(Two of my favorite people in one of my favorite pictures.)
I haven't posted for a while about Frieda, so I felt it was time to give an update for those who check periodically. She's still going strong and gets more amazing with each day that passes. God must be smiling like nobody's business! I know I do!
The past several visits with Frieda have been so wonderful. She's doing such great things. It troubles me when I hear the rumor mill grinding away with all sorts of adjectives that simply are not true. Of course, Frieda...and consequently Wayne and I have dealt with that for quite some time now. Oddly enough, with Frieda being THE backbone of the Pamlico News, "bad news" is all that seems to travel. No one wants to hear good news. But everyone's favorite news hound is doing exactly what I expected her to. She's busting butt and taking no prisoners! GO FRIEDA!
Frieda is doing amazing things and she is so very proud of herself. She is able to drive herself in the facility with the aid of an electric wheelchair. She's a sight to behold wheeling up and down the hallway. She has been reading and spelling for some time now, so she can spell out most anything she'd like to "say" to you. For example, we call my dad "Grog" and call him a caveman when teasing him. When he walked into her room Thursday evening, Frieda started to grin this evil grin and spelled out GROG and laughed right out loud. I asked her to spell my mom's name. Frieda looked at my mom and smiled...she wanted to spell what SHE felt about my mother. "Sweetness" was the result. I can't tell you what she spelled for me. Just take my word for it, the whole room was in stitches. The speech therapist has a great sense of humor and believes fully that laughter is indeed good medicine. He says Frieda relaxes and gets a lot done when we're having a lot of fun. So, as always we do laugh a lot when visiting. The visits this week were long, we worked hard on spelling and communication skills and being close.
Frieda gets emotional when she remembers "what it's like on the outside." That in itself is very motivating for her.
I am so proud of her and want to thank everyone who has continued to check in on my blog and believe that Frieda could get better. She has.
Each day gets better and better...and I LOVE IT! We are still "THUMBS UP" all the way! Even back at Pitt Hospital, Frieda gave me a "THUMBS UP" when I asked her if we were going to stick this out together. Today, it is just as strong a commitment as it was back in the summer. People give up hope so quickly. Underestimating Frieda is a crazy thing to do! But, on the other hand, it gives her strength just to prove the naysayers wrong. Typical of Frieda, right? Something else I love about her.
I watched with sadness as the news told of a situation where a young girl is being called "brain dead," "a vegetable" and many of the horrible adjectives that I have heard used along side Frieda's name. It boiled my blood then and it does now. I watched as a father is begging and pleading with a mother to let the daughter live. The girl doesn't speak and is on a feeding tube. Guess what? SO IS FRIEDA! But is she any of the horrible adjectives that people who are either ignorant or unfeeling or both use? NO! The name Terry Schiavo comes to mind. There are those who would argue that abortion is "murder." I think taking a life of any kind is boils down to murder. As humans, we do not have the right to "euthanize." We do not have the right to "play God" and determine what is "life" for another human being period. That is God's job. How can he fulfill HIs Divine Plan for us if we are busy trying to do His job for Him? Notions such as that are just outrageous to me. It's hard to even consider it for animals within my personality. But, that's me.
The world at large has a skewed vision of what human life is. "Quality" of life comes into question and people try to make decisions that are not theirs to make.
I thank GOD every single day for Frieda Hudson and for her SPIRIT and her sheer will to LIVE! She and I have plans and as I have said all along, we don't go down easily. We just keep working hard. I don't blog every day about Frieda because I got tired of the backlash. Folks who haven't even visited with Frieda or really don't know her at all at a personal level were offering opinions that I didn't ask for, so I removed myself from the drama. My friendship with Frieda Hudson doesn't contain all that drama and gossip. So, we have continued to do what we do best. WORK HARD, LAUGH A LOT and WORK TOWARD THE ONE GOAL OF GETTING FRIEDA BETTER!
I am so thankful she didn't give up. There was every opportunity to do so, but those of us who know Frieda fundamentally know that giving up is simply not a part of her personality. That is what I love most about her. She's still cracking jokes at me just as hard as she can, laughing at me and in the next minute, we're holding hands tightly, along with Wayne assuring each other that we're just going to keep fighting hard and moving ahead.
There are few friendships in life that sustain hardship, serious illness, issues and many of the things that Frieda and I have witnessed. She is my hero. You give me such strength and such confidence, Frieda, when my own life seems so hard at times. I can simply think of you and things look so much better.
