Winter Get-A-Way

Don't ever eat yellow snow!! :)

The girls and I ice-skating

I'm glad this wasn't my car!!

DeeDee and C

Mi familia es mucho frio!

Gotta love snow icecream

Shopping

Uncle Mike And The Tubers

Winter Games 2014...watch out!

Dressed for a blizzard!

Girlies outside our cabin

Last Friday, we took the girls out of school and headed to Cloudcroft, NM, for some fun and relaxation. We say we want to go skiing every year, but we never do. Well, this year was the exception. We had so much fun! Mark's sister, DeeDee, and her family joined us at the cabins. Their company is always enjoyable, so they added to our fun!

Since we live in south Texas, we rarely see snow. So, this was a new experience for my girls. They loved everything about it, but eventually concluded that they wouldn't want to live in a place that got tons of snow. I concur! It was a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to hassle with the white stuff day in and day out. Also, I get scared driving on ice. Oh yeah, the one time I drive the Expedition, I get it stuck! A nice man helped me out. After about 15 minutes of him trying, I offered to get behind the car and push while he pressed on the gas. As I made my way to the back of the vehicle, I silently prayed that he put the car in forward rather than reverse! I hunkered down and pushed with my hands (like a school girl), trying not to slip on the ice, while he was giving it some gas...nothing...I turned to my youngest and said, "Pray!" Then I thought to myself, "Come on, you're stronger than that!" Thankful that I had just eaten a spinach salad, I leaned my body against the car and pushed with all I had (kind of like childbirth but using different muscles). Woohoo! I did it...ahem...well, I guess we did it (the helpful man, me and God)! :)

I've always said I'd never ski. Ever since I was in junior high and one of my friends came back from a skiing vacation with a broken leg (she had hit a tree), I never had wanted to ski. I had always envisioned myself hitting a tree as well. The thought of that had always haunted me. Well, I don't know what came over me. I guess I'm blaming it on the YOU CAN DO IT book I bought last summer. It gave me the encouragement I needed to step out of my comfort zone. Realizing bunny slopes don't have trees, made my decision a little easier too! I fell twice and concluded that I ski better without the poles. We just stayed on the bunny slopes. That ski lift is a whole other monster to tackle! Mark, Manna, DeeDee, my nephew and I were the skiers. Manna was a natural. She skied circles around me! I had a lot of fun though! My younger two didn't want to ski this year, so Uncle Mike took them tubing next to the bunny slopes.

The next day we went tubing a few miles outside of town. The hills were pretty high and steep and there was some room for error! One kid had to be air-lifted while we were there because of an accident. Fortunately, none of us were injured!!

All in all, we had a great time! We always do on vacations. Mark is a great vacation dad and the girls are easy to please. Now, I'm looking forward to our next adventure...I'm thinking someplace tropical where it takes about 2 minutes to get dressed!

Hands and Feet

Today turned out to be a very interesting day. The following was on my agenda today: Leave the house at 7:15, set up a dessert table in teacher's lounge, go to church for some prayer time, go to the bank and Wal-Mart in D.R., and then go to Brackett for the Girls of Grace meeting (where we were going to bake desserts for the Jr. High teachers). Before I went to the bank, I decided I was going to try to find the children's shelter I had heard about. We (Girls of Grace) were wanting to host a party for the kids at the shelter and I wanted to find the place and ask the lady in charge if we could. Well, I found the shelter, and the lady said that would be great. So, within the next month or so we are going to go over there and have a good time with the kids.

Okay, so after leaving there I scanned my list and headed to the bank. After the bank, it was on to Wal-Mart... I was headed to Wal-Mart when the Dollar Tree caught my eye. I figured Valentine candy would be cheaper there than in Wal-Mart, so I found a parking spot and went inside. I'm still amazed that some of the stuff in there is just $1! After grabbing lots of Valentine goodies, I checked out and got back in my car. Wal-Mart was in my sight; one more stop and I was going to be heading back to B-town. Well, that was my plan. This is when I was thrown a curve ball.

