A Lot...

Okay everyone, I need some positive thoughts... on a lot of things, but mainly right now, I need positive thoughts to bring our Coby Bear home to us... that's right, our yellow Lab is missing at the moment, and has been for a couple of days, and Tory and I are just sick over it... Tory is being really strong, but I know it is tearing him up inside. While I was in Georgia this week, Coby took off with Mikey (our outside Shepard) on Tory Wednesday morning. And Coby has done this before, him and Mike always go on a jaunt or two a month it would seem, but mainly behind the house, and they are typically only gone for a few hours... not the case this time. Coby took off Wednesday with Mikey, and Mikey was back in a few hours, but Coby was not. Needless to say Tory has spent countless hours searching the area and timber for Coby, as well as so many of our friends and family. Thank you, all of you, and while it is now Sunday, we aren't giving up hope that our Bear will be home soon... It has been hard, because Coby has been there through so much of our lives, and he's been so wonderful with Trent the last little while. Coby was actually letting Trent lay on top of him last week, Trent was giving him a big bear hug and just grinning from ear to ear, and Coby laid so still, not moving because that would make Trent fall, and just let him hug him and I think he really liked having Trent hug him... so that is the newest piece of news we have at the moment, and it's really hard to, but we are also dealing with something even bigger, and I'm not going to into entirely because I really don't want to, but I also want you to understand that having Coby home soon would be a nice ray of sunshine because we are also dealing with the fact that Tory's Dad, my father-in-law, Ash and Trent's grandpa, has cancer again. And I'm putting this in my blog only because most people know, and I feel the more people that do know and can send positive thoughts Tom's way, the better, and it's easier if people just know now, then to wonder if they do know or if they don't... but it has not been easy dealing with this blow. We found out around Christmas, Tom had throat cancer over a year ago, and he beat it, beat it really good... and was doing so great... we were so happy for him... and then recently there were tests done, and we have to come know that the cancer has developed in his lungs; he has lung cancer. And we've been to Iowa City and Mayo, and they haven't given us the best news regarding this newest hurdle... it would seem that lung cancer is one of the last frontiers that modern medicine is trying to discover a treatment for. Not exactly what we were hoping to hear... but I also need everyone to know that my father-in-law is one of the bravest, strongest men I know... he was so wonderful with us, holding it together when we didn't in front of him... being so brave in the face of something that nobody knows... and it really, really sucks... I don't even know how to say it any other way than that... but it is what it is right now, and we are fighting, we are trying... and we are living. Because that is what he wants us to do, and it is what we all need to do. Tom loves us so much, and we love him, and if love helps cure, than he is getting the biggest, strongest dose there is in the world... and I'm not writing (typing) all of this for anyone to feel sorry for us, please don't. Because there is nothing to be sorry about here, Tory and I know we are truly blessed is so many ways. We have a beautiful daughter that is growing up into a wonderful young lady, making choices in each and every day that are going to lead her down a bright future... and will she always make the right decision, maybe not, but that doesn't mean she will give up or give in, nope, she will make a second choice that might help rectify the first, and move on, and continue to grow and evolve, and we are very proud of her. We also have a beautiful son sleeping upstairs at this very moment that is energetic and full of life every day, and keeps us on our toys and laughing and smiling. He is a miracle. And then our parents, who continue to help guide us and help us in our lives and every day moments. We have our friends, who always seem to be there at the right time, or have a great story to make us smile (or a great saying, "Don't wait for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain. =)" ). We have Jet, who is a joy and such a sweet boy, he is a wonderful pup and so well trained and loving. We have a beautiful place to call home, and a wonderful state to live in, and we are blessed... Tory and I love each other, and that is the bottom line right now... So thank you for listening, thank you for taking the time... and I promise that not every blog will be like this... we have lots of great pics of Trent and Ash to put up... and we are working towards a lot of goals here too... Anyway, I hope you are all having a great Sunday night, and wish a wonderful start to the week. Cheers, Love & Joy!