Louisiana in Tennessee writes her newest friend a letter after Anna King writes to her after meeting her in person at an adoption picnic.
Saturday, the 4th of September, 2004, 12:44 p.m., C.S.T.~
Dear Anna:
Hello! Thank you for your letter; glad I could make you smile with what I said! LOL It is nice to hear from you again!
In lieu to your questions, Anna, how do I manage to find time? Only by the Grace of God! LOL It's true ! I don't know what I would do if I didn't have God in my life; but somehow He gives me the time and patience to keep going, even when I am at my busiest! I also try to MAKE some time; if I didn't I would be in a whole lot of serious trouble!
Secondly, Anna, since you were wondering about why I use a cane and why my husband uses forearm crutches, I will let you know now. I use a cane because I have a very bad back, and it is something I have learned to live with just about my whole life. When I was a little girl back in Louisiana, I fell out of a tree, and I severely injured my back. In fact, I injured it so badly, I was paralyzed for a time, and I spent several years walking on leg braces and forearm (Lofstrand) crutches. But I eventually learned to walk without any appliances whatsoever; but a few years back, age started taking a toll on my body, and I had to go to using a cane. I have degenerative disc disease in my spine, and I also have osteoarthritis (OA) in my joints. I also have sciatic nerve pain. If I don't use a cane, I use an electric scooter if we go someplace that requires a lot of extra walking.
As for my husband, he has back problems too, and he also has OA. He has it worse than I do. He uses crutches (Lofstrands), and he also uses a scooter if we go out, like to the mall or Wal*Mart, or even out to eat. He also has asthma, high blood pressure, and is prone to bouts of depression. We may both be in our 30's, but we are both falling apart at the seams, and I am afraid it is only going to get worse as we age! LOL
Our grandkids are named Tyrone, Tyrell (the twins; they are only a few months old), Jamee, LeAndre', and Daniel, and they all live with their mother (my oldest daughter, Lightning, who is 22) and father (my son in law, Darnell) in Loveland, Colorado, in the northeastern part of the state. Darnell is a lawyer, and Lightning can't work, as she is seriously physically disabled and is dependent on a wheelchair (CP); but she does get disability every month. Our grandkids are growing up so fast; it seems like only yesterday when Jamee was but a wee babe! Now she is going on age seven, and she is such a smart little girl! And her brother, LeAndre', is in pre-K, and he is very smart, too! (We will meet the twins for the very first time in December, when they come home for Christmas; I can't wait!) As for Daniel, he is going on the age of two, and he is talking and walking up a storm, according to his mama!
I do have some friends in Alaska, Anna. And two do live in Anchorage. Jenna Aurora Whitson and her soon to be husband (in fact, they are getting married next Saturday, on the 11th; Bill, myself, and the kids are going to the wedding, which will be held in Lafayette, Louisiana!), Michael, live in Anchorage, on Northern Lights Boulevard, and my other friend, Sikik Grace Eegeesiak (she is Inuk, or Eskimo), lives waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up north in Barrow, which is the northernmost point in Alaska. I have met Jenna and Michael before (in fact, I took care of Jenna for a while when she was badly injured in a devastating car accident that left her permanently physically disabled; she is doing better I am happy to say! But she is now back home in Alaska, and she is recuperating from back surgery when she had a pinched nerve; and we also stayed with them a few days when we went to Alaska earlier this year; we had a fanTABulous time!), and we met Sikik when we went to one of the malls, and she happened to be there. She is a really fun person with a huge personality! (She kind of reminds me of myself! LOL She just LOVES to talk! LOL I wrote to Sikik when I read her online journal about two months back, and she seemed lonely, so I wrote to her; and we have been writing to each other ever since! It's so nice to hear from her; and I am glad I got to meet her; maybe we can meet each other again and spend more time together than we did last time!)
I am sure that living in Alaska, you have seen the Northern Lights. We were quite fascinated with them when we saw them; and my one daughter (Ronee') is crazy about the Northern Lights. In fact, I think it is safe to say that she is obsessed with them; she can't stop talking about them or looking at her books she has about the Northern Lights! (She says she was born in the wrong state; she wishes she had been born in Alaska because she loves cold weather, and she loves ice and snow; and she loves reading up about Alaska and the Arctic! [She was born in Louisiana, in the Cajun Country.]) But I tell Ronee' that there is nothing wrong with being a Cajun, and she shouldn't feel so bad about her heritage. (She doesn't; but at times I think she wishes that she had been born an Inuk! LOL She kind of looks like an Inuk with her dark coloring, black onyx eyes, and blue-black hair!)
Well, Anna, I will close for now. I will write more later. Until you next hear from me, thank you for writing back so swiftly, and thank you for your prayers and concern! Also thanks for being a new friend; it was a joy meeting you last Sunday! I do hope we can become better friends!
It's almost Christmas. Lynn Basil is writing her last book about a secret entrance into the magical doll land of Sha Bebe that she loves so much. Bagannos have taken over the world! Lynn finally meets her dolls in real life. Can she write in a Secret
Saturday, the 4th of September, 2004, 12:44 p.m., C.S.T.~
