PatPat & Mimi and Aunt Judy

Here's Pat Pat and Mimi on Tuesday. Patrick was off work and wanted to go and "TELL MIMI" about his decision to join the Navy. Well, we walked in and she said, "WHEN ARE YOU LEAVING?!" HAHAHAHA! We died laughing! somebody "let the cat out of the bag" (Judy says, "not me!"). I'm glad whoever did, it sure made it easier!!! HAHA! Anyway, she was great about it and wanted to know details, etc. How surprised was I that she remembered that  a couple of years ago he wanted to go into the Coast Guard?! WOW, she can sure remember details sometimes that I can't ! ....Pat's Aunt Judy dropped by and she got to visit with Patrick too! She asked him lots of questions , sure was glad to find out MORE info! HAHAHA! Had a great visit with both grandmother and aunt and then we went by Zoe's for lunch and then Pat went to Maplesville to pick up some (ugh!) deer meat from a deer he killed last week. (I'm sure Natalie is sooooooo excited to get DEER MEAT in her freezer! HA!).....I'm doing much better now!!! I did not cry ONCE when we were at Mimi's!!! Hurrah!.....Here's a note from Bobbie that she sent me via REGULAR mail. It was the sweetest thing and I loved it! It's  a "keeper". It will go in Pat's scrapbook I'll be making for him while he's away!

I had to add one last, and very important LETTER (yes, SNAIL MAIL, not an E-mail!) that my bestest friend in the  whole world sent me about my news of Patrick joining the Navy. Actually, she was the first person I actually TOLD, by phone, of course. I did pretty good, but as you might guess, I did end up bawling. We've been together through so much over our lives! I won't bore you with all we've been thro, but suffice it to say, she knows me better than ANYONE ON THE PLANET. I can't imagine my life without her in it. We can almost finish each other's sentences! But, one thing she doesn't like to do is WRITE! HAHA! She might get mad that I included hers , but sorry, Bobbie, I had to include it. It's so sweet and it meant so much that I'm sharing it!

 First of all, when I opened the letter TWO pins fell out! An American Flag intertwined with a Navy Flag and it said NAVY. She said she had NO IDEA where they came from. But she had 2 brand new  ones! A GOD THING!

Here's what she wrote (and, like I mentioned, anyone who knows BOBBIE knows she doesn't like to write much! In FACT< I even wrote her final ENGLISH THEME our senior year in class for her and SHE made a better grade than I did! And the worst part about it, I wrote it about her dear MOTHER and her mother ALWAYS THOUGHT BOBBIE had written those beautiful words!!!! NOPE! I DID!!! HAHAHAHA ! THat's another reason this letter meant so much b/c, while we TALK  all the TIME, we don't e-mail that much and we never write , except b'day cards. Imagine my surprise when I got this GREAT and LONG letter from Bobbie and it was so so touching, too! Anyway I was sooooo excited to get my FIRST and probably LAST ever letter from THE RED HEAD):

 

Janice,

I found these pins the day after you told me about Patrick joining the Navy so I thought I would send them to you. I have thought about yall so much since I talked to you that day. And Janice every time I do, my mind goes back to that precious family Christmas card of your family that you sent out when Patrick was about 2 or 3. All of your family together with their dark,dark hair and off to the side is that precious blonde haired little boy. You should have known then there was something special about that child. He stood out then and now he is going to be standing up now for something that he believes in. We have been so blessed to have always had our kids so close to us, at least not more than a couple hours away. Now this is a growing time for all of you. There are so many of us that go most of our lives not knowing what God's will is for our life. Patrick is very blessed in that he truly feels this is God's will for his life. What would you want? Having Patrcik home close to family but out of God's will or having him miles away IN God's will? We both know the answer to that question as hard as it is. One day I may be faced with a similar situation and you'll be there to give ME support........

I love all of you

<FONTFACE="COURIER color="#400080" TUR? New>

And on the Card she wrote:

Janice, Terry, Patrick and the rest of the Fry Clan,

 Please know that you are in my prayers. Patrick, if you really think about it, YOU:

Survived a fall down a flight of stairs in the arms of your mother; you caught yourself on fire (almost); you survived a bad car wreck and Lord only knows what else He brought you through!!!!!

You're probably SAFER in the NAVY!!!!

 Love you all!

 

<MY FAVORITE QUOTE: "You're probably SAFER in the NAVY"! HAHAHAHA ! GOOD ONE, BOBBIE!!! BTW, I love you too. SO so so much 

 

Janice