Louisiana appreciates the letter she got from her friend, Kendra Mae Williams, in California; and she takes some time to answer her friend's email via her laptop computer.
Sunday, September 12, 2004, 3:19 P.M., C.S.T.~
Dear Kendra:
Thank you so much for writing; it is so good to hear from you again! Glad you and the girls are all well! That is so good to hear!
Also thanks for your heartfelt prayers and support in light of the news we received about our only granddaughter, Jamee Nichelle. You don't know how much that means to me, and I will be sure to tell her mama, Lightning (my oldest daughter; she is 22) in Colorado, that you are keeping the Williamses in prayer! They will really appreciate that! I am trying to cope with the reality that my grandbaby has a neuromuscular disease, muscular dystrophy, and it isn't easy, but I know with the help of my husband, my children, our church family, and also my extended family, that we will make it with God's help. I also appreciate the prayers we have been getting in light of September 11, 2001. I don't know if you realize this, Kendra, but I lost some friends in the attacks, so September 11 is a very hard day for me. They died in the World Trade Centers, along with so many others; and I have had a lot of anger and bitterness towards the terrorists who were responsible; but God has been working on my heart, and He has told me to pray for the terrorists and learn to forgive them. I have been doing just that, but at times it is so damned hard; I think of the deaths of my friends, and I also think of all the other families who were affected by the tragedy, and I can't help but feel anger and bitterness towards the terrorists. But Jesus prayed for His enemies before He was crucified on the Cross, and He also forgave them; so I guess that, as a Christian, I must learn to do the same. Please keep me in your prayers and ask God to help me with my own hurt and pain I feel nowadays on this, the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the United States of America.
We are on the road back home to Tennessee as of this writing (Bill is driving; I am typing away and keeping an eye on Johnny, Ronee', and Barbara; Johnny and Ronee' are fast asleep, but Barbara is sitting in her seat, her eyes in a book; and it must really be a good book because she hasn't moved much since she picked it up and started reading); and we will be home in Tennessee sometime Tuesday (barring any problems we may encounter on the road; I pray that this doesn't happen!). The wedding was absolutely wonderful, and Jenna Whitson (now Jenna Doucet!) looked beautiful in her gown; and Michael, her husband, looked so handsome in his teal tux! We met Michael's family here in Louisiana, and they were all sweet, but his mama is a doll. She is 85, but from the way she acts or looks, she sure carries her age well! She gets around better than I do at the age of 35! LOL His mama took to me, and she officially adopted me as one of her "honorary children", and she adopted Johnny, Ronee', and Barbara as her "honorary grandkids"! LOL Jenna looks a lot better than she did when we last saw her in Alaska in April, and she is now getting around on a Lofstrand crutch for short trips; but she still uses her wheelchair most of the time. She still can't move her one hand all that much; but she is determined to overcome her disabilities and try to get back to where she was before the accident (although that may never happen; but Jenna is a tough cookie, and she will do all she can to make sure that she DOES learn to move her arm and hand again and learn to walk better!). They have since left for their honeymoon; they are going for a two-week vacation to Niagara Falls, Canada. Johnny, Ronee', and Barbara all did very well in the wedding, and I was so proud of them all!
After the wedding, they had a Cajun fais do do, and Belton Richard and his band, "The Musical Aces", provided the music; and we all had a blast! They had a Cajun-style buffet spread out, and we pigged out on boudin, crawfish etouffee', duck jambalaya, seafood gumbo, Cajun shrimp salad, pralines (Ronee' avoided those, thanks to her allergy to nuts), strawberry jello, and for dessert, wedding cake (vanilla) and ice cream (strawberry). They also had other kinds of food there, including chicken fingers, buffalo wings, green bean and beef cassarole, lasagna, spaghetti marinara, and nacho chips with dippin' sauce (choice of nacho cheese or guacamole). We all danced, and we laughed 'til we cried; we haven't had so much fun since going to Alaska in April and then going to the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival a month later in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana (my stompin' grounds! LOL)!
After we got "home" from the wedding and then the fais do-do, we then crashed; and when we got up this morning (we got up promptly at six!), we got ready for church and then went out to Denney's for breakfast. (They didn't have any Golden Corrals near where we were at. So we opted for Denney's.) We then went to Risen Saviour Pentecostal Church, which is where some of Michael and Jenna's friends go, and we had a great time at church, worshipping the Lord and enjoying the message the pastor had to say. We then went to the altar for prayer, and we really felt the Presence of the Lord! We all got slain in the spirit, and we had people praying for us when I told them about Jamee Nichelle, and we felt at peace and comforted. After church, we then left to go home; and we are still on the road as I write this down.
The weather here was typically south Louisiana: hot and humid, with pop up thundershowers in the heat of the day; but clearing by sunset, and hot, sticky evenings. At least it didn't rain for the wedding; that would have been a disaster, seeing the wedding WAS held outside! (The wedding was at Vermillionville, a Cajun historical attraction in the heart of Lafayette, the "Cajun Capital". The fais do-do/reception was held there, too, at the bandshell area.) I hear from the weather that it is partly cloudy up in Tennessee; so at least we don't have to worry about any nasty weather on our journey back!
Well, Kendra, I have yammered on long enough, so I will get off the computer (besides, Bill is getting tired of driving; he wants to stretch out and take a nap!), and I will take over the wheel. Thank you again, Kendra, for all the prayers, love, and support you have shown us; we are better off thanks to you and your lovely family! Give Sarah, Sally, Mariah, Wendy, Keisha, Kelly, Kim, Francine, Mary, Mia, Anna Grace, and Linda (((HUGS))) and (((KISSES))) from their Tennessee friends, and tell them all that we say hello and that we send our love and prayers! You take care of yourself too, and write anytime you can! I always enjoy your letters and keeping up with your lives! God bless you all!
With much love,
In His Service,
Your Christian friend in Tennessee, Louisiana Mayrah. :)
P.S.: My friend in Fort Worth, Texas, Phoebe (Pearson) and two of her children, Hanh Ly (14) and her little sister, five-year-old Linn Chan, are at my place. They flew in from Fort Worth, Texas, to be with me in my time of need. So I guess I will be entertaining company when I get back! I will let you know how the visit with them goes! (It will be so good to see Linn and Hanh again; I have really missed them! [In case you didn't know, we had Linn and Hanh a year ago; they were our foster kids for several months, so they could get used to having a family. They stayed with us prior to going to the Pearsons because Phoebe and her husband weren't done with the required paperwork. But now they have been adopted by the Pearsons, and they, at long last, have a family and home of their own! They are now known as Linn Chan Megan Pearson and Hanh Ly Michelle Pearson.])
these letter writes are heartwarming and so well written...i love peeking into the lives of your characters and seeing what makes them 'tic' GREAT JOB!
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
The familiar lament of dual-career parents raising children is, "I just can't do it all." The Libra Solution provides an alternative - a more satisfying and sustainable work and life approach - to the overwrought modern day norm.
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
Sunday, September 12, 2004, 3:19 P.M., C.S.T.~
