Dear Journal~

Can't sleep, so I figured I'd write in here.  My body is waging a personal vandetta against me: yes, the ol' arthrirtis is rearin' its ugly head again ...

Bill here.  Hope this finds y'all well.  As for me, I'm relieved: my beloved wife, my precious Louisiana Mayrah, is back home from the hospital!  She came home yesterday and is already being spoiled with kisses and well wishes from the family.  Right now, though, she is in bed, purring softly like a baby kitten.  Good.  Let her rest; she needs all the rest she can get in order to get her strength back up.

Louie went into the hospital on the last day of February, February 29, 2012; she got out yesterday afternoon.  A little over two weeks' worth of rest and relaxation .... NOT!!  (Whoever says you get rest in the hospital has obviously never been a patient or the parent OF a patient!)

Don't know if we will make it to church today; I want to spend as much time as possible with my wife.  I miss her when she isn't here: somehow, some way, things just don't seem to run as smoothly without the loving, firm, guiding hands of Louisiana Sandusky.  She seems to have a knack for setting things in order.  Must be due to her being a military child: her daddy was in the Air Force when younger; I am sure he and her mother ran a tight ship.  :)

I could go to church today, but I'd probably be yawning my face off.  Doesn't help that it's now Daylight Savings Time.  Instead of 2:00, it's now 3:00 in the morning.  Lost an hour of sleep.  Don't know why we need DST: to me it's only good for golfers or farmers; nobody else seems to get any benefits out of it.  To me it's a needless waste of time ... LITERALLY.

The prayers for Louisiana most certainly helped.  I thank each and every one of my fellow saints and fellow church members for keeping her lifted up in our time of need.  I don't know what I could have done without your prayers!

In other news, we will be getting Akihiko and Bastienne Camille in a few weeks.  I and Louie's parents have been busting our rears trying to get the new rooms ready for the two additions.  Hard to believe that it's nearly time for them to arrive!  We figured we had at least a few more months, but the adoption agency called to tell us that they are ready to come to America in just a few weeks!  Seems that's how it always goes ...  

The kids are excited at the prospect of meeting their new brother and sister.  They will be home for Easter break, so they will have plenty of opportunity to get to know Akihiko and Camille first hand.  I am excited at the thought of seeing the kids and grandchildren converge on Casa Sandusky: it's always a wild time of joy, chaos, and celebration whenever they get together!

I will be so happy to see Stephanie, Richard, Lightning, Johnny, Ronee', Mike, Rebekka,  etc.  The house just isn't the same without their sweet young faces gracing the table come mealtime!  And then you have the grandbabies to consider.  Not much rest for the weary for Grandma and Grandpa when the grandchildren arrive!  :)

No doubt we will be making several trips to McDonald's or Jack In The Box with the grandbabies!  Or to the mall or playground, just so they can unleash some of their energy levels.  Makes me wish I had some of their energy: it exhausts me and my wife to no end just to watch the grandkids bouncing from one activity to another!

I think my own energy levels up and left when I hit puberty!  LOL KIDDING!

Our church has been busy gearing up for our Cantata, which is to be held Easter weekend.  I am in the drama; I play one of the men who witnesses Jesus on the Cross and see firsthand all the suffering He went through.  I have very few lines, but it is still a demanding role.  I know the Cantata will touch and challenge people to think about their own spirituality when they come and see the Cantata at our church.

Johnny will be acting as the official sign language interpreter for the deaf members of our congregation; he always does a super job of letting them know what is being said as the play progresses.  And Ronee' will be singing "The Old Rugged Cross"; she always does a beautiful job with that song.  I know both will do a fantastic job; they have always been so talented!

I know I will cry when I watch my son and daughter perform!  I always do!

Well, I'm gonna see if I can get some sleep, but I would love to have the hour I just lost!  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Bill saying so long!  May God bless you always, and again, thanks for all the prayers for when Louie was sick; they truly helped!  Am so glad she is back home, where she belongs!

~Bill.