YES, it sure was a cold, cold day on Dec. 30th, 1983. BUT...all the Fry Family had incredibly WARM hearts as we welcomed our 4th bundle of joy into the family that day! Yep! It's Patrick's 30th birthday today! wow!!!!! I won't say it, I promise. Oh shoot, I WILL
say it! WHERE DID THE LAST 30 YEARS GO?!.....
*FYI: I will try not to write about all my kids/grands on this blog unless it's a special occasion. Like today. a BIG birthday. So bear
with me as I get a bit sappy.....*
Writing about Patrick is good because being # 4 in a family of 5 has to be a hard place. Well, I guess you could say, AND a good place at the same time. Not the oldest--so we weren't all freaked about everything he did (or didn't) do. Not the middle, where he feels smushed between everyone else. Not the baby (well, in reality, he IS the baby boy) and not the youngest--where he will always be called "baby" (I myself, hated being called "the baby" all my life!)* Katie: I hear ya!!*
Anyway, he is truly in an odd spot but a good spot. He was able to be himself, without too much attention being forced on him and yet, everyone thought everything he did was pretty special. But one thing about Patrick that was unique was that he DID stand out! HOW, you say??? Being a BLONDE in the middle of ALL dark haired family members!!! (and baby sister came 2 years later with dark hair, too, so he continued being the ONLY blonde!).That was God's comical gift to ME, having a special little blondie. I loved it. (OH! And nobody believed me when I said "I think his hair is coming in blonde!" HELLO! YES, HE'S BLONDE, PEOPLE!). Yes, Patrick was the love of our lives and his siblings spent most of their afternoons, after school, fighting over whose turn it was , to hold him. (that is, until baby #5 arrived, then they complained about having to hold him b/c they wanted to hold the new baby sister! HAHA!)...
Yes, God is good. He gave Patrick to us when we needed a change. We needed some excitement/some cuddling/some baby hugs and kisses. We were bored. HAHA!!! The kids were SO very excited when we told them we were having another baby. And the next 9 months were so much fun--the boys wanting a brother and Natalie wanting a sister. Didn't matter he was a boy to Natalie (after the initial "yuk!"). They all fell in love with him, immediately. This is weird (and kind of mean), but I SOOO remember, being so glad when the kids went back to school after he was born. (sorry, older kids). But, I was truly looking forward to be able to enjoy this baby. The first three I had so fast & furious and we were so YOUNG and it was almost a blur, having 3 Small Frys in 3 years. We didn't realize, until they were growing like weeds, just how FAST that babyhood goes. Suddenly, Natalie was in school and I was so sad and my arms ached for another baby. I mean, ACHED.I sooo wanted another baby!!!!! I remember the JOY I had when I called to hear the pregnancy test results! (this was right before the pregnancy tests came out). God placed Patrick into my empty arms and I didn't ever want to let him go! I would wave good-bye to the kids as they got on the school bus and then, run to the den and place THE KING on one of Laura's pallets. He would grin and grin. (he smiled before any of the others, in the HOSPITAL---not GAS--Mrs. Fry! She made me so mad telling me that! HAHA He SMILED at me in the hospital!). Anyway, I would place him on Laura's quilt and just stare at him. Yes, he really was like a little King. But a sweet little king! I was so overwhelmed at the goodness of God and the blessings he had given us. Especially me. He was such a joy. I can truly say that I enjoyed EVERY moment with him during his babyhood. He was such a good baby-- and nursing was, of course, as always, my favorite thing to do. At almost 10 pounds at birth, yes, he was BIG and nursed like a champ!.....He grew up, (*SIGH) ,as babies do, but he was ALWAYS such a sweet little boy. His Grand-daddy adored him. So did Mimi. FAST FORWARD to Patrick being 24 years old. That is when he freaked me out with his news of joining the Navy. Man, that was one difficult day when he threw that bomb on us! (Sorry< natalie, it was YOUR b'day dinner and I think we all cried on your b'day that night!)....So,the reason I posted that pix above is how we would feel when Patrick came home. you see, when Patrick left for the Navy, it was difficult in so many ways for me. ONE, I just knew his MIMI would never live to see him come back home. I think Patrick and Mimi felt like that, too. I remember going to HearthStone and sitting in that chair and us just CRYING. We couldn't even talk. I had taken her a picture of Patrick in his sailor uniform. We cried for awhile and then she said, "he'll be back"....One of his visits back is the above picture. She was so thrilled, as was he. Not only did he come back then---he came back several more times, with a wife and new baby ,t oo!!!! That has been SIX YEARS AGO and Mimi is now 99 and Patrick will be HOME in 43 days!!!! So, what a great homecoming it will be when he gets to hold her hands again!!!!! Yes, God is good. He has allowed Mimi to live those 6 years since he left. Never would've thought it possible. But, God did. I know she will be sooo very excited again, when he holds her hands once more. And , don't you worry, I'll be there behind the lens capturing another beautiful picture.
say it! WHERE DID THE LAST 30 YEARS GO?!.....
