Prayers for Nathan

When Dave and I moved to metro Atlanta, we knew no one, and it was hard to make friends during a time when I wasn't out and about as much due to the fact that I was expecting Caroline. At about seven months along, I remember sitting and staring out of my window while Dave was at work. I was feeling particularly alone that day, and I wondered if I'd ever grow out of my homesickness for Tennessee. Well, it was like someone knew, without ever having met me, exactly how I felt. I got a call that afternoon from another mom with a young baby. She had heard about me from her husband (who worked at Dobbins ARB with Dave), and thought I might like to have lunch. She and her family had also just moved from Edward AFB, she knew no one as well, and we were both in new territory, having both just foregone our old jobs to stay at home with our kids. I met her for lunch that week, and she soon became one of the dearest friends I have. She entertained me while all I could do was wait to have my baby. She made grilled cheese and tomato soup for me and propped up my swollen feet. When Caroline was born, she was the first (other than family) to visit her. She taught me how to get Caroline down for a nap. Her son Nathan was Caroline's first playmate. And when Rachel and her family moved to Alabama, I couldn't have miss them more... There are few people out there like her -- the world needs a few more Rachel Ormsby's.

So now, when her sweet son, Nathan, is battling stage four Neuroblastoma (a form of childhood cancer), I want to drum up as much prayer support for him (and his whole family) as possible. Please pray that God will heal Nathan. Please pray for wisdom and discernment for the doctors. Please pray for a continual sense of hope for all. And most of all, please pray that God will seem near at all times.

Here is a link to Nathan's Caringbridge site:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nathanormsby

SNOW!

Today the girls experienced their first real snow! Caroline had seen flurries before but never snow that has stuck to the ground, never a snow that she could play in-- until today! She is thrilled!

Once a nice, white sheet covered our lawn, we bundled the girls up and out they went. The first thing Caroline did was plop backward and make a snow angel. But her favorite activity was throwing snowballs at Mommy and Daddy. She has good aim, too! I took Claire out just long enough to let a few flakes fall on her nose. Then she and I headed inside to finish preparing our dinner of turkey and rosemary potatoes while Caroline and Daddy stayed outside to enjoy the snow.

After dinner, we sat next to the fire, and Caroline watched "Heidi" for the first time. Meanwhile, Claire found a new favorite yogurt flavor-- orange cream. Now Caroline and Daddy are watching one of my all-time favorites - "The Last Unicorn" - together.

It has been a very blessed and memorable day!

Dejavu

These are some photos taken in Williamsburg of the historic courthouse and one of the colonial downtown shops. But look closely at the people in them... The buildings haven't changed much, but those four goofey characters sure have! These pictures were taken (I think) the summer before my freshman year in high school, which means it was 1990-- almost 18 year ago... We had just been to Washington D.C. and were making our way back to Knoxville. I have to say I appreciate Williamsburg much more now that I did as a teenager with an attitude. Dave and I are trying to teach Caroline to appreciate the history that surrounds her living here. She'll probably be my age before it really sinks in, but for now, we are having fun searching for pirates at the harbor in Jamestown. :)

I may have not appreciated it then, but I'm so glad my parents took the time to plan such thoughtful, fun family trips, whether they were week-long vacations, weekend camping trips or dad's famous improptu day trips Michelle and I lovingly termed "excursions." I find that I, too, love the spontaneous. In honor of dad's spontaneous spirit, I have recently found myself rounding up the fam for last-minute trips to D.C. and Virginia Beach, each day trips, all in one weekend. We even decided to head for D.C. directly after church that Sunday, still in our Sunday best. We must have been the best-dressed family at the Smithsonian.

I think the unexpectedness of it makes it much more exciting. Hope you can join us on a Frazier family excursion soon, Mom and Dad! You'd be proud.

A New Year, A New Blog!

Hello friends and family! Since we don't live near most of you, this is our attempt to keep you posted with the latest (and greatest) Frazier Family happenings! Spread the news! :) We have officially settled in Williamsburg, Virginia, as Dave has started his new job as a safety engineer working for Jacobs Engineering at NASA Langley. He loves his new job, as do we, since it is both rewarding and schedule-friendly, as well as a move up in the safety world. Caroline is enjoying her new preschool, Claire is a month away from her big first birthday, and I keep my hair on fire juggling my roles as wife, mother, homemaker and student. We LOVE Williamsburg and am glad God sent us to this beautiful part of the world! We are still acting like tourists; it seems like every weekend we find a new discovery to explore here. Among our favorite spots are Colonial Williamsburg and Merchants Square, the Waterfront at Yorktown, the Yankee Candle store (much more than what you get in your local mall), recent excavations at Jamestown, and the NASA Langley Air and Space museum. Caroline is dying to spend a day at Virginia beach, but the weather just hasn't cooperated yet. I will try to keep my blog updated with fun stories and pictures. To catch everyone up, here are some pictures from the past couple of months. We miss all of our loved ones and hope you are all off to a great start in the new year!