Hello, all!  Ravenna Eddiston here.  Thought I'd write to you before I get the family up for church ...

We are all doing well:  me, my husband (Greg), and the kids:  David (15), Paul (12), Mukhtar Grace (7), and finally, last (but never least!!), Canaan (2).  Nothing could be finer than it is right now: life is indeed good for us, the Eddiston family!

The weather has been rather coolish, but we are expecting the summer heat to hit us in the butt in a few weeks; good things cannot last forever, as they say!  LOL  The kids have been delighted in being out of school.  Ever since school let out, the yard has been filled with kids!

And that's not including our four kids!

Today, after church, Greg, myself, and the two older children are going to an anti-immigration rally at the park near our place.  My mother has volunteered to watch Mukhtar and Canaan for the afternoon.  We feel that the rally isn't the right place for them, so this is why she offered to babysit, which we greatly appreciate.

I have friends who are immigrants (from Mexico); they invited us to the rally.  I know that may sound strange, but they came to this country legally when their kids were very small (ten years ago), and they feel that those who are coming to this country illegally are ruining it for those who who do come here legally.  I happen to agree with them.  They may help the economy in some ways; in other ways, those who came here illegally are taking advantage of U.S., and it's gotten people up in arms (including us and my friends, the Cortezes).

It will be rather interesting, not to mention, a learning experience for David and Paul. 

My husband and I are members of the Tea Party Movement:  we believe in the American ideals upon which our (once) great country was founded:  we believe in prayer.  We believe in the Constitution and what it stands for.  We believe in upholding our laws and making sure that those who come here obey them.  We believe in discipline in the home and in school.  We believe in the truth that our forefathers gave to us.

We are also staunch Conservatives.  Always have been, always will be. 

Anyway, the kids are  thriving.  The boys have taken to the pool in our backyard like ducks to water; Mukhtar, meanwile, is just content to watch her brothers and/or play with her dolls in a quiet manner.  Mukhtar has always been very shy, particularly around strangers.  I guess it's because she's embarrassed about being disabled (which she shouldn't be). 

We keep telling our daughter that she is beautiful, inside and out.  And she is.  I just wish we could convince her of that!  We tell her that there is nothing to be ashamed of at not being able to walk as well as her brothers:  at least she can walk (with help)!

In a few short weeks, it will be the Fourth of July.  Of course, the children are looking forward to it (at least, the boys are, anyway!).  I don't know how Mukhtar will react to the night flowers that will explode overhead in the night sky.  I am sure they had fireworks back in her native India, but I am sure that Mukhtar really didn't pay them any nevermind.  She was probably more bent on trying to survive in an orphanage in one of the poorest countries in the world.

We have gotten the kids their special "patriotic" outfits, and we have gotten them sparklers and noise makers.  We will take them to the parade in town and have a picnic lunch at the park afterwards.  We will then listen to special music in the afternoon and anticipate the start of the fireworks.  The park grounds will probably be crowded with people, so we'd best get there early.

When it comes to the Fourth, my husband and I are like little kids.  There's just something about a parade, the smell of hotdogs or hamburgers cooking on an outdoor grill, the sea of red, white, and blue, and of course, the fireworks, that brings out the best in Americans as they celebrate our nation's birthday!

Well, it's nearly sevan a.m; church starts at ten, so I'd best go.  I have to get the kids out of bed and get them fed and ready.  I will write in here again soon; I will let you know how the rally went.  Hopefully we can make some noise and make people realize just what is happening to our country.  Something needs to be done, and auick!  Take care and God bless; pray all goes well at the anti-immigration rally!

~Love, your friend, Ravenna.  :)