Frieda, one day when you read through all these blogs, I want you to know that YOU have touched SO many lives that come from ALL over this country! People have read this blog, prayed for you, loved you and have cheered you on every day! Frieda, our friends who live in other parts of the country are cheering, praying and celebrating each and every little thing you do! We have every expectation for you to be right back in the middle of our "crowd" in no time flat! From Colorado, to California, to New York, Washington, DC, Wisconsin, Ohio...just pick a state! All our music friends, friends that have come on board since reading about this crazy word called "stroke" and blog readers in general have offered such support and love. It truly is amazing!
So, even in illness, there is such goodness and God NEVER leaves us. Faith grows each and every day in so many ways. I've said all along that God still has big plans for Frieda Hudson. Who knows what she'll be doing next? I can't wait to find out! God willing, I'll be right beside her watching it all unfold.
Just keep praying....and don't forget to give thanks for those prayers that clearly have been answered.

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...AND HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN WE SEE ONE? Is it the air we breathe? Is it the birth of a child? Is it the human spirit determined to SURVIVE, even when the odds are less than favorable "a miracle?" I say YES! They all are. And Frieda has pulled another fast one....here's how things are going...
Wayne and I visited Frieda together yesterday. We have, of course, had many hours of discussions on all the "what if's" in terms of Frieda's initial stroke and now the most recent one. I have heard, as you do in small towns, that Frieda is "brain dead." She is not. I have heard that she is a "vegetable." She is not. I will be frank and say how much this hurts me... first as brothers and sisters and as human beings, that we can so quickly begin to label, judge and accept "labels" on another. It really bothers me that there is such negative power in judgment of others. That is non-productive. It doesn't heal. It makes things so much worse. With that, I encourage you all to VISUALIZE Frieda in the THE most wonderful memory you have of her. Whatever that may be, THINK IT. There is power in thought. There is power in prayer. LIFT Frieda up and SEE her in all of her wholeness and in health.
One example comes from an email I received from Dee Sage. Dee wrote to tell me that on the day of Frieda's stroke, she saw her. She said Frieda looked up and waved with the most beautiful and and REAL smile. I know that smile and I have reflected so often on what Dee saw and how in that moment, they connected in such a small, yet important way.
Frieda IS a victim of TWO strokes. Frieda is ALIVE. Dignity is SO important right now. FRIEDA is fighting and DEMONSTRATING the courage and strength that all who know her expect she will give to this situation. Even those who DON'T know Frieda have now
picked up on her strength, her courage and most of all that beautiful stubbornness that won't let Frieda be out done at ANYTHING.
So, how was she last night? Well, she was doing ok and ready to DO something. We have learned yet ANOTHER way to communicate. Frieda shakes her LEFT leg really hard for "yes." She holds it still for "NO." We can work with that...and we did. We were able to get a lot of ground covered in terms of basic yes and no questions. She even frowned at me when I asked a stupid question just to test her. So, she is "with it." Though she cannot speak "FOR NOW," we are able to communicate and that works for us.
As soon as we got the room, she was sleeping. We had stuff to read, so we didn't make a sound until she woke up. We began talking quietly with her, holding hands and telling her we loved her. She cried for a few seconds and I reminded her that we still had work to do. She shook the left leg hard. I asked if we were going to give up? The leg remained still. She tracked all around the room with her eyes following every move we made. The nurse, Jimmi was one of the "club members" we had join us when Frieda was on second floor before. We LOVED her and she was great. She documented EVERYTHING Frieda was doing in her room. We don't ever just sit and look at Frieda. We are actively working on SOME part of her body. You can only imagine what it would be like to just "lay" in a bed for nearly 2 months. We massaged her skin, we stroked her hair, we worked with her arms and fingers. Then we moved to work with her legs. Wayne started with the left leg. He lifted it. It did not hurt. He gently pushed it toward her chest, asking Frieda to push back against his hand as hard as she could. WOW!!!!! She about pushed him off his feet...and that's not a hard thing to do right now since he's still recovering from his own surgery. We continued that for several repetitions. She did the same thing with her RIGHT leg, which had been affected by the first stroke, so there had been NO activity to speak of with that leg. Who is surprised to learn that Frieda was pushing EQUALLY as hard with her RIGHT leg!? Not me. You could SEE her strength and her willingness to do these things. She KNOWS she cannot just 'lay there' in that bed and expect to get better. She has to WORK, no matter what the "diagnosis" might be.
