It has been another wonderful year of happy family events and blessings from above.  It was great to be able to attend Michelle’s 30th birthday party and then see Liz, Benn, and Baby Sam as well as Michelle and Sue at Rob and Kristin’s with precious Faith and Fisher this past week.  Aren’t the babies incredible!  I am so glad God saw fit to put us all together in the same clan.  May 2008 bring many family parties and fun.  Thank you God for the blessings you are daily sending our way….

Hello to anyone who is reading this besides me:) I can’t believe it has been a whole YEAR since anyone has posted a new blog on here. Kinda makes me sad. So I’ll just preach to myself…….      I am so amazed at how Good God is. I really shouldn’t be since He IS GOD! But He just keeps rock’in my world everyday. But it definitely requires me trusting in Him. I always find it funny how some people go on about how God hasn’t done this or that for them or they really can’t see where He has come through for them in their life. We have to put our FAITH and TRUST in God for Him to be able to move in our lives. The greater our Faith in His ability, the greater things He will be able to perform in us and through us. Miracles for example. We can’t pray for the blind to see without first REALLY believing that it is possible for God to heal a blind person. Our Faith is the only door that God can work through. That is all for today:)  

Hi Family,

May you all enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I am so blessed to belong to such a loving family.  I’ll be having a noon feast with Florence & family and then rush to get to Jeanie’s 4 o’clock feast.  She and Mare have been up cooking for hours.  “I Can Only Imagine” how wonderful it will all be.  I have 2 batches of Oyster Dressing baking- one to share at each feast.  I have a small batch to leave for Virg. 

 We have been through a lot this past year.  As I think about what I should be thankful for I can’t help thinking about the prayer I uttered as I drove over to see Doris that last morning.  I prayed that God would send angels with a wagon to carry her gently to Heaven.  I thank God that He helped Doris and I to suction that one last time on Friday night so she didn’t have to struggle to breath again.  She sat with us at the table there at Jeanie’s and then asked to go to bed on Jeanie’s soft recliner sofa.  Mare and Jeanie dressed her in a pretty PJ outfit and she told them “Tomorrow will be a better day”.  They slept in the room with her and were aware that her breathing just got more shallow as the night went on.  And then in midmorning right before our eyes God sent those angels and she slipped off to Heaven ever so gently.  How thankful we are that we had parents who cared enough to bring us up to believe in our precious Lord and Savior.  “I Can Only Imagine” how Doris smiled sweetly as she arrived in Heaven to join Mom & Dad & Robin and our precious Savior.  How thankful I am for the memories we share and the families we are making new memories with.

Happy Thanksgiving to all………

Donna

Hi All,  Virg was admitted at Unity Hospital last Sunday, Oct. 29 with congestive heart failure.  He had been diagnosed earlier that week by his ortho surgeon who placed his artificial hip in 2002 with a badly strained back with pain radiating down the right artificial hip and on to his foot.  He has now developed a serious bladder infection.  Today when they attempted to place a new IV they made 5 unsuccessful tries including the 2 thumbs and 2 feet which caused intense pain.  They then gave his antibiotic by shot and his Lasix by mouth and will check his white count tomorrow.  If the infection is not better by tomorrow they may attempt a central line which is dangerous with the blood thinners he is on for his stents from the heart attack in June.

 Please pray for him and continue praying for Ron who also needs our prayers.  It is great to have family who cares and prays.

Donna

Hi everyone,

Wondering if anyone reads this much anymore. I know I haven’t been signed in here for quite awhile. Been too busy I suppose—-or something like that.

Thought I’d check in and give a quick update on what’s happening in my life.

September 29th our legal separation was successfully converted to a DIVORCE. Who would have ever thought?? It’s still somewhat unbelievable to me, but am convinced it was the only course of action.

I also chose to put away the Thompson name. I am now officially Mary A. Frieden again. That is truly bittersweet.  One more step in the process of walking in God’s obedience.

This is such an unfamiliar path, yet I see God’s footprints and feel His presence all along the way. I can only look heavenward and say, Thank you for lighting the way.

Blessings to all. Love you!  Mary

The angels came for our precious Doris Saturday morning.  She went to sleep on Jeanie’s sofa recliner about 10:30 Friday night and slipped off to Heaven right before our eyes about 10 a.m. Saturday as we checked her and had coffee and prayed for her.  Seven weeks ago she started her final journey and touched the lives of so many people including her doctors and caregivers at the University of Iowa.  May she rest in peace……….

Her Loving Sister…..Donna

Doris would love to get a bunch of mail from all of you.  She has been in Iowa City for nearly 6 weeks now .  Plans are being made to bring her back to Muscatine as a hospice patient.  The doctors have done everything they could for her but cannot solve the asperation problem which causes the pneumonia.  We hope to be with her today and take her up some balloons and flowers for her 4th of July.

Happy 4th!

Just a quick note to tell you Frieden Aunts that you put on one heck of a great show.  Thanks so much.  That was amazing.  And thanks for letting us share in Jessica’s special day.

 Also, you might notice slight differences with the blog and the website.  Repeat the mantra: Change is good.  You can log in with your reglar password and go about it as you would before pretty much.  We’ll keep you posted on further change.

 Also, new pics continue to go up at www.friedenfarm.shutterfly.com

Doris’ pneumonia is improved and preparations are being made for her to go temporarily to a skilled nursing facility by week’s end.  She has some stroke damage involving her swallowing and her left leg.  Please pray that she will rehab quickly.

Virg had two more stents placed and will likely come home tonight.  In several weeks they want him back to clean a 60% blocked graft from 9 years ago and then place a stent in it.  With the 4 stents he should have greatly improved blood flow through his heart and feel much better.

Thanks to the prayer team and Thank You Lord!

Doris got out of Cardiac ICU at 5 Sunday and is in a double room now with a phone and can have flowers.  I took her 5 little albums to store all her wedding pictures and filled 2 of them already.  She has some flowers from the wedding and the girls and I will take up more today.  Her pneumonia is improved and she is getting more feeling back in her legs and feet and even trying to swallow.  We meet with the team today.  Neurology did an eval Sunday following the MRI.

 Virg hopes to get two more stents today.  Pray as the doctors work with skill to give him a better quality of life.  He may get to go home by Tuesday if he comes through the angioplasty in good shape.

Donna (known at Iowa City Cardiac ICU as- Doris’ sister, Virgil’s wife, and the lady who won an Alaskan Cruise)

PS  Andrea (David’s wife) is right when she says- You people should be a movie!