Joe & I have a little nephew named Jackson. He lives in Tennessee. He is 4 years old. His mom is Kim — Joe’s little sister (my age — very young!) and his dad is John. Jackson has a little brother Sean and two little sisters — Lilly Joy & Eden Olivia. Jackson is very sweet. Last Easter when he was visiting in Texas, doctors found a tumor on Jackson’s kidney. The kidney was removed and Jackson underwent Chemotherapy until September. Today we learned that doctors have found little spots behind Jackson’s lungs and heart. Jackson begins treatment again on Thursday. Jackson’s family needs your prayers and your belief for Jackson’s complete healing.

God’s promises are awesome. Here are just a few: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). “[T]hey that seek the Lord shall not want (for) any good thing” (Psalms 34:10). “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). “By his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5). “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16). “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matt 18:18). “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Luke 10:19). “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matt 7:7-8). “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19). “[T]hrough Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of sound-mind.” (2 Tim 1:7). “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:29).

Please take a minute to pray for Jackson and his family and believe that he is well.

Thanks,
Andi

Can somebody help me? I am lost in my closet. I turned left at the broken VCR, went under the wedding dress, around the “last box” from when I moved into the house, turned right after I passed Albuquerque, and proceeded north just over the hill of old sweaters that may or may not have holes in them. In front of me I can see what looks like Detroit, some cowboy boots, two boxes of books from law school (mine? joe’s? jonathan’s? unclear.), two tons of Easter grass, four generations of cell phone chargers, notes to a speech I gave in college, my high school report cards, my mom’s firesafe box (which I still can’t get unlocked) and six pairs of jeans all in sizes I wish were mine, but aren’t. I need someone to get on a plane to Houston and find me. I received a text message on Sunday indicating Michelle came after me on Saturday, but hasn’t been heard from since.

Enter Mid Februrary. That end of winter blah where it is 75 degrees one day and 30 degrees the next. It’s 45 in Houston today and dark, wet and still raining. For you snow birds, this is the thin-blooded folks version of 20 degree-wet-and-blowing-without-sun. I think, 5 and a half years into this little southerly adventure, it is time to admit I have joined the ranks of the thin-blooded. I don’t think I’ll be able to visit “you all” between October 15 and March 31. Ever. Especially not Jonathan in St. Paul… where it is currently a Sunny Negative Ten. Um, no thank you. Also, what ever prompted someone to come to this new plush land and move to Minnesota? What was that all about? How is it that everyone didn’t just line up in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and California? Doesn’t it make you worry about our ancestors? That in 5 generations of Friedens none of them thought… Well, this is all well and good… black soil and all… we’ve tamed the Mississippi… it’s been a good run, but Gosh Dern It… It’s Freezing. Let’s go on south. ??? Nobody? It concerns me. I’m not going to lie. Oh, right, the update. Well, in that it is “freezing” and raining… I’m thinking this is a good day to hunker down and clean out that closet. Yep, that’s me, always living on the cutting edge. Although, honestly, if you haven’t seen the closet, you shouldn’t judge. It’s a dangerous place.

Big news in the Quad Cities broke this week- the Isabel Bloom factory is moving to China by September 2006……. Over 1000 emails in one day came in to Channel 6. Better hang on to the ones “MADE IN QUAD CITIES” as that is about to end.
Donna

HAPPY 44TH BIRTHDAY- JEANIE

HOPE YOUR DAY IS PERFECT.

LOVE,
donna

Rob & Kristin are proud to announce the birth of their new little girl: Faith Robin Frieden.
Everyone is healthy & doing well.
Praise the Lord!! A happy day.

8 lbs; 5 oz, 19 inches long… Kristin & Baby are going great. Rob is pretty excited. Name & pics to follow…

I hope you see the sun rise over the hills. I hope you enjoy the crisp perfect air of the Illinois winter. I hope your car starts right up. And you stay warm all day. I hope you have cake, and eat it too. And you don’t even have to make it. I hope you get a hug; and an unexpected phone call. I hope you feel the favor of God on you all day long. Happy Birthday to you Aunt Donna!
Love from Texas!

Not much to report, other than nothing to report. Baby girl Frieden is perfectly happy to hang out at 3cm… for weeks. She’s a bit overdue at this point, but various home remedies, teas, exercise, ice, etc. so far have not worked at all. Dan seems a bit amused by all of this. Isaac does not. I get the impression Rob is excited… and Kristin, well, needless to say she would stand on her head and recite the Gettysburg Address backwards if she thought it might move things along. The rest of us are doing well. Jonathan got his grades back and sent us each a copy for our refrigerators. Joe & I have taken up the guitar. Joe was born to play. He fell asleep with his guitar in bed last night. There was an uncomfortable moment when I realized this in the middle of the night. We’re having a honey-do weekend… and at one point this morning Joe was forced to say: “Baby, be careful. Your safety is more important than setting the land-speed record for christmas-tree-light-taking-down.” He was right of course. Lizzy, just back from California, is off to Colorado pretty soon. And Michelle Michelle is off fighting the war on sleep. She is a trooper. Over and out.

Ok, so the first little grandbaby in our clan is already late. Two days late so far… and are we really surprised? If Robert made it to high school in time for second period, he felt he had overdone it. Michelle organized a little baby pool on behalf of the family. Only Jonathan & Robert are still in it. The rest of us lost days ago. Kristin was sort of hoping the little squirt would make an appearance today… she had a spanish test that I understand she’d rather take some other day… The size pool has the baby ranging from 6lbs 4oz (Michelle) to 8lbs 4oz (Dad). I know dad has more experience with this sort of thing. But we are all sort of hoping he’s wrong this time… you know, for itty bitty Kristin’s sake. In other words, nothing to report at this point. We’ll keep you posted…