I wish people who don't know her could understand just what a DETERMINED woman Frieda is! Picture your own stubbornness, then multiply times TEN! She is NOT going to be outdone. I hope by reading about her, you've figured that out by now. As I always say, FRIEDA PLAYS GOLF AGAINST MEN! She is NOT going to be outdone, even by them! (I LOVE THAT ABOUT HER! She can flat drive a golf ball!)
As I said, the nurse charted every single thing that Frieda did and was thrilled. She was SO pleased to be able to show the doctors these things. Given the chance, Frieda will work with you...you just have to give her that option. Jimmi, the nurse, was making notes for the physician on how extraordinary it has was for her to watch these things that FRIEDA clearly wanted to do!!! It has been nearly 2 months, and her legs are STILL SO STRONG! It was amazing. I would put my palm on the bottom of her foot and ask her to push. And push she did!!! WE WERE BUSY! Frieda WANTED to do this. She detests laying still like that. She was taking a proactive stance in HER own care AND RECOVERY.
I certainly can't say, nor would I, how things are going to be with Frieda in the immediate future, but, I know this: She is DETERMINED.
Let's consider the football player with the extreme injury last week in the news. He was supposed to be dead or totally paralyzed from a hit last week. He is defying those odds. Is that LUCK? I sure don't think so! Did it SHOCK a total medical community? Yes, it did. BUT...he's alive and, like Frieda, he has a long road ahead, BUT HE IS ALIVE! And he's moving and the doctors are well, shocked. The medical community does NOT like the term "MIRACLE." I say, "well, that's just too bad! They happen!
FRIEDA IS ALIVE!!! Even in the most adverse situations, FRIEDA FIGHTS!
I am asking you all to LIFT FRIEDA UP IN FAITH AND IN PRAY THAT SHE WILL CONTINUE SHOWING THESE AWESOME DISPLAYS OF INNER STRENGTH!!! It is SO important that we do not quit and get tired now. She needs to know that we support her, love her and that FRIEDA IS THE SOLE FOCUS IN THIS RECOVERY! SHE IS NOT ALONE! We need to let her know that we've got her covered...no matter how long this takes.
If you visit Frieda, just know that she will shake her LEFT leg to answer YES. Sometimes, if she is asleep, she will ignore you. We make a practice to say NOTHING to wake her if she is sleeping. Healing in the brain occurs when she is sleeping, so we don't interupt that. Sometimes, however, she is just laying with her eyes closed. When she hears you, she will open them when she's good and ready. (smile!)
I will post more of what we saw later, but I did want to share this with you so you can KEEP PRAYING FOR FRIEDA TO GET STRONGER AND STRONGER.
Again, we petitioned GOD to save her. He has seen fit that she remain with us. We cannot know (nor should we form opinions on others) as children of God, what their conditions are, what their "worth" might be as a result of those conditions and it's dangerous territory to determine "who is fit for life" and "who is not." It's not our job, nor our call. HIS will and only HIS WILL will pravail in this situation. EVEN THE DOCTORS CANNOT SAY WHEN A PERSON WILL DIE! That is between the person and God to determine that.
MIRACLES DO HAPPEN! We just have to DO our roles in faciliating them
and we have to RECEIVE THEM AND GIVE OUR THANKS TO GOD WHEN THESE EVENTS ARRIVE!
NAYSAYERS NEED NOT APPLY! LOL! Just SMLING FACES, HEALING ENERGY, POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND ENCOURAGEMENT ARE NEEDED HERE!!!
I have SO enjoyed getting to know each of you, even if only via email.
NUTSHELL: Frieda is following with her eyes. She is staying awake and alert for long periods of time. She knows exactly what we are saying, so the story about her hearing and sight being lost is simply not true. Small towns, big rumors.They don't help one thing in terms of what Frieda is going through. Didn't all our moms teach us, "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all?" (Moms know best!)
As I said, if you want to know something, don't mind asking me. I am happy to let you know how YOUR FRIEND FRIEDA IS DOING! She NEEDS to know her friends are around her!! It is so strengthening and healing when you don't feel alone and don't have to wonder where all your FRIENDS ARE!!!
When I initially gave my blog over to Frieda, I made a conscious choice to list email addresses in the "TO" and "CC" lines, hoping that many of you have "FRIEDA" in common. You will have seen most of the list by now and perhaps those of you who know each other can get together and PRAY for Frieda. I think you've all figured out "folks you know" versus "folks you don't." By now, you should have recognized your pal's email addresses. I will now start to show the recipients as "undisclosed," which is protocol. Initially, I left the email addresses posted so that you could find one another. After nearly two months, I feel that you have all you need. I'm happy to email or call you and let you know how things are. Contact means were there so we could all pray.
