Hi friends,

This email will cover a lot of details and updates: memorial service, meal calendar, donations, visiting, and an update on how we’re doing.

MEMORIAL SERVICE (including STREAMING info):

– 1:00 p.m. Central time, this Saturday, March 1, at RockPointe Church Leander Campus (170 County Road 177, Leander, TX 78641)

– Service will be streamed here: https://boxcast.tv/view/memorial-jason-anderson-ndpsoafqcnrkyrdw7npi. Later, it’ll be available to view on YouTube or a similar platform. 

– The service should last about 45 minutes.

– Afterward, we’ll have Jason’s Community Coffee Hour in the lobby and on the patio. Grab some coffee and a special selection of snacks (all Jason’s favorites), listen to some of Jason’s favorite songs, and take time to chat with others and remember him. We’ll even have personalized Jason Anderson guitar picks for you to take home. 

– If you’re coming from out of town on Friday, please let me know. We have a gathering that night for those traveling in. 

– Dress in what feels good to you. Black isn’t necessary.

MEAL CALENDAR (new dates added):

– If you’d like to provide a meal, click here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4CA5AC2FA2FBCE9-54497782-anderson

– Please note the family dietary restrictions in the description on the signup page. 

– If the calendar is full or you’d like to bring something on a different day, just reach out!

DONATIONS:

– We’re so, so grateful (and blown away) for the donations for the kids’ education and to help them get established in adulthood. 

– We now have two donation options: GoFundMe and a new, tax-deductible option, the Jason Anderson Memorial Endowment Scholarship. 

– Donate to either fund here: https://carolbethanderson.com/donate/

VISITING:

– My siblings will both be back home on Monday 3/3. I’d be happy to receive visitors starting that week. Please reach out first so we can find a good time. Short visits are generally better for me. Thank you!

“HOW ARE YOU DOING?”

Thanks for asking. :) 

Honestly, I’m doing as well, or better, than can be expected right now. I have no idea what the coming weeks and months will look like. I lost it for a while tonight, and that was good for me. But I’m also truly enjoying time with my kids, parents, and siblings. 

I grieved a lot over Jason’s 21-month cancer journey. When we found out a couple of weeks into it that he was stage IV, I knew he would likely die. That prediction became more certain as time went on (even as we prayed for healing). I wrestled with the grief of his prognosis over and over as the months went by. Yes, I absolutely made a huge effort to enjoy my time with him. And I made a huge effort to face the upcoming loss head-on. 

A year into his diagnosis, I landed in a place of acceptance. I knew that, as awful as it would be to lose the man I love, I would be okay in the end.

And I will. I’m not totally okay yet, but I’m more okay than I thought I’d be at this point. At times when I’m not okay, I have so much support. 

Many have also asked how my kids are doing, and I appreciate that so much. I’m feeling very protective of their privacy right now, and I want to let them tell their own stories. I can say this: I’m so proud of both of them and their willingness to face this loss and their grief. They’re doing as well as they can be, and we’re appreciating the closeness we built as a family during Jason’s illness. 

Thank you all for your care and support!

Love to you all,

Beth

GENERAL IDEAS/GUIDELINES: Check out https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WiLgSJvJqMo4c3L6mOZozUmlAkWqZ6iXN1P_EpV8fY0/edit?usp=sharing for meal ideas, our fave Starbucks drinks, and more.

You're always welcome to look at past emails here. Just be aware this site includes my author and narrator newsletters as well as my emails about Jason; I can't split them up!