Since we live on the border, I'm overly cautious (I've heard too many horror stories). The girls and I usually hold hands when we're walking in the stores and I keep an eagle eye on them. Well, today it was just me, so my guard was down. I hopped in my car and shut the door. I was going through my loot when someone knocked on my window. I was startled at first, but then I noticed it was a lady. She was a heavy-set Mexican woman, probably in her 40's. My mind was half-way listening to what she was saying and half-way assessing the situation. Like, "Is there a man hiding behind my car and going to jump in with her when I unlock the doors, or is she some lunatic with a gun that wants to rob me?" Before I fully processed these thoughts. I was chunking all kinds of junk from the front seat to the back and was apologizing for my messy car! That's right, she asked me for help; she needed a ride home. I silently asked the Lord to protect me and off we went. I was also praying that I didn't end up at a place where I'd be robbed, kidnapped or worse...

Deep down I knew it wasn't my day to die, so I started chatting with the lady next to me. I had to bite my tongue to not tell her to buckle up (It's the mother in me). She thanked me for the ride, from the beginning, and said she was in need of a guardian angel. She said that she used to work as a custodian at a nursing home, but hadn't worked in a while because of health problems. She proceded to tell me that she had an operation the week prior and times were really tough. She said she knew God would get her through. We chit-chatted about her family and God. Then, I noticed tattoos on her fingers. I was instantly struck with the thought, "I wonder if she's done some 'time'?" I tried to shake off the notion and stay focused on our conversation. I found out that she had 3 kids: 2 boys (4th and 5th) and one daughter who is a sophomore.

As we were traveling to her house, she asked if I'd like to buy her small television. I told her I didn't need a television, but I did tell her I'd help her out. She was very grateful. When we pulled up to her little shack of a house, she said her heart was pounding fast. I reached into my wallet and handed her some money. She hugged me and thanked me and I said I'd be praying for her. Lots of times I tend to be a little skeptical about what people tell me. I don't like to be lied to. Well, to be truthfully honest, I don't want to look gullible or look as if someone has made a fool out of me.

When I drove away from that little shack (with boards on some of the windows), I didn't know for sure if the lady was telling me the whole truth about her life, but I did know one thing for sure...she was dirt poor and needed help. Her story about having surgery a week ago may or may not be true, but it won't change the fact that she needed help. Tears welled up in my eyes as I drove off, for 2 reasons: I was sad that she was so destitute that she had to ask a stranger for help, and I was so thankful for the blessings in my life.

I immediately called my mom and Kristi (they both help with Girls of Grace) and asked them what they thought about changing our meeting up today. To make a long story a little bit shorter, our Girls of Grace meeting consisted of delivering lots of groceries to this lady. One of the 5th grade girls had the idea of giving her a bible, too. So, the church secretary got us a bible. We signed our names and wrote that we'd be praying for her. The girls were excited to help this lady. We prayed for her on the way over. When we got there, she wasn't there, but a humble man took the groceries and thanked us and asked God to bless us. Several of the girls commented (later) that it didn't look like there electricity was on. I was grateful God allowed this lady, Mary Anne, into my life today. I want to teach my daughters and the girls I teach at church that if we can do more than pray for someone then we should do it. We should always bathe people in prayer, but we've got to be the hands and feet of Christ too. It can't just be about lip service. Times are tight in the Frerich household, like in so many households in America, but I've come to the conclusion that if I "don't give a person a hot dog when I'm not rich, I won't give her a steak when I am rich. We've got to do what we can with what we've got. Ten, 25, or $50 may not seem like a lot of money to some people, but to someone who doesn't have a cent and is hungry, it's a heck of a lot!

"Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked." Psalm 82:3-4

Old Home Videos

We had the luxury of being home all weekend. It was nice. I cleaned house, found a few things in the attic that made me reminisce about my childhood, had a good chat with my sister on the phone, and at the end of the day the girls and I watched old home videos. They even watched our wedding video. They cracked up at how young everyone was. One of my girls said, "I like your voice, you sounded cool." I asked what she meant by that. She said I sounded young. I said, "Well, I was young, 19 to be exact!" Then I got to thinking, "Oh my gosh, I got married before I had an adult sounding voice!" I also had 3 children before my brain was fully developed! That's right, research says a persons brain is fully developed at 25. I had my 3rd kid when I was 24! My poor children!

