"While You Were Sleeping...."

“While You Were Sleeping…”

I love that movie!  So many exciting things going on around here that are unknown to the family, especially Danielle’.   I thought the title fit the season perfectly.

This is about our lovely and unique daughter, Danielle'.  I'm going to write this for her, while she is sleeping.  She often goes to bed hours before I do because she is up before the sun rises and takes off for work and school way before I even get up. That girl's work ethic is off the charts.

She is our first girl, the absolute delight of Dan and I!  I will never forget the day she was born, her first fall, first dance, first heart-break....you know.  : ) The past few years have held some challenges for her as she has been embarking on this journey to become a young woman of God. Sometimes I want to burst with joy and other days I just cry because I remember the pain of those years.

For the past seven months, we have been noticing a handsome young man hanging around here more often.  She's been flying out the door to see him, go on dates with him and generally just get to know this guy.  Nathan Smith (although Dan still refers to him as "the boy") has become more and more a part of my heart these past few months. As the crow flies, he lives about one mile away.  If you drive there, it is a long two mile drive.  Danielle's good friend,  Laria, introduced the two of them months ago perhaps thinking there may be a "match" there?   It's so crazy...they have grown up for years so close geographically, and yet never met.  The more we get to know each other, the more we realize we have many common threads between us already.  At the age of 10 or so, they were both at the wedding of our common friend, Miss Rebeccah Rohrbaugh.  In Nathan's parents Sunday school class; we have common friends of many years, Don and Mary Ann Slaughter.  Their family also knows the Newtons – another common bond!  We've picked up pizzas at Villa in Johnstown, for years. Nathan has been working there for 6 years, having just left his job as manager last month for a new job with Verizon.  They both love the Lord and want to serve Him, which has been the best and most wonderful thing to witness!  We've prayed and talked and dreamed about her future husband.  I think we may know who we've prayed for all these years!

November 13th, Tues.   We finally had the chance to have Nathan's parents over for dinner!  Rick and Tami felt like "old" friends in our living room as we were relaxing after dinner.  We talked of anything, everything.  Our faith, our families - those two kids of ours.  Tami brought two apple pies over and I think that sealed the "future marriage deal" for Dan, haha.

So Danielle, following I'll be doing a little journaling of things going on "While You Were Sleeping..." I’ll print this off and let you read it once you are officially engaged!

November 17th, Sat.  Today has been a pretty big day.  Nathan came over and the Buckeye's won!   But something else kind of big happened. The week before, Dad had sent a text to Nathan asking if he would help him carry out a surprise for your birthday.  He bought a new car stereo system for you and wondered if Nathan would install as a surprise to you! Earlier this morning, Nathan sent a text to Dad asking if he could come over and talk to him.  Hmmm...Was this about more than the upcoming installation plans?  When he arrived, he and Dad went down to his office.  Well...it was about the stereo, and a bit more.  He asked Dad if he could marry you! After some serious discussion, Dad said yes. ; )  Nathan told Dad that he has already purchased an engagement ring for you (whoa...) and that his plan is to propose to you in Colorado while we are on our family vacation!  Goodness.  He left with a hug from us, and a promise that we wouldn't tell you that he had already come that morning. I sent him a text a couple hours later that said:  "So...you wanted to talk to Dan about more than just car stereos, huh?"  I congratulated him and told him I would keep his secret.   When he showed up for the Buckeye game that afternoon, "mum" was the word.  While you, Michaela and I were in the kitchen with him, he came over by the stove and non-chalantly showed me the picture of the engagement ring he had in his possession.  Goodness, again. It didn't look anything like the rings you have been showing me, haha!  It is beautiful.  I only was able to take a quick glance, but it looks like a marquise cut diamond set in white gold with smaller diamonds around it. I thought about sending him a link to the square cut ring you showed me, and then  thought, why?  I remember that you had mentioned to me a few weeks ago that you told him to just pick out a ring for you.  So...he did. ; )  Dad and I think that is really sweet!  O.k. - now the waiting game begins!

November 18th, Sunday.  Today was our family Thanksgiving celebration!  Turkey and all the fixin's, plus the traditional new Christmas ornament sitting on your plates.  I think Nathan liked the ornament I picked out for him.  O.K.. ..this keeping it all a secret thing isn't going to be easy.  I sent Nathan a text earlier today that said..."Do you want to propose today?  I am only half joking."  I hope he was amused.  I am going to keep this proposal thing a secret, even if I burst an artery in the process. ;  ) It was a good day.  I think Nathan fits in well around here.  I think it is good that you are getting your siblings input and still praying for the Lord's direction for you and Nathan.  He’ll lead you!  He promised.  I know these days are full of questions for you and I pray often for clarity as you two look toward your futures. 

