Just thinkin'

It's New Year's Day. And I'm just thinkin'. And pondering. And remembering. And hoping. And letting go. And taking up. Lots of things running through my mind on this, the first day of 2009! Goodness gracious! 2009! Another YEAR !....There are things I want to do differently and some things I don't want to change at all. I pray for continued health and happiness for the Small Frys and Hornes and Cullens! I am so happy to still have my 94 year old mother, too! She continues to amaze me with her fortitude and memory and health. I wished I lived closer to her, the 30 miles between us sometimes feel further than that. But, thank goodness for the phone and we stay connected every day by chatting and I try to get over there as often as I can. She's so little, sometimes I think I should just pop her in my pocket and bring her home with me!

I am excited over another clean slate. But, as a Christian, we get a clean slate EVERY SINGLE DAY. That's part of the GOOD NEWS of Christ. Wash off that blackboard and move forward! Of course there are so many things I need to change and work on and yet I am excited to think about learning more and more . That's what's so awesome about God. There's so much more than we could ever imagine about Him and His plan for our lives! I can't wait to see where he takes our family this year!

For all of you out there reading this, I send my love and prayers. If you don't know God, I suggest to get to know Him! He never promised you a life filled without struggles but He does promise to walk WITH you during those rough times. I know that in those times I feel closer to Him than any other time. It is during those times I am the lowest and just give it all to Him, that I feel peace and joy. Peace and Joy even during times of sadness and grief. Peace, knowing He will comfort me when no one else can and Joy that is unexplainable except through knowing Him.

The biggest misnomer I think most people have about God? That He is always a judgemental/angry God. Ready to ZAP us when we do something wrong. Just like a cat on a mouse. NO WAY! Yes, He does judge, but with so much LOVE. Just like the way we discipline our kids. I might have mentioned before but the vision of God for me is one that still brings a smile to my heart. I see CAPTAIN KANGAROO! Yes, that is my vision of God! As a child I ADORED Captain Kangaroo. That gentle soul who was so sweet and loving and had those big ole pockets in his jacket???? Well, when I would pray as a child , and would think about how much God loved me, I would think about Captain Kangaroo and it just fit. Even TODAY, that is how I see Him. For those who don't know Captain Kangaroo, he had a mustache and a big round SMILING face. THAT is GranJan's vision of God.

A big . Round. Smiling. Face.

God bless you and may you see the BIG ROUND SMILING FACE of GOD many MANY times in 2009!!!

You must wait......

*YAWN*!!!!! SORRY, TOO TIRED TONIGHT TO WRITE MY STORY. I THINK I'LL MAKE YOU WAIT TILL TOMOROROW MORNING ANYWAY!!!!! HAHAHA! MERRY CHRISTMAS in 26 more minutes!

Christmas cookie magic

This is not the video I wanted to load, I think it was too big or too long (maybe I'll try again later, but for now here's another one), but this one is still stinkin' cute,too! I think K/L are the cutest kids I've ever seen. Of Course. Because "Every mama crow thinks HERS are the blackest"! (if you don't believe it, ask some folks in my family!) hahahahaha

Making Cookies at GranJan's!

This was the CUTEST video I've ever seen! the kids were talking and didn't even know I was video taping! That's the best way to get some of the cutest videos sometimes! HAHA

What would we do without LAURA?!

Everyone that knows the Frys, knows that Laura Glass has been our housekeeper/babysitter for over 25 years! For 25 years , we've laughed/cried/hugged/shared so many things over our lives. I tell her all the time that she is my BEST FRIEND (sorry, Konie/Bobbie! HAHA). She knows me about as well as anyone on the planet! And, she has known Katie since the day I brought her home from the hospital and has kept her since. I do believe, besides Terry and myself,(and now Jon!), that no one loves Katie more than Laura! She adores her! And Katie adores her "LaLa". She went to Katie's school plays/her achievement awards/her cheerleading/to the zoo. She kept both Patrick and Katie more times than anyone else, including grandparents. She is as much a part of our family as any of the others "real" Frys!....Laura had been having some horrible pain and ringing in her ears and had an outpatient surgery last week. She is back and better than ever! We missed her for 3 weeks!!!!.....Once again, like 24 prior Christmases, I walked her to her car, loaded with gifts and wished her a Merry Christmas. For me, the best gift Laura gives (besides her QUILTS!) is her true devotion and loyalty to our family. I don't know what we would do without her and hope we never have to find out!....MERRY CHRISTMAS, DEAR LAURA! WE all LOVE you soooooo much!

