Don: Jake and Dylan’s dad, Dennis, has been really helpful and supportive of Karen and the boys since this all began. Just want to send out a huge THANKS!

Karen left this morning, as planned, for consolidation #3. In the past, I have been able to be with her those 6 days in the hospital. This time we just couldn’t work it out. Her parents are with her though and I will see her on the weekend. I can’t wait! I already miss her and she is just pulling into Gainesville. In fact I will be down there each of the next three weekends and then she will come home on about Monday, Feb 8. As an added bonus, since I will be going there anyway, Jake and Dylan can go with me the second weekend.

One thing that hasn’t changed is how so many people have offered to help with anything that we need. We have great nieghbors, Jim and Chong, that are feeding our cats, inside and out. We have about 7 total, though only the first cat was picked out by us. The rest have just picked us out. The staff of the Lazy C Ranch (www.LazyCRanch.us) has been feeding and haying 4 of our 5 horses twice a day. It works out great becuase the Lazy C is my brother Gene’s place, it’s right next door, and my Dad also has property next door so he gets to make sure Gene and one of the grandsons (Jordan) don’t forget to do my chores. It is also Dad who usually finds when one of our horses has figured a way to get out of the fence. Plus they get to do all kinds of little things that need done when you have horses. Mostly that means repairing stuff the horses break! Johnny Dukes has Karen’s show horse, Elvis, at his place. Elvis was really starting to come into his own when we got side tracked and started spending so much time in Gainesville. Johnny is getting a little ride time in on him so that he doesn’t forget what he had learned.

There are others who have helped, sent up prayers and just kept in touch. In case we have forgotten to thank any of you for all that you have done, “Thank You!!” Lunch time is over. Got to head back to work!