Thank you all!

 

I'm printing out the e-mail I sent out about Pat's leaving. Some of you read the journal that didn't get the e-mail I sent but you can read it on yesterday's entry. Here is my response to the OVERWHELMING amount of e-mails I received yesterday . THANK YOU ALL!....To lighten the mood, I'm posting some pix I made at Nat's b'day party, RIGHT BEFORE Pat dropped the Navy Bomb on us ! HAHAHA...Below is my e-mail thanking you all!...check out Natalie's TEETH. Poor thing, she needs a dentist so badly! How can she sing with those things?!

 

 

Dear Friends,

I have laughed, I have CRIED (who , me?!) and I have thanked God for all the e-mails I have received back from my NOVEL I sent on Friday in the wee hours of the morning. (I'm actually surprised anyone muddled through it after re-reading it the next day! HAHAHAH). Anyway, I have responded to everyone (I hope) but if I have missed anyone, please, let me say how MUCH your e-mails meant/mean to me. I have decided to print them out and send them, at different times, to Patrick when he is in Basic Training and when he needs to know AT THAT TIME, he has people praying for him and encouraging him. Some of you, Pat doesn't even know, or hasn't seen but a few times, but those will mean jus as much to him b/c he will see that how the BODY OF CHRIST operates! I'm going to put a few snippets at the bottom of this e-mail from a few of them. I wish I could forward every single one but I don't want to load anyone's mailboxes! I have lots more, wish I could share them all! In the meantime, I'll keep you updated on Pat's comings and GOINGS  (O.K., so I'm not quite at the point of not crying about THAT yet! ).  ....Thank you all. I love each one of you and each of you have touched me in a profound way over the past few days and you probably have no idea just how much! love and blessings....jan xxoo

 THANK YOU ALL!

 

 the year that my brother was in Iraq was hard for all of us and i had to remind myself many times that Bill was safer in Iraq with God than he would be at home without God. 

 

    try not to miss patrick before he's gone.

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Tell Terry how proud I am of him for the way he has handled this, I am so proud of our Grandfather, Father, Brother, Terry, Floyd and now Pat serving their country in the military.  Can you imagine how proud my Daddy is, looking down on Pat right now?!!!!!!......

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I wish I could give you a big hug and we could be together so we could cry together over our Patrick. Even though I never see him, I still love him and feel a connection from all those years ago when kept him all summer!! My heart aches with you and for you!!!!

 

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My darlen Gran Jan-I can't reply to you right at this minute - I am crying all over the key board -

"all is well" -

I love you - and will get back to you -

Love Mozzaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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I have to be honest.  My FIRST reaction when I read your news, was "Oh my gosh! Janice is not losing a son, she's adopting a platoon!!!" (Would love to see those care packages)!  My second reaction was "What a way to travel the world!"  And my third reaction was (and this is thanks to the Rick Burgess sermon) "What a wonderful opportunity to be a WARRIOR for God!!"  Pat will grow in SO many ways, and you will be incredibly proud of him.  I will add him (and you) to my prayer list.

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WOW!  I am wiping away the tears as I still try to absorb all your news!  I would love to be there for the luncheon.  I’ll do my best and will let you know soon.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

ANCHORS AWAY!

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I can only imagine what you must be feeling and going through.  I 
can't begin to imagine my "little" boy going into the military.  (You 
know me, my "type A / control freak" personality--I'd probably try to 
find a way to bar the door!)  For me, Patrick is still a "little 
boy".  When I think of him, I still see that adorable blonde hair, 
giggles and running at Camp Sumatanga--all the while being prodded by 
Michael to call Chris a "nerd".  Just precious memories!

As you mentioned with Rick Burgess, that "little boy" isn't really 
ours, he's God's. 

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We thank the young men & women that are willing to go the distance and protect our freedom.  I don't know Pat but I know his parents.  Thanks to all of you and I'm emailing you all a big hug.

 

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Let me start by saying how very proud I am of Pat!  Apparently this was not a sudden decision, but arrived at after much thought..and, I am sure, prayer.  This is what he feels he needs to do with his life, and you do have to be so very proud of how you and Terry have raised him. An Honorable Man.
Save me a seat in church on March 16th...Palm Sunday.....and a place at the table! 

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I have been blessed by your words/thoughts of Patrick and by Rick's testimony.  Truly God uses other people's situations to help others along the way.   I'll be praying for God to give you peace about this.  I pray that God will help you accept Patrick's decision and that He will shelter you under the shadow of his wing and take all your fears away for Patrick.  I have a friend whose son was in the Navy recently and never went to Iraq ~ he moved up in rank at an incredible speed, got an education in military and has a great future to look forward to.  My nephew is in the Navy (has been for yrs.), and loves it, being transferred back south next year.  I'll be praying that God will keep Patrick safe and that he'll reap all the benefits of military!

 

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am excited and happy not only for Scott, but for you and <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Terry as well.  It is a special young person who is willing to serve his Country especially in these dangerous times.  I am as proud as punch at Pat's sense of duty and honor.  I am proud of you and Terry for raising such a fine young man.  You have instilled in him great Christian values and beliefs.  He will do well.  He will grow and learn.  And, he will carry with him always a pride of serving his Country that of all the millions of Americans throughout history only a select few have known.  I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers, and know that always he is in God’s hands. 

 

Thanks for the e-mail. I've  been thinking about all this a lot over the past days--I think it is going to be good for Pat and I'm so proud of him. when you get a chance, will you send me his new cell phone number?

 

For what it is worth I think he made a good decision;  It will enable him to gain insight into who he is and where he wants to go in the future.  Plus, it will expose him to ideas and opportunities that otherwise might not be apparent.  I think the time I spent in the USAF helped me a lot even though at the time I was not so sure.  He will be just fine, wait and see.

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