November 21st, Wednesday.  Today was interesting!  Recently, I asked Nate if he minded if we looked into some potential wedding venues, since the proposal was now just a matter of time.  He said that woud be fine.   I have spent a couple afternoons now e-mailing, checking possible dates, costs, etc.  Booked!  I can't believe how many are already unavailable or way out of our price range for a Fall 2013 wedding.  I tried hard to find the time for a couple tentative visits while the weather was still nice.  We set up a couple appointments with the few venues that had a  date or two open.  (I think I shared most of this info. with you...seems like you and I are "on the same page" - outdoor venue, wedding and reception in one place, etc. I really am excited to plan this with you and Nathan!)  Out of the blue, Bruce from Bryn Du Mansion sent me an e-mail today and said that they did have many openings for the Fall, but they were booking up fast.  Would we like to stop over today and see the place and the dates open?  Crazy, I thought.  I'm already feeling a bit of an emotional roller coaster because this afternoon is Eliana's Memorial Service at her gravesite. I cannot believe it has been a year since we said  "good-bye" to our sweet granddaughter.  Well, as it turned out, you came home early from classes and Dad happened to have a free afternoon!  It was sunny and you know the rest. ; )  Even if the Mansion doesn't work out, this was such a fun couple hours for us.  I can't believe how much you, Dad and I loved the place!  So much history there and such a beautiful venue!  I enjoyed coffee with you two as we discussed the place, and I believe it was you that said, "I don't need to look any place else.   We'll see what Nathan thinks." Wow - I thought, could that be possible?  Our first place we look at?  That would be such a blessing from the Lord to have all that potential research out of the way. ; )   

November 28^th, Wednesday.  Oh what a funny conversation you, Michaela and I had this afternoon around the kitchen bar.  A Tiffany’s catalog came, plus a Kohl’s advertisement that had some engagement rings in it.  Much to my surprise you said:  “Mom, what do you think of a marquise diamond?”  Trying not to look happy at all, I think I said, “I think it’s a very pretty cut.”  My mind tried to remember what the ring looked like that Nate had already purchased.  Hmmm…this is going to be fun.  Any ring will be beautiful on your hand, but I’m secretly so excited to see what you think of THE ring!

November 30^th, Friday.  Another funny comment today from you:   “Mom, do you know anything that Nathan is planning?  Has he talked to Dad?  Maybe you should talk to him.”  Once again, I ask forgiveness for telling you an outright falsehood.  I think I finished with: “I’m sure Nathan has a plan."  (Another e-mail from Bruce this week, 4 or 5 dates that were available were booked.  I am hoping Tami, Rick and Nathan can see it and give a "thumbs-up" or down. This waiting stuff is hard!)

December 5^th, Wednsday. What a fun day this has turned out to be!  Tami and I secretly e-mailed each other and made plans to visit Bryn Du Mansion today.  The goal was to get her view of it, and even potentially put down a deposit for the Fall.  She said the guys schedules were too busy right now but that she could go.  She said that she had a feeling if she loved it, the guys would too!   Well…she loved it!  The deposit  thing?  Not yet.  Nathan let her know that he wasn’t ready and that he wanted things to go in order:  graduation, engagement, setting a date, venue and then a deposit.  Not going to lie, at first I was disappointed.  Dad and I had both felt confident putting the money down to reserve a date (I REALLY want you to be able to have your favorite place!) But the more I think about it, the more I know I needed the reminder to TRUST GOD!  He has the details all figured out and it will come together if it is supposed to be.  SO…I’m just glad Tami and I had the time out to visit, see the place while the weather was still agreeable and then have some time to visit at River Road Coffee House for a little while.

December 6^th, Thursday.  We so enjoyed dinner with you and Nate at Bel Lago tonight!  I cannot believe you are going to be 22 years old tomorrow.  It’s a great time in your life!  You two are so cute together.  I know a lot is going on for both of you and Dad and I are experiencing some challenges too, however, I am reminded again that each day is a gift from God.  Praying for both of you often these days!

December 12^th, Wednesday.  One word, “meltdown”.  I came in your room, totally not meaning to cry or spill my guts.  It is finally dawning on me that you MAY BE GETTING MARRIED!  I didn’t think it was going to be this difficult.  I can’t believe how happy I am, yet sad too!  I know this is a temporary feeling and I’m glad that you seemed to take my tears all in stride.  Nate is a good man.  I know God is working!

