Thursday, June 26, 2008, Nashville, TN., 3:22 p.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Howdy!  Louisiana Sandusky here.  Just got off work; managed to finagle the staff into letting me get off early.  LOL  Will be home within the hour; but first I have to stop at the florist's; pick up a bouquet of flowers for my dear hubby, as well as a card.  Don't want to forget our anniversary...

Sixteen years.  Sixteen years of married bliss together.  Yes, God has been faithful to our marriage; He's brought me a very loving, patient, and compassionate soul in the form of a man I am more than proud to call my husband.  Many couples aren't nearly as blessed as we are; for that I can be truly thankful.

Don't know what the kiddies have in store for us for our anniversary, but somehow they always manage to surprise us beyond our wildest dreams.  Last year, as an example, they cleaned up the entire house without our asking them to do so, and they gave us a card, as well as fifty dollars tucked inside.  And Bill surprised me by giving me new  diamond earrings, to replace the ones I'd lost. 

Don't know what Bill has up his sleeve, but am sure it involves going out to eat.  We usually end up eating at someplace fancier than what we're used to:  Guardino's Italian Bistro, Finnegan's, Hoorah's Sports And Grille, even Honcho's Mexican Fiesta.  Those are some of the places where we've spent our anniversary in the past; who knows where we'll go this time around.

In the past sixteen years, we've weathered more drama, more joy than a person has a right to experience; yet through all we've been through, God's been there, with us, right in the thick of it.  We don't know how we could have possibly gotten through those tense moments spent by a sick (or dying) child's bedside at the hospital, or not knowing where our teenaged daughter had gone off to after she'd gotten into a big row with us.

We've gone through hurricanes and tornadoes, new babies being born, saying goodbye to relatives or children, gone through adjustment periods as a new child arrived into our International Family, and crisscrossed this nation visiting friends, family, or even fellow adoptees when they needed a helping hand or sympathetic ear.

We've seen many a famous person, both in concert or otherwise.  We've met the gamut from the President of the United States to the newest, brightest up and coming singers.  We've been to, done more things, than what most people have done, and because of it, we've become closer as a family unit.

Bill has shown me unconditional love, steadfast Christian faith, stubborn pride (due to his Native American heritage), compassion, courage, and respect.  I only hope I have shown the same things to him in return; I have tried to be the wife he's wanted me to be.

Because of my husband, my entire family has come to the Lord; we are now a complete Christian family (have been saved eight years now; hard to believe, yes, but it's true !), and we now have the blessed assurance that when we die, we will see Jesus in Heaven.  That is a most comforting thought!

I only hope that God allows us to have sixteen more years together.  I can't imagine a better man to spend the rest of my life with than William Joseph Walking Tall Sandusky (his whole name; most people don't know it).  He's been my rock, my salvation, my closest companion and confidante, and the perfect father and husband to our children and myself.

So on that note, let me wish my dear, darling husband a most happy anniversary!! Here's to sixteen blessed years together; may we have many more (God willing)!  I love you so much, Bill, more than words can ever say!

~Love, Louisiana Mayrah Sandusky (proud wife to Bill Sandusky). :D