She's beaten this thing once...and I have every reason to believe that she'll beat it again. Setbacks are a part of ANY recovery. If you have any specific questions, also, just email me. People keep thinking they are BOTHERING ME! That makes me laugh. ANY CONNECTION WITH FREIDA is what I love to see happening. She LOVES ALL OF YOU!!! SHE MISSES NOT INTERACTING WITH HER FRIENDS. Just know, once Frieda's friend, ALWAYS her friend. She has introduced me so many of the friends she is known over the years and I'm so honored by that.
More info today as I have it. Drop me a line with your thoughts, laughs and precious memories you wouldn't mind sharing about Frieda. I'd like to post them and we can ALL lift them up to Frieda in prayer on her behalf. And we can ALL rejoice together and celebrate our love for Frieda Hudson.
She's just amazing. She was "given up for dead" again...and guess what? She's still here...still fighting and funniest of all, NOTHING STOPS ANNIE AND FRIEDA FROM TALKING!!! Not even sure the military could break our "codes of the heart." I know nothing stops the POWER OF FRIENDSHIP AND THE COURAGE TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD...(NO MATTER WHAT THE DOCTORS OR ANYONE ELSE SAYS!) Just TELL Frieda Hudson "she CAN'T do something." I dare you! :)
"Leg lifts" and a "shaking leg" to answer me are ALL I need. I can work with that!! RIGHT?
GO FRIEDA! We're all right here, as we have been all along...WE WANT YOU BACK!!!!
Here's looking forward to hearing from you and I'd LOVE to share some of your stories. I had a lot of emails about the post I wrote mentioning just a FEW of the hundreds of emails I have gotten with "Frieda stories!" If you don't mind sharing, I don't mind typing! Send those stories and anecdotes right on to me! I'd love them!
Love, peace, blessings and many thanks to each of you who stop by and visit me.
-Annie

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Young Nancy and I arrived at the hospital this evening and Frieda was awake. She was listening to music and just kind of hanging out. The TV was on, but nothing that was particularly appealing to her. She indicated that she had been through some rehab work that was tiring for her. Of course it would be. She had also sat in the chair in her room again. She indicated that doing those things was tough and had run her through the ringer.
My parents had come by on their way to Washington early in the afternoon and Frieda grinned really big when I asked her about them coming. She then pointed at a card. It was a card that they had brought with them. I thought that was a great connection.
Frieda stuck her hand out for me to take it. She squeezed very tightly and just looked more "down" than frustrated to me. I asked her if she was feeling down and bummed out and she shook her head yes. I asked if she was just upset over the whole situation and she shook her head yes to that question as well. Nancy took her other hand and we both just tried to ask questions that would help her get her feelings out. It must be SO hard to be such a verbal person, as Frieda is, and not be able to talk. She sure tries though! And it will be a matter of time before she's re-fitted with something in her trach that will enable her to begin trying to talk again. What a welcome sound that will be!!
I asked if she felt sore...yes. I asked if it felt like the first day of basketball practice and she had been given 25 "wind sprints" to run. She grinned and nodded YES. I told her about an email I got from Dottie Osmun about playing tennis and what a determined player she is. Frieda loved that! And nodded yes. I believe that wonderfully competetive spirit of hers will shine right through this.
That took me to a REALLY FUNNY story. A couple of years ago, on Marsha's birthday, and Dave and Marsha Shirk, Frieda, Wayne and me loaded the Shirkmobile and made a road trip to The Royal James in Beaufort to dine on hotdogs and shoot pool! (Oh yeah...we're just high fallutin' like that!!!) Anyway, we had a blast. And I mean a BLAST! It's one of those times you just laugh until your stomach literally aches, but you keep laughing anyway.
