JANTZEN UPDATE

The perfect Bday. Kurt Bestor private concert. He sings Happy Bday to me!


Hannah's First Day of School
Gentry's First Day of School

Friends and Family,

Jantzen is doing great for all of you who have been asking. Not only is he in a good place mentally, but physically he is making great progress. We have heard from Jantzen that he has entered a 60 mile bike race on September 13. Those of you who know him will know the IMMENSITY of this progress since the most physical activity he has seen the last few years is rolling out of bed! Believe it or not, he is biking up to 27 miles a day in preparation! Pretty cool stuff. He has assured me new pictures are on their way which definitively prove that he has big muscles.

It's hard to believe at how paths can go so different in such a short time. One of Jantzen's "friends" from several months ago has found himself in prison for the next 1 1/2 years with a bleak progress. And Jantzen is thankfully moving in a direction that we hope will bring happiness to him. He is registered to go to the local high school at Bonners' Ferry and it looks like he may get an internship to a local boutique where he can work with a lady who also makes custom designed clothes. We hope he can see the contrast and begin to thirst after the activities and people that build his confidence and remind him of how amazing and wonderful he is.

We are believers in the power of prayer and would invite all of you to add him to your prayers this coming month. Our financial resources are running thin and one of two things will happen: he will need to come home early in which case we need him to make GREAT progress before then, or we will find a way to keep him there and give him the entire year to gain perspective and strength. Either way, all of our prayers in his behalf will make a difference.

He is limited in who he can hear from, but we would like him to receive all the encouragement possible.If you would like to write him

Please send his letters to:

Northwoods Academy
c/o Jantzen Matthews
PO Box 8
Bonners Ferry, Idaho 85208

On other fronts, Education Week was great. The kids being in school is even better! This weather is heavenly (especially at about 8:00 pm), and Kevin assures me that the football games at Snow are equally heavenly.

Lastly, how about that David Archuletta? If Disney doesn't snatch him up as the next Zac Efron, they are nuts. (I definitely should have been a promoter/agent in life. Did I tell you I discovered Josh Groban and Celine Dion? A story for another day.