Louisiana Sandusky gets another email from her friend in Racine, Wisconsin. Tonya Michelle Givens and her husband, Gabe, are the parents to six little boys, all adopted from China; they also have two older daughters, who are away at college in Texas.
Weds., June 1, 2005 (almost my birthday; nine more days, and it will be! :) ), 10:37 a.m., E.D.T.~
Dear Louie~
Hi! Thank you so much for your beautiful and newsy letter; I loved hearing from you! Thank you, too, for telling me more about your family, and about yourself! I will be celebrating my 40th birthday on June 10, in just nine more days; I am turning into an old woman! LOL When is YOUR birthday, Louie??
I loved the picture of the little boy; is that one of your children? Just was wondering was all....it's too bad your son Roberto has autistic tendencies..on TOP of having Down's syndrome AND cerebral palsy. WOW, he sure has a lot to carry! But I am sure he is a very nice little boy. How long have you had him? You will have to send me a picture of him; I bet he is turning into a real charmer! Those Latino kids can be real cuties!
My sons are a handful, but I wouldn't trade any of them for the world. They make being a parent fun, and it is like watching kids grow up all over again. As you know, Gabe and I have two older daughters, teenagers, Wendy and Griselda, who are currently away at college in Texas. They go to Texas A & M, and they enjoy the college scene very much; they love school! Do any of your children attend college? If so, where?
I tried to go to college, but I dropped out; I really wasn't cut out for the college life. I hope you did; well, you DID because you are a nurse, and in order to become one, you HAVE to go to school. (Boy, Tonya, you are soooo stupid at times...LOL Forgive me, Louie...LOL) So I became a mama, and I have been "mama'ing" ever since! LOL I enjoy being a "domestic engineer"; I love being around my kids, and I also teach (I took online courses to become a homeschool instructor), so that and raising my brood keeps me busy. Gabe is busy working at his job as a garbage collector, but it sure is hard at times living with a husband who smells like rotting meat when he comes home from work! I am always having him take a bath so he doesn't stink so bad! Sometimes he smells so bad it's a wonder the paint doesn't fall off the walls! LOL PHEWIE! LOL
How is the weather there in Tennessee? Hear you have had a lot of rain lately; bet you are SICK of it by now! We have enjoyed cooler than normal temps, but we have had a stormy period of late, so it's been raining here too (and tornado'ing, hailing, thundering, and lightning'ing here). Thank GOD we have BASEMENTS here; we'd be up the creek without a paddle if we didn't! LOL Do you have a basement there in Tennessee? Good thing you don't live in Tornado Alley; hear they don't even HAVE basements there. I am sorry, but I would be going NUTZ if I lived in Texas and did NOT have my BASEMENT!!
Louie, that is awful that some of your neighbors have been cruel to some of your children! That is so sad! But hopefully they will have accepted you by now and see that raising children with special needs is your Calling, your Ministry, if you will. That is my ministry, too. If not, they must have something seriously wrong with their heads because you seem like a very nice person who has her head screwed on straight! I think your children are all absolutely beautiful, and I loved the baby pictures of Johnny and Ronee' that you had in your book! Johnny was a cutie back then, and he certainly is the handsome little fellow now! (Did anyone ever tell you that Johnny resembles Johnathan Lipnicki, the child actor from "Stuart Little"? He and Johnathan look so much alike they could ALMOST be twins, excepting YOUR Johnathon is in a wheelchair and his hair is a lot fairer!) As for Ronee', she sure is a little doll with her thick, thick head of curly hair (WOW, she sure has a HEAD of HAIR!! I am talking serious BIG HAIR here, folks! LOL) and huge, huge black eyes! But I noticed that she has a scar on her throat. Did she have a tracheotomy or something at one time? Just was wondering was all...Still, she is a gorgeous little girl! She could be a model, she is so beautiful! How long have you had Johnny and Ronee'? I bet you have had them the longest, seeing you incorporated baby pictures of them in your book! Where are they from?
I also loved the pictures of Jodie when she was smaller and the pictures of you and your husband when you were younger. I loved your wedding picture, you really looked pretty in your flowing gown and veil! But I noticed you had money pinned to your veil. What was the meaning behind that? And why did your husband have that thing in his hand? Was he in some sort of accident? That thing in his hand looked positively EVIL! It is too bad he had to have that in his hand for your wedding! It's about as bad as my Gabe getting married on crutches: he broke his foot playing football just prior to the wedding, and he had to use Canadian crutches for our wedding. I really felt so bad for him, but he really didn't seem fazed at all about it. He was on those things for about eight weeks; he healed slowly!
My boys are from Mongolia in northern China, and also from Hong Kong. I really have enjoyed our boys; but they certainly keep this mother busy! LOL
Well, I am glad you got to see that new movie, "Madagascar". It sounds like it is a wonderful movie, judging from the rave reviews I got from my boys and also from Gabe (as well as yourself). Now I will have to see it for myself!
I am going to go now; Wynn just fell, and he is crying. I will have to see if he is okay. I will write more later. Take care, Louie, and God bless your family always! Thank you again for writing; it was great to hear from you again!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your new friend in Racine, Wisconsin, Tonya Michelle Givens. :)
Thnx for sharing sis...this is really a great story written as a letter. I don't get to read much any more because I am getting ready to go back to work. My doctor has cleared me for work, and I have a stress test coming up on Friday, but that is just a formality. A just to play safe thing. But when I read any of these story letters, I cry, because I never had a mother who could understand special needs. I mean I was physically healthy, except in one area, and I am still handicapped there today, but hopefully not for long. Did I tell you the total cost to have a full life will cost $53,090.00? Well, that's what it is. (Giggles). I have been very sad lately and my fears are heightened because the completion of my life's goal is in sight. Thhnx for sharing this with us Karen. As always, it is very well written, and shows a bond I only wish I had had. May the Lord Jesus bless you and yours, and those whome you you love, and be with you always, and at your side constantly. With much love in my heart, stubborn to a fault, joy to the world, peace on earth, & ((((((((((MANY WONDERFUL SISTERLY HUGGGGSSSS)))))))))), your terrified little sister, Barbie
"If I have to be this girl in me, Then I may as well be."
Weds., June 1, 2005 (almost my birthday; nine more days, and it will be! :) ), 10:37 a.m., E.D.T.~