Frieda was VERY serious in her pool playing. Me? Well, I mostly laughed and scratched. (The cue ball of course!!!) One of the, let's say, "local" pub attendees began to watch my lack of sincerity in my pool game. Before I knew it, I had a COACH. This salty old lager filled fellow accepted his role of "coach" with great honor. As Frieda played SERIOUS pool, I continued to rely on the careful instruction of my now named "COACH." Frieda, Nancy and I laughed as I recounted that story. Frieda was grinning and shaking her head at me. At the end of the evening at The Royal James, Marsha (the elected photojournalist---maybe that's where Andrea gets it from!) was taking pictures of Frieda, me and "Coach." Frieda was rolling her eyes and grinning when I said, "Can you believe we let that man hug us for a picture?????" She clearly remembered...and NO, She couldn't believe we did that. I'd say it had been a day or 10 since he'd run under any water faucet, but there we were striking a pose and making a huge deal of this "tournament" that Frieda mopped us up with. It's a really funny memory that I'll never forget. Good ol' "Coach." He didn't do squat for my pool game, and of course, Ms. Determination took the "trophy", but I did get in a few good shots. Marsha and I didn't take it nearly as seriously as Frieda, Dave and Wayne basically just laughed at us girls, but that story illustrates Frieda. Anything she attempts. She's GOING to do well at it, even if it's just playing around. It's the core of her being. That will be a huge factor in Frieda's recovery. Her fierce competetive nature will be her best characteristic in plans for recovery ahead.
Sandy, Frieda's younger brother called tonight and I put my phone on speaker. Frieda knew exactly who it was and was shaking her head at his fishing stories. She was giving him looks that said, "Yeah right Sandy. You just keep dreaming." That was a hoot. Then the sheriff called. Frieda grinned and was so happy to hear his voice.
My heart was so warmed watching her "talk on the phone."
I know that Frieda understands and realizes what has happened to her. Young Nancy talked about the next phases of her recovery with her, which includes moving to a room that is especially for stroke patients and includes intensive rehab. Frieda listened intently. That will be for several weeks according to the doctor today, but the upside of that is that once all that is finished, the goal is for Frieda to GO HOME!! The doctor told Young Nancy that she felt that was a great goal. I asked Frieda if she was ready to get into her big blue recliner and get back to Broad Street and I got a vehement YES.
Over the coming days, Frieda will experience more thoughts and feelings than any of us can imagine. But, knowing she's a fighter, not a quitter is powerful. She's not one to sit back and let someone else do the work. (We all know that, don't we?) So, while Frieda is adjusting to what has happened to her, I would bet cold hard cash that she's also plotting on the best way to get past it all too. She might not like it at all, and it's not going to be an easy, overnight task, but you can believe she's going to work hard to put this event behind her.
Just remember...it will be four weeks tomorrow. Check back on those blogs versus what I'm describing for you recently. You'll see Frieda shining right through, even in the most fearful times, we all carried FRIEDA'S strength in our hearts and never lost faith that she would survive and get better.
Everyone who has read this blog has had a MAJOR part of Frieda's recovery process. You have all been a part of "the team" and the teamwork we all share with Frieda has supported her. I want us to continue to do so. We will all be the benefactors of all the great things Frieda Hudson still has to offer this world.
More tomorrow!!! I'm off to bed now...and still humming that tune in my head from this morning's blog! LOL! Ain't life grand?
As for this stroke Frieda Hudson, it won't be long before you're sinkin' the 8 ball!!!
WE LOVE YOU FRIEDA!!!!

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I have been out doing my usual feeding, watering, visiting with my animals. Muffin, one of the little donkey foals was especially attached today. She wanted extra attention, leaving her mother and her friends to eat. She elected to have an ear scratch and eat later. As I looked at her, I admired her. She has the most kind and trusting eyes. She looks at me as if to say, "I know I am safe."
I had to ask myself a question. Do I feel safe? My answer was not as straightforward as Muffin's. Some days I feel very safe, others I feel totally vulnerable. I know this is not what God intends for me. Yet, there are days that contain fear and uncertainty.
I tend to "wonder" too much. I wonder if this will happen, I wonder if that is going to come to pass, I wonder why people are mean, I wonder why people murder, I wonder why I typically like animals better than some people! :) (I'm smiling now.)
All this pondering I do at home is comforting to me. I can be here and I am surrounded by "life." All is content here. All is quiet. I sang OUT LOUD this morning, as I often do when I'm feeding. Today's selection was an old Linda Ronstadt song called "By the Rivers of Babylon." It incorportates Psalm 19:14, in which David prays to the Lord to basically help him keep his mouth shut unless it's something useful. (Anne's interpretation, of course. I don't think I've ever seen it printed in any Bible version quite like that!) David also addresses what he THINKS.
Psalm 19:14 reads: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."
So, we must come before God in with a pure intent not only in our WORDS, but equally important are our THOUGHTS and OUR DEEDS.