Thinking back on the last month or so, it has been so exciting to watch God work in us.   In you, in Nate, in Dad and I.  I’ve long ago let go of my feeling “I can never measure up to Tami.  I’m a mess right now!”  I’ve also let go of the notion that plans have to be put in order at a certain time.  The Lord is in control and whatever He has planned will be perfect!  It has given me so much peace as you’ve been learning to trust Nathan too.  I think him telling you plainly, “I have a plan.  Trust me!” has helped so much.  Originally, he told Dan his plan was to propose to you in January in Colorado.  I wondered if he would change his mind, if he knew you were suspecting a ring then, but again – I’m just excited to see how this all plays out! 

December 28^th, Friday.  What a wonderful Christmas we’ve had!  I’m so glad that Micah was finally able to meet Nate.  It was really fun keeping the secret of your present too!  Nate and I had been in contact several times about the details of getting you the iPhone.  What a sweet gift!  What a fun hunt to find it too.  Michaela and Nathan seemed to have a lot of fun planning the scavenger hunt out.  And I must say, Nathan looks really sharp in his dress coat! 

Funny e-mail came today from Bruce, at Bryn Du.  I had written him briefly to wish him a happy new year, thank him again for the two tours and assure him that we were still interested in booking the Mansion, but that we were waiting on the “official proposal” and final approval from Nathan.  He wrote back:  “Happy New Year. This Nathan must be a romantic guy with a plan!  There are a few dates open at the Mansion in September and October.  Keep in touch!”    Kind of made my day.  Whether the Mansion works out or not, it has been a fun and informative venture.   It made me think of Romans 8:28.

January 8^th, Tuesday.  I made a little purchase for you last week and will send it with Dad to give to you in Breckinridge.  It is a wedding planner!  Funny, just yesterday on our impromptu trip to Starbucks and Target, you mentioned that you wanted to get one once you were engaged.  So many great events of the past couple weeks:  Lots of visits from family and friends and Nathan’s graduation and party on Sunday.  You must be so proud of him!  I know we are.  I am so enjoying getting to know Tami via e-mails and texts.  What an awesome family Nathan has!  Sarah, Todd and the girls, Jen and Alex – Grandma and Grandpa Smith – really wonderful people that love the Lord.   It was so fun for me to get to know a few of them.  Rick and I were in the kitchen at the party and we exchanged a quick hug and I congratulated him on Nathan’s graduation.  He told me how much they were looking forward to a phone call from Nathan from Breckinridge! I agreed.  I cannot believe Colorado, and a proposal, is a mere two weeks away.

January 16^th, Wednesday.  This, my dearest Danielle’, will probably be my last post to you.  I hope to print this off tomorrow and send it with Dad to give to you in Colorado!  Goodness.  What a fun, crazy and unexpected few months we’ve had.  Every time Nate comes over, I sense more and more – he is the one God has designed for you from the beginning of time!  You two have grown in so many ways.  It has been so exciting and yet so incredibly bittersweet! I think I know now, how my parents felt when they met your father.  It’s a gift, this thing called life, Every. Single. Day.  If you are reading this, then you have a beautiful diamond ring on your finger and a huge smile on your face!    I wish I could be there to witness it all, but we’ll see you soon!  I love you with all my heart!  I look forward to planning your wedding day with you and sharing every moment up until then.  Now, please give Nate a hug from me and give him this message:  “I did it!  I kept your big surprise a secret!  I look forward to getting to know you as a son –in-law and sharing life with you two as a couple.  Thank you for being so wonderful to our Danielle’ and most of all for trusting in God’s plan.  It’s all GOOD!”   And now, please go give your father a hug and tell him how much I love him.  He’s going to need one.   :  )

P.S.  This new wedding planner?  It has a story.  I hid the original one I bought you, and I can’t find it.  SO…made a trip to Barnes and Noble and found this one last night.  I kept the receipt so you can exchange it if you find one you like better.  So…Let the planning begin!  Oh, you may want to call or text Bruce at Bryn Du at 740.404.4215 (cell)  or 740.587.7053 (mansion).  I think he may be expecting a phone call from you.  : )    If Bryn Du isn’t your choice, we’ll write another check!  Love you!!!

 

 

So Long, 2012.

Jan. 1, 2013.