*FYI: I will try not to write about all my kids/grands on this blog unless it's a special occasion. Like today. a BIG birthday. So bear
with me as I get a bit sappy.....*
Writing about Patrick is good because being # 4 in a family of 5 has to be a hard place. Well, I guess you could say, AND a good place at the same time. Not the oldest--so we weren't all freaked about everything he did (or didn't) do. Not the middle, where he feels smushed between everyone else. Not the baby (well, in reality, he IS the baby boy) and not the youngest--where he will always be called "baby" (I myself, hated being called "the baby" all my life!)* Katie: I hear ya!!*
Anyway, he is truly in an odd spot but a good spot. He was able to be himself, without too much attention being forced on him and yet, everyone thought everything he did was pretty special. But one thing about Patrick that was unique was that he DID stand out! HOW, you say??? Being a BLONDE in the middle of ALL dark haired family members!!! (and baby sister came 2 years later with dark hair, too, so he continued being the ONLY blonde!).That was God's comical gift to ME, having a special little blondie. I loved it. (OH! And nobody believed me when I said "I think his hair is coming in blonde!" HELLO! YES, HE'S BLONDE, PEOPLE!). Yes, Patrick was the love of our lives and his siblings spent most of their afternoons, after school, fighting over whose turn it was , to hold him. (that is, until baby #5 arrived, then they complained about having to hold him b/c they wanted to hold the new baby sister! HAHA!)...
Yes, God is good. He gave Patrick to us when we needed a change. We needed some excitement/some cuddling/some baby hugs and kisses. We were bored. HAHA!!! The kids were SO very excited when we told them we were having another baby. And the next 9 months were so much fun--the boys wanting a brother and Natalie wanting a sister. Didn't matter he was a boy to Natalie (after the initial "yuk!"). They all fell in love with him, immediately. This is weird (and kind of mean), but I SOOO remember, being so glad when the kids went back to school after he was born. (sorry, older kids). But, I was truly looking forward to be able to enjoy this baby. The first three I had so fast & furious and we were so YOUNG and it was almost a blur, having 3 Small Frys in 3 years. We didn't realize, until they were growing like weeds, just how FAST that babyhood goes. Suddenly, Natalie was in school and I was so sad and my arms ached for another baby. I mean, ACHED.I sooo wanted another baby!!!!! I remember the JOY I had when I called to hear the pregnancy test results! (this was right before the pregnancy tests came out). God placed Patrick into my empty arms and I didn't ever want to let him go! I would wave good-bye to the kids as they got on the school bus and then, run to the den and place THE KING on one of Laura's pallets. He would grin and grin. (he smiled before any of the others, in the HOSPITAL---not GAS--Mrs. Fry! She made me so mad telling me that! HAHA He SMILED at me in the hospital!). Anyway, I would place him on Laura's quilt and just stare at him. Yes, he really was like a little King. But a sweet little king! I was so overwhelmed at the goodness of God and the blessings he had given us. Especially me. He was such a joy. I can truly say that I enjoyed EVERY moment with him during his babyhood. He was such a good baby-- and nursing was, of course, as always, my favorite thing to do. At almost 10 pounds at birth, yes, he was BIG and nursed like a champ!.....He grew up, (*SIGH) ,as babies do, but he was ALWAYS such a sweet little boy. His Grand-daddy adored him. So did Mimi. FAST FORWARD to Patrick being 24 years old. That is when he freaked me out with his news of joining the Navy. Man, that was one difficult day when he threw that bomb on us! (Sorry< natalie, it was YOUR b'day dinner and I think we all cried on your b'day that night!)....So,the reason I posted that pix above is how we would feel when Patrick came home. you see, when Patrick left for the Navy, it was difficult in so many ways for me. ONE, I just knew his MIMI would never live to see him come back home. I think Patrick and Mimi felt like that, too. I remember going to HearthStone and sitting in that chair and us just CRYING. We couldn't even talk. I had taken her a picture of Patrick in his sailor uniform. We cried for awhile and then she said, "he'll be back"....One of his visits back is the above picture. She was so thrilled, as was he. Not only did he come back then---he came back several more times, with a wife and new baby ,t oo!!!! That has been SIX YEARS AGO and Mimi is now 99 and Patrick will be HOME in 43 days!!!! So, what a great homecoming it will be when he gets to hold her hands again!!!!! Yes, God is good. He has allowed Mimi to live those 6 years since he left. Never would've thought it possible. But, God did. I know she will be sooo very excited again, when he holds her hands once more. And , don't you worry, I'll be there behind the lens capturing another beautiful picture.
*To Lewis Patrick Fry. Wow. You're 30. Thanks for all the sweet baby memories/childhood joys/growing up years/visits to San Diego. The young years? It's just gone too quickly. But , getting to re-live that all over again watching you and Ryder. Who says history can't repeat itself?
happy. birthday. I love you.
*To God: Thanks. too much to tell you on a public forum. But, YOU know. You alone know how thankful I am. But, just in case I've forgotten to say it enough, let me say it one more time. Thanks for blessing me with that baby. You did good, God. Oh, and the blonde hair? That was just the best.