Luke 2:29-32

I have a great story that I'm going to share on Christmas Eve that happened to me today! It was amazing and I feel as if I've already received my Christmas gift--from God!!!! BUT, you have to WAIT. It's a good one.....
I'm looking so forward to Jon and Katie coming home this week-end and bringing some NOISE back into the house! Well, not really NOISE, but some laughter and fun. Jon and Katie love to play games so I'm sure we'll be playing APPLES TO APPLES and others while we wait until CHRISTMAS arrives!....Today I can say I OFFICIALLY finished Christmas shopping and even finished up my little snack mix that I like to give to our neighbors and friends. SO, all I need to do NOW is wrap just the final things I have bought. WELL, I DO lack one person's final gift! TERRY! He's soooo hard to buy for!!! I'm hoping Jon/Katie will give me some ideas!

I thought I would share my today's Christmas devotional from "Jesus Be in My CHristmas" book. It was so good!

"The promise of God was fulfilled in Jesus. He grew from a tiny baby, day by day learning God's voice in order to understand His part in the grand plan of the universe. God formed ME in my mother's womb and called ME from my father's house to fulfill my part as well. I am part of the promise and the promises enable me to fulfill God's purpose for my life which reaches out with forgiveness. THis my purpose as well. As this joy dawn on me, in me, more and more I will be living in the promise and purpose for which I was made."

BACK IN THE DAY.......!

Has it really been that long since my 5 SMALL FRYS, as I used to call them, were just that??? SMALL and running around the house? I must admit, I now ENJOY the peace and quiet. MOST days! HAHA! But, sometimes, I get this quick stab of pain when I think and remember days gone by! Days when the FRY HOUSE was FULL of NOISE/LAUGHTER/FIGHTS (sometimes!)/GIGGLES/TEARS/HUGS/NOISE!!!! There was ALWAYS something going on with FIVE kids around!!!! Dancing lessons, soccer practice, baseball practice, choir practice! Poor Patrick ONLY took naps IN THE CAR and would often sleep while his brothers were on the field practicing soccer or his sister was in dancing class! I think the reason Katie is such a good sleeper to this day is because NOISE was what kept her asleep! If it were quiet, she couldn't sleep! (to this day , she has to have the T.V. on to go to sleep at night! HAHA). Oh yes, it was a wild household BACK IN THE DAY! This year is so different. NO one here now. Sometimes I relish the days that BACK IN THE DAY, I often YEARNED for!Those days I remember thinking would NEVER come! I remember thinking, I will NEVER be able to take a bath without LITTLE HANDS coming up under the door! HAHAHA! OR, EVER be able to read a book again, or even WRITE (like I love to do!). BUT, that day is here. Now I go to sleep reading/ I take QUIET baths/I even get to write sometimes! AND, thankfully, these days I can even SCRAPBOOK (something I NEVER could've done when the kids were home!).Anyway, not to get too nostalgic, but I MUST ADMIT (and I hope you kids are reading!), I DO soooo miss having all my SMALL FRYS here sometimes! The week-end at Watercolor , during the wedding, was the best week-end I've had since, WELL, since all the FRYS were under one roof!I was overwhelmed. Not with having even MORE Frys (counting the grands and in-laws) but overwhelmed with JOY and MEMORIES and JOY. So, it is with much of the same that I enter this Christmas season. Of remembering and of thankfulness. And, yes, a few tears of joy....>!