Update

Just to update everybody on my bi-monthly visit with the cancer doc last week (on the same day and at the same time Brooke was born, which is why I haven't bothered sending this out earlier). The blood work came back showing the cancer numbers have decreased by half since the last check up two months ago. It is now only 5% of where it was at diagnosis 2 1/2 years ago. Again, the doctor carefully evaluated the overall situation to determine whether to continue the chemotherapy to possibly continue to gain the benefits of cancer decrease, or give break from the chemo for a while to let my body recover, or actually, to not push it past its ability to recover. Carol, greatly encouraged by the decrease in the cancer numbers, told the doctor, "He's tough - he can take it!" and the doc decided to continue the chemotherapy.

Lesson: don't take your wife with you to see your cancer doc while her grand baby is being born. Thanks again for all prayers, love and concern.

Welcome, Brooke Renee!

Brooke Renee Bennett arrived at 10:47 this morning, at 8 pounds and 14 ounces, and 20 inches long. Proud parents are Andrew and Julia. Everybody is doing well. We are all extremely grateful and excited.

Tool Time

This afternoon, while the ladies were having a bridal shower for my future daughter-in-law Amy, a few of us guys got together and had a Tool Time for Matt. Not wanting anyone to feel excluded but also not wanting anyone to feel obligated, I limited the invitations to a handful a men who have had (or are currently having) significant input into Matthew's life over the years, and who also like tools. Each man told Matt why the selected tool he gave was important for a man to have, and also gave Matt some good advice about married life (even the young single guys).

He got a really good foundation of tools for starting out. I appreciate each man's generosity, each man's advice, each man's investment in Matt over the years, past, present and future, and their prayers for Matt and Amy.



When I was a young man approaching the age to leave home, my Dad gave me a set of Craftsmen wrenches, sockets & ratchets, and screwdrivers. Today, 40 years later, they remain the foundation of my tool collection. Guess what I got for Matt just as quickly as I could get to the Sears store to buy them. We guys had a great time at the Tool Time.