Were we kind today? Did we build someone up or did we say or do something to make them feel badly? Did we take control of our thoughts and direct them in a more beneficial path or did we simply allow our self to continue thinking "crap?"
No wonder everyone is tired. There must be a rollercoaster of thoughts going on in every human's mind that is relentless.
People ask me all the time..."Why do you keep all those animals?" They are THE best medicine. No pills, no nothing...just love and nurturing. I was thinking about how often Frieda comes out here and I know why. She could escape too. Did you know she has "her own goat?" His name is Dice. Frieda named him. We were bottle feeding Dice and Sophie when they were babies at Mike and Judy Davis's. Frieda was in love. So, conspirators that we are, we decided to tell Wayne that Dice is actually FRIEDA'S goat and since she can't have a goat in the village, he would live here with us and our goats! HA! I'm know he didn't buy it, but we like to think that Frieda "got his goat" PUN INTENDED! I was petting Dice today and remembering good thoughts and good laughs. The words from my mouth and the mediations from my heart indeed were acceptable in His sight, as I was joyful and thankful for my life, my home, my friends and my blessings.
I also remembered that I need to say on this blog that I've had many people who wrote to me to say that as a result of reading about a friendship between Anne Haley and Frieda Hudson, they have drawn closer to their own friends, their own families and realized how incredibly unpredictable life is. Most importantly, I think we have all seen what can happen in a blink.
A parable has been on my mind as well. Please consider this too, as well as Psalm 19:14. There was the story of how an old man was waiting for Jesus to show up at his house and he prepared a huge feast. (I'll condense the story, but you'll get the gist and we've all heard it before, so you'll know where I'm going with this.) He had put out his finest of everything. He was, as we'd say today, he got all decked out for the occasion. He had killed his fattest cow, and had really put on the dog. A widow showed up and he ran her off in case Jesus showed up and saw such as that at his house. A beggar showed up...same deal. Shoo! The Lord is coming to my house and you can't be trashing my situation here Beggar. The whole evening, the man ran the folks away that had strangely appeared at his door, yet the Lord hadn't shown up. He was getting pretty mad about it all. Irritated with the people just "dropping by," etc. After many hours of waiting for his "guest," he finally gave up. He put away the big spread. I would imagine he threw a little hissy fit that the Lord had stood him up. (And we all know where I am going with this.)
When he cried out to the Lord and gave Him guff for standing him up, which took a lot of brass, I might add! The man got the low down from God.
As we all know, the Lord had been there MANY times that evening. And it was the LORD Himself who was TURNED AWAY.
My friends, we do not know the paths of others we come into contact with. Just because they do not LOOK in accordance with how WE think they should look, act or appear, gives us no right to judge their hearts. That's God's job.
How many times have we had opportunities to serve "the Lord" and we turned Him away? How often have we judged someone because WE did not like the way they look? (This ties in with the "meditations in our hearts" part! We are saying nothing, yet judging up a storm and we think that's ok because we're not SAYING it. God hears it all.)
I will close with this thought. Matthew 25, verse 40 says,"Inasmuch as you have done to the LEAST of these, you have also done to Me." How does that hit you? Hits me HARD. For whatever I have displayed unfairly and biased toward another human being, I have also placed that behavior directly on God. I have sung the song I mentioned earlier HUNDREDS of times. Sadly, my focus was on whether the 5 parts of harmony were correct and in place and that the song was being sung "perfectly." Anne, Anne, Anne. I won't even comment on that. Duh. I blew that one for sure. Here is the song I sang and paraphrased it to work in my life:
"By the rivers of Babylon (which is Ball Creek in my case), where she went down. And there she wept when she remembered Zion. For the wicked carried us away, Captivity requires from us a song. How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land?
So let the words from my mouth and the meditations in my heart be acceptable in YOUR sight, over I."
Thank you for reading. I will post about our Frieda when I get to the hospital in a couple of hours.
And Frieda, I'm missing you Girl. I'm missing "us." Just keep on doing what you do, Frieda...being wonderful.
As a post statement, now I'm crying. Faithful Geordie is at my feet, as he always is. When I cry, he looks at me with such compassion. I told him I was ok, I'm just missing Frieda. He jumped up, ran off the porch and started barking. This is what he ALWAYS does when we say FRIEDA. He misses her too and even in his tiny dog mind, he has HOPE and even ol' Geordie expects and waits just like the rest of us. She'll be home before we know it Geordie and she'll be SO glad to hear your welcoming, loving bark.

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