Dear family and friends,

“Write your trials in the sand and carve your blessings in stone." Unknown author

I’m quite sure I’ve posted that quote before, but it seems especially appropriate as I sit down to write our annual "Happy New Year!" letter to you. It's actually the first day of January, and as we say "hello" to it, we are saying "good-bye" to Zac heading back to his base today.  Micah will leave in a few days.  It was great to all be together and I am once again thankful for a family photo with all of us present.

Thank you for all the beautiful Christmas cards and family photos that have come to our mailbox this year! I don’t know how you all remain so organized and on top of this season of photos and deadlines, parties and gifts. Oh well, a friend of mine reminded me that we are still well within the "12 Days of Christmas" leading up to Epiphany on Jan. 6th. So...it's all good! I do hope that your Christmas season, however long, was full of all things good and meaningful.

 Looking ahead to 2013 is an exciting venture today!  Like most of you, 2012 held many awesome blessings and a few various trials along the way. It was a year of healing from the loss of Eliana for Caleb and Amy.  We still miss her.   Nathanael and Jen began their journey toward adoption and it is possible they may be blessed with a baby as early as this spring! Some of our blessings came in the form of accomplishments, like Zac and Micah finishing Boot Camp in March and entering their training in Aviation. They are currently stationed at the same base in Jacksonville, S.C.  Nathanael, Jen, Caleb and Amy enjoyed some promotions in their work environment while Seth and Danielle' finished up their year of college while also working at their respective jobs. Jon-Mark worked a couple different jobs this year and Michaela entered her junior year of H.S. Dan's business had its share of struggles, but ended the year with a profit and a potential project on the horizon. The AMPS employees are amazing and we constantly see the hand of God in this venture.  My  accomplishment?  Joining our local Y.M.C.A.  It was time.  We were also blessed as new relationships began this year as well as old ones being rekindled. Danielle’ has been dating Nathan Smith for 8 mo. now, and Micah has been dating Kat Chang, also a Marine in the aviation department. It has been fun getting to know Nathan and his family, and we were delighted to meet Kat when we traveled to S.C. for a quick Thanksgiving visit with the guys!  Last, but not least, the blessings of belonging to our local church was multiplied many times over this year.

As far as the trials, we will keep trying to learn from them as we symbolically write them in sand and allow the current to wash them away. Our trials were minor when compared to so many of our friends and family this year. Some of them lost a child, spouse or parent to death while several others lost their job of many years. A few experienced a painful divorce. Others faced seemingly insurmountable health problems and weeks in the hospital. Thru it all, we witnessed the hand of God enabling each one to persevere and grow stronger.

In closing, I'd like to share a book I just received for Christmas. "1000 Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. Only two chapters into it, I've already made my new year's resolution, which is to be more thankful. The title comes from a season in her life when Ann challenged herself to write down 1000 things she was thankful for.  I’m setting out to do the same this year.  Would you consider joining me on this challenge? You can find Ann's writings at aholyexperience.com.

                                                                                                                                  

My journal and pen are already beside my bed, and I figure if I average writing down just 2 or 3 things a day that I'm thankful for, my 2013 will close out with a new perspective of finding  beauty in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary. I've complained far too much this year, and this book in my hands was most certainly God ordained. It's all about new beginnings and redeeming the days we have left! As I try to do just that, I hope to record the things I should be grateful for every day.   I hope to take more time to sit and really listen to friends and family, less time tackling projects that ultimately do not matter. I hope to enjoy the moments with my three remaining kids at home, instead of mentally exhausting myself thinking of all that I'm not getting done. My hope is to find the good in situations, rather than focusing on the negatives. I will strive to pray more, and complain less about our current political situation. I hope to spend more time sending cards and pictures to our aging parents, and less time organizing the stuff that ends up disorganized anyway. I hope to devote more time to having lunches or coffee with our adult kids, less time shopping or wasting time. By year’s end, I hope that I've enjoyed more time watching family DVD's or making memories playing games rather than watching meaningless shows on T.V.  I’m already planning to carve out more time for some romantic, impromptu dates with my Dan, rather than spending those moments on the phone, e-mail or facebook.  Most importantly, I hope to spend more time in the God’s Word just being still and allowing Him to speak.  Yes, there are MORE than 1,000 gifts to be grateful for. 

If you are reading this, you must be a friend or family member, and so I'll end by thanking YOU for all you've meant to us this year! May God bless you and keep you, and may you grow in His grace and strength.  Colossians  2:6 – 7.

Much love from our home to yours !

Debbie (and the Frederick family)