It's been fun watching old home movies...from watching our newborns sleep for 3o minutes straight to watching them dance in the living room to watching them ride horses to watching them open up Christmas presents...it all takes me back. Their little voices and personalities were so cute! Thinking about them back then and thinking about them now makes me so thankful that God has blessed me with such wonderful daughters. It doesn't take much to make them happy and I love the way they find pleasure in the simplest things. I guess they probably inherited this trait from me because I tend to get excited about the littlest of things. Gorgeous sunsets, $3 Home Trend candles from Wal-Mart, and a good cup of coffee all make me smile and put a spring in my step!

Reminiscing these last few days has made me truly thankful for my life and my family. In this crazy world of ours, people can tend to get caught up in the rush of everyday living that they don't take time to appreciate the little things. I don't want to be one of those people. I want to try and enjoy every day and find something to be grateful for - something about the day that makes me smile. So, in blogs to come, every now and then, I'm going to share the little things that make me smile.

Watching old home videos with my family makes me smile... :)

By the way, if you have a video camera, whip it out and start recording, I promise you'll be glad you did in years to come!

New Year 2010

My brother chillin' by the fire.



Mom and her grandkids



Making smores at the ranch




Kid table at our house




M & M with Abby and jealous Popeye







Marshmallows at mom's








sweet nieces




crafts with Tia





Painting the old clubhouse





Watching a movie (on an ipod) in Grandaddy's old Mustang...






Reviving Eve!



Vance sporting his new Christmas sweater...work it!




Girl Power at GiGi's




White Elephant Exchange at Gigi and Grandaddy's


DeeDee and Little E

Waiting to open gifts

Love the peace necklace...may have to borrow it!

Christmas morning breakfast...breakfast casserole,

strawberries and Cool Whip, and sparkling cider

Homemade Christmas

Mark and Mana

Joaquin and Amy

Mom and dad

Super-cool siblings!

Me and my gals!

Me, Mark, and girls Christmas Eve

Mom, dad, and awesome grandkids!


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I'm so excited about the new year, I actually want to jump up and down! I'm not quite sure if my over-enthusiastic spirit is getting a little help from the extra-bold coffee I just drank or if it's a natural high. I guess I'll let you know in a couple of hours! heehee! A special thanks to mom and Amber for the single serve Keurig coffee pot they gave me for Christmas! I love it; it's a perfect cup every time!

I really don't know why I'm so excited about 2010, but I am! I'm believing for great things to happen this year. I like what mom said a few days ago. She said she believes it's going to be a year of restoration! That's exciting to me.

The first half of December my schedule was filled with the girls' activities, substituting, Girls of Grace meetings/Fiesta Texas trip, hayrides, planning parties, going to parties, and shopping. While all of that was fun, I was looking forward to a little down time with my family. That beloved day arrived on December 21st! My brother's family and my sister arrived at my mom and dad's that day. They stayed there until Christmas day. It was a relaxing time of just visiting, chilling out, and the occasional Wii bowling tournament! One of the reasons I feel so fortunate is because I honestly believe I have the best family on the face of this earth. While we are not perfect, we truly love each other and would not do or say anything to intentionally hurt one another. We also laugh a lot when we're all together. I am so blessed!

Christmas Eve at mom and dad's is always such a special time. Before opening presents, a Christmas story is always read, and then the 5 granddaughters are given the opportunity to sing, read a poem, play an instrument, etc... This year the youngest 2 granddaughters sang for us. It was so sweet! After that, we open presents. My brother is always "Santa." He passes out the gifts one at a time. I love opening gifts one at a time because it makes it last longer and everyone has a chance to see what each person receives. I don't know, it just seems a little more civil than everyone tearing into their gifts at once, and then it's over in 3 minutes. I like the anticipation of it all! Later on, the rest of our family arrives (cousins, aunts, uncles, and our grandmother -Meme). I love it that every member of my family and extended family has a sense of humor...this means lots more laughing! This year we ate Mexican food: tamales, rice, beans, homemade tortillas, and guisado. A couple of years ago, we brought out a Karioke machine and everyone had the chance to sing. It was hilarious! Everyone was in awe when our, 19 year old, handsome yet shy cousin belted out "Just Give It Away" by George Strait! This year we had a Chinese Christmas. Lots of swiping gifts, but no bloodshed! Everyone was very civil!

