant and start our family. She is now in Heaven dancing with her mom and Jesus. What more could an angel ask for??

I love and miss you Jenni. See you soon.

The blessings of a friend...

Over time, many of you may have heard stories about my friend Jenni Cornwell.

She is an inspiration in both mine and Matt's daily lives. I had the great privelege of getting to know her as my roommate back at Western in the Spring semester of 2004 and we have been friends ever since. In November 2007 she underwent her second bone marrow transplant as treatment for Leukemia (the first was for Lymphoma). Since Jenni has been home, well on her way to healing, and even had gone back to work until recently. Many complications within her healing process dealing with her eyes made it harder for her to work, and the doctors agreed it may be best for her to take some time away from working to give her eyes time to heal.

Nine days ago Jenni was admitted back to the hospital at Duke with a gamete of medical diagnoses. Her husband (also my cousin), Josh, has since taken leave from teaching to help her in this journey back to health. This setback, as explained by the doctors, will not be one that just heals overnight-- even thought I feel God is great and can do ANYTHING through prayer. Josh and the family have been told to prepare for a longer-than-expected recuperation time with all that is going on in her little body.

I ask that each of you pray for Jenni. Pray God brings unexplainable healing into her body. That He lifts each kind of sickness from her earthly body with his healing hands. Also pray for Josh-- that God gives him the strength and courage that is needed to sit by his spouse's side in her time of need. That he too can help meet her needs. Pray for the doctors and nurses there at Duke, that they have the wisdom to provide Jenni with the medicines necessary to bring healing and to ease her pain (despite the team they may be pulling for in the ACC--- heehee, I threw that one in there).

While Josh is out of work and there are so many updates on the status of Jenni, he has created a blog to help keep everyone informed and to be able to relieve a little stress himself. The site is:
http://jennibugg.blogspot.com/
On the site there are advertisements (unlike most blogs you will visit). This is a way for Josh to raise a little extra money through AdSense to help out why they are both out of work and living on savings. Each view to the page helps raise money for them, as well has occasional clicks on the advertisements. If you visit the page, feel free to click on an advertisement for a few short moments before going on about your daily busyness. There has also been a spot made available to donate online to Josh and Jenni (at the bottom right corner of the page) through their PayPal account. Feel free to forward this site along to your friends so that can help out too!
Thanks for you love, prayers, and support