Diane Aguilar writes to her friend in Tennessee after Louisiana has written her a lengthy letter.

Tuesday, October 5, 2004, 10:30 a.m., C.S.T.~

Dear Louisiana:

WOW, what a letter I had in my email from you! Thanks for writing!

I bet by now the company you had is gone. That must be such a huge relief! I hope Sari Gustaffssenn and Nikolas Constantinos didn't eat you out of house and home! And I hope that Phoebe Pearson had a close eye on her daughters, Hanh and Linn! That Linn sounds like a little mischief maker! LOL Glad to know that they are gone; you can probably concentrate more on your life and those of your hubby and children!

Glad to hear that Johnny is over his seizure, and glad to hear that Ronee' has gotten her cast taken off her arm! That must be a huge relief for her! I have had a broken arm myself (my brother, Antonio, hit me with a baseball bat while playing baseball), and it wasn't fun! All these years later, I still remember the sound of my bones breaking as the bat connected with my arm, and then the instant pain. And I don't need the weather to remind me of it: every time it is fixin' to come up a cloud here I get the worst arthritis pain in my arm! OW! Does Ronee' get pain in her arm when the weather is fixin' to change?

Glad to know you have two new friends via the Internet! That is too cool! Seems funny how we adoptive parents support one another, isn't it? I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the familial support, or the support from friends such as yourself. You make this woman's life so much richer and brighter! And it is nice to know that there are others out there who face the same concerns involving our kids and that it is okay when things go wrong; and that we can support each other in prayer or just by talking or writing! Has Louisa contacted you yet, and how is she doing? I hope she is feeling better; I hear that muscular dystrophy is nothing to mess around with! Does she have the same type of muscular dystrophy that little Johnny has? If not, what kind DOES she have? And is it as serious? That is wonderful about Kendra adding a new little girl from Japan; that is terrific news!

I would love to add to my own family, but with Humberto's health and my headaches being the way they are, I think it is best we put our plans on hold until we get our health back to speed. Right now isn't the best time to add any new children to our family; the ones we have already keep us plenty busy!

I am glad you have a way to deal with your kids' cussing or misbehavings. The cuss jar does sound like a good idea; I just may take you up on that. That'd be a good way to curb my kids' foul mouths, and it would make them think of ever doing it again! My one son is bad about cussing; he called his little brother a b-a-s-t-a-r-d the other day, and I paddled his little butt! He is now grounded for a week for his filthy mouth! I don't know where he picked up the B word, but I was shocked when I heard that filthy word spewing from his sweet little mouth! But once I find out how he heard it, I will make sure that he NEVER uses it again, or he will be in even worse trouble than he is already!

That is too cool that you have played at some of the local Opry shows up there in Tennessee! What instrument (or instruments) do you play, and do you sing? Do your husband or any of your kids sing? (I do know that Ronee' sings, as I have her CD that you sent; I still listen to it; and I think that you have a potential future star in your daughter! She is absolutely terrific! Loretta Lynn, eat your heart out! LOL She sounds so much like Loretta it is incredible!) Have you ever sang at the Grand Ole Opry like your daughter has?

Glad the weather has started to cool down there. I bet the leaves are starting to look quite pretty there. All we get here is a brief change of color, and then the leaves fall off, with no time to enjoy the spectacular beauty of the fall colors as you do up there. Such a darn shame! I would give anything to see leaves like they have there in Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, or further up north! Hear the further north you go, the more stunning the colors of the fall leaves! I would love to go to New England and see the leaves there, but with a sick husband (plus my headaches) and six kids with disabilities to raise, that isn't feasible right now. But maybe when the kids are older and our health has stabilized we can do something like that. It's worth dreaming or thinking about! We would also like to take a cruise to Alaska, as you have done. I bet Alaska is awesome; I have seen pictures of Alaska, and I think Alaska has got to be the prettiest state out there in the U.S. of A.! Texas IS nice, but it isn't nearly as nice or pretty like y'all in Tennessee...or ALASKA!

Well, Louisiana, I will go now. I have to feed the dog and then help my husband; he is stuck again; and he is having trouble getting out of bed. His back is unbelievably stiff this morning! I shall also run him a hot bath so he can soak his bum back; hopefully that will do the trick and get him moving around a little easier! (Think I may have to get him a cane or a pair of crutches....)

Until later, take care, and God bless!

Love you lots!

As always,

Your friend in Texas, Diane Renee'. :D