Mark, the girls, and I always spend Christmas morning together. Last year we started a new tradition and continued it this year. A few weeks prior to Christmas, we each draw a name from a jar. Whoever's name you draw, you have to give that person a gift. But, it can't just be any gift, it has to be homemade! This takes the pressure off the girls of thinking they have to buy a gift for everyone. This year I drew Kater Bug's name. I spray painted an old chandelier pink, bought lights for it and adorned it with beads (goin to buy tiny picture frames for it too). Mana drew my youngest's name. Since Mana loves to draw and is good at it, she drew Libby 2 pictures. (Last year she drew me a picture of an old church -love it!) Kater Bug made her dad a camouflage blanket (the kind you tie around the edges). He loved it! I was so excited when Mark had drawn my name, weeks prior. Visions of new shutters had crossed my mind... I was quite surprised when I opened my package. At first, I thought, "Wow, Mark knows how to make candles!" Then I saw Paula Deen's face staring back at me and I knew it wasn't homemade. Oh well, I'll let him slide, since he is one of the most hard-working and busiest men I know! He bought me tons of candles, scented wicks, a neck massager, perfume, lotion, facial products, etc... What a guy!

We usually eat Christmas lunch at Mark's parents' house, which is only a short walk away. A person could never go hungry at their house! There's always an over-abundance of food, which is making me think after I write this blog, I need to go for a jog! Anyway, for the last 5 years or so, Mark's parents serve steak and grilled shrimp for lunch! I really believe his dad's grilled shrimp is probably the best I've ever tasted! It was delish! The next day, after his sister and family arrived, we celebrated Christmas with his family. Lots of family = lots of food. We had a white elephant gift exchange, which was pretty comical! There were several gag gifts, that got a few laughs. I had fun visiting with my sister-in-law for several days and enjoyed watching our kids play together.

Christmas break would not be the same without my sister staying the night with us! We totally veg while she's stays with us. She got to witness a near death experience, while at the ranch. Let me explain: Amber and I were in the sunroom drinking coffee and looking at pics on face book, when all of a sudden, my oldest runs in the house crying. Thinking something was terribly wrong or someone was hurt, I jumped up and knocked my favorite mug over in the process (it broke). I was sad to hear that Eve (our 5 day old pygmy goat) was near death, but was thankful that my girls weren't hurt. Eve was born on Christmas Eve, hence the name, and was the runt of triplets. Since the mama goat couldn't produce enough milk for the 3 little goats, my oldest took on the duty of bottle feeding her. Mana has such a sensitive heart when it comes to animals. She's going to make a great vet someday. When Mana went out to feed her that cold morning, Eve wasn't under the lamp and was almost dead because of the cold! It's amazing the things I pray for at times (because of my children). I never thought I'd be praying for a pygmy goat, but that morning I was praying Eve would arise like Lazarus did! We've witnessed many baby animals die out here and on this particular morning it looked as though the little goat was not going to make it. It was so limp, it couldn't even hold it's neck up and was barely breathing. After holding it in a blanket and trying to feed it for several hours, it started baa-ing and drinking the milk! We all rejoiced! Then Mark and the girls went to town to run a few errands. Great! I was on goat duty! I prayed it wouldn't die on my watch. After they left, it jumped out of its box and started running around! It was a true Christmas miracle. Amber and I were hungry, so we decided to get a hamburger in a neighboring town. Guess who came along? That's right, Eve did! Most kids get new puppies for Christmas, mine got a baby pygmy goat!

All in all, our Christmas vacation has been great. I'm not looking forward to my girls going back to school on Tuesday, but I am looking forward to the wonderful things God has planned for our lives this year! It's going to be a good one; I can feel it in my bones!!

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Throw Out The Pacifier

Just because I once sucked a pacifier when I was a baby, doesn't mean I should suck on one as an adult. Just because I looked good wearing the latest styles in high school doesn't mean those styles still look good or even fit me as an adult!!

