I never got to post that Colton got a new car.  This was a HUGE help to EO & I because, EO had co-signed, just to help out our kid...that is what every parent does, right?  Well, it caused major problems for us, because we couldn't do anything (like refinance the house) because his car was added to our income to debt ratio.  AUGH.... he was making all of his payments, and was never late.  But it didn't matter.  We tried other banks and still was turned down.  We paid off some bills, but still, we couldn't get it low enough.  We were all of two points away, and they still turned us down grrrr. Oh well.  He wasn't really ready to jump into a new car and higher payment, but we appreciate that he did it.  He paid off a bunch of bills, and he will be able to get a CNA job which pays good, so he should be fine.  Plus now he has a reliable car for running back and forth to school and work.

And the other news...  Colton graduated.  He is now a Certified Nursing Assistant.  He is going right into schooling to become a Registered Nurse.  He doesn't have to become an LPN first, he can jump over that and just start schooling for an RN.  So that is what he is doing for the next two years.  And his classes begin Monday.

OK, on to business.

EO has already left to bring his dad up to Duluth.  As of yesterday, they had drained 2 1/2 liters of fluid out of Carol's abdomen.  That gave her a great deal of relief.  They did find there were cancer cells in the fluid they drained...not that the fluid was cancer, but that the cells were present, which would make sense as that fluid surrounds the mass.  She was able to have her broth and jello, and keep it down.  They did say there was a definite mass in her abdomen, but they don't know what it is attached to yet or what kind of cancer she actually has.  I hope they will find out today.  Everyone agrees the vagueness of the doc is wearing thin on everyone's nerves.  They have run CT scans and ultra sounds and lab, but just haven't given much for answers.  

Today they drained about a pop can worth of fluid from the sack around her lungs.  That fluid goes to the lab as well.  She was able to eat today and did fine with real food.  So that is encouraging and ought to help her feel better too.

Carol is just so brave and calm about it all.  Where the rest of us are just not doing so well.  EO is trying to hold it together, but when he sees his dad breaking down, EO starts to fall apart.  Bill's health and age are just not helping him.  So we are all very worried about him too.  Steph was really struggling, but after she was able to be with her Grandma and see her calm strength, Steph was able to get over the hurdle and now is ready to do whatever it takes to help the family.  Lauren too has calm strength.  Although this is hard on her nerves, she is being strong for the family.  Deenie has been staying with Carol up in the hospital, and Stacy has been staying with Bill.  But now, tonight, Lauren & Steph will stay with Carol, then they will rush home before the meeting so they can be there for it.  I am staying home today so that I can recoup from yesterday and lay low so I can go to the hall tomorrow as well.  My mom is going to load up her oxygen and drive her wheel chair to the meeting too.  She most likely won't stay for the whole meeting, but she will at least be able to see the video.

In the meantime, I am praying to stay calm and relaxed as stress makes me 100x sicker.  I won't be of any help to the family if I get sicker.  They need to be there for B&C and the rest of the family.  So I will help them by asking for Jehovah's strength so that I won't need them here so much.  Not counting Jehovah...because that is just a given, nothing is more important to me, then my family being able to be there for my mom & dad-in-law.  B&C have taught me about how to be the person I want to be.  There are so many aspects of Carol that I have been working on to be more like.  I still fail, but I keep trying.  She has genuine love for others.  She is so good at making conversation with people she doesn't know. She loves her family as much as she loves Jehovah.  She can't imagine gossiping or badmouthing anyone, no matter how bad a person they are.  She sees the good in everyone.  And the one thing, that at first i didn't understand until I got to know who she really is... the first time I saw it, was when EO & I told his parents we were engaged.  She asked permission to tell her family.  We said, you can tell anyone.  She said, "No, I can't take that privilege.  It is your news and you should be able to be the ones to share it, but if I could just tell my mom and brother and sisters, is all I ask."  Carol has more class in her little finger than I could ever hope to have.  I still slip up plenty, but I love her example.