We all change and grow and just because something "worked" for us at one stage in our lives, doesn't mean we should still keep doing it. You won't see me walking around with a pacifier in my mouth, and I don't fit into the same jeans as I wore in high school. But, that o.k.! First of all, people would probably send me to a psyche ward if they saw me with a pappy in my mouth, and my girls would be embarrassed to sit next to me in church if I tried to fit into and wear the same outfits I did as a teenager!

With that being said, as Christians, when we are trying to reach that next spiritual level why do we look back to what we once had? Have you noticed in the fashion industry that about every 20 years a certain style makes it way back on the racks in stores? As Christians, we can actually learn from this! Styles come back but with a different twist. The style has usually been revolutionized a bit. (The 80's style is back, but with a millennium twist) In the same way, we can look back at a time when our walk with God was "on fire," and use certain instances or lessons we learned in the past to revolutionize our spiritual thinking to the next level.

We might of had a wonderful Sunday School teacher, been a part of an awesome youth group, or experienced a dynamic christian seminar or retreat and that's great. But, that was for a season in our lives. Those could have been great learning times, but we can't stop there! We have to press on to a new level. I don't want to ask God to revive what I once had, I want Him to revolutionize my spiritual thinking so I can serve Him better!

"Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore, let us leave elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity..." Hebrews 5:13-14, 6:1

"Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord." Lamentations 3:40

Not Seeing The Signs

I dropped my girls off at school this morning and then met up with a couple of friends to go walk. We went to the track field, a couple of miles outside of town. We decided to walk the curves and jog the straights, all the while talking and laughing in between. About 5 minutes after our work-out began, we noticed an EMS car (not an ambulance) parked half-way on the road with its' lights flashing. This should have been warning #1, but we basically looked at each other and said, "I wonder what's going on?" We shrugged it off and kept on walking and talking... A few minutes later we heard a couple of gun shots and one of my friends mentioned that someone must be dove hunting. We said, "Yeah, probably so," and we kept on walking... A few minutes later, my two friends said, "Hey, check out that guy on a horse." We were like, "Huh, I wonder what he's doing?" We kept walking and talking (trying to solve our country's youth problems). Then, we noticed a helicopter over head. One of my friends laughed and told the other one, "Hey! I bet that's your husband checking up on you." (He flies helicopters). We laughed and kept walking... When we finally drove back to the house, one of my friends got a message saying everyone in Brackett should be on alert because a convict, from the maximum security prison in Brackett, had just escaped! Then the lightbulbs came on!! We put 2 and 2 together. He was probably right across the road from us the whole time, hiding under a mesquite tree! That explained the road block, the mounted police, the gun shots, and the helicopter hovering overhead!

Wow! How many signs did we need! Just like these visible signs, God gives us signs too. But, we have to slow down and take the time to listen and look around us. Many times He uses the people who cross our paths or certain situations to wake us up, but we can't be preoccupied with so much "stuff" that we are blinded to the warning signs! Open my heart, eyes, and ears Lord, and help me not to be blind-sided from our real enemy, Satan!

BTW, the convict, has still not been captured and the blonde highlights in my hair really do come from a bottle!

Fiery Trials

Yesterday, I watched an awesome Beth Moore video; I'd like to share what stuck out in my mind. She gave 3 different scenarios when people of God face a fiery trial. The example of a trial she gave was a christian being diagnosed with cancer.

Scenario A: We can be delivered from the fire. (Miracle)
Dividend? Our faith is built.

Scenario B: We can be delivered through the fire.
Dividend? Our faith is refined.

Key scriptures: This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it! John 11:4

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, you love." 1Peter 1:6-9

Scenario C: We can be delivered by the fire straight into His arms.
Dividend? Our faith is perfected.

"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12

"But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ, and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear!"

We never want Scenario C to happen to us. If only our minds could wrap themselves around the awesomeness of being in heaven with Jesus, we would long for Scenario C. I think that's why we are not allowed to see how marvelous heaven is. If we knew, everyone would want to die and God's will on earth would not be carried out!,