Louisiana writes to her friend in Mesa, Arizona, after Penny Tuttle has written to her.
Thursday, July 7, 2005, 10:16 a.m., C.D.T.~
Dear Penny~
Thank you for your beautiful letter dated July 5; it was wonderful to hear from you again. Hope you and Chuck are well. I am well, but I carry a sadness in my heart and soul that cannot be shaken, and I am quite depressed.
Yesterday, I got a disturbing letter from my good friend in Soulsbysville, California, Kendra Mae Williams, who may be losing her home because people are having major problems with her adopting so many children, and they are threatening to have her kids taken away from her. She is physically disabled, but she has proven to be a very good mother to her kids, and I have seen her in action to back up that claim. I also heard about the devastation in London, England, that took place earlier today, where terrorists killed up to forty or fifty people (at last count), and injured scores others, while people were on their way to their jobs. I personally don't know anyone in that part of the world, but I have lost friends to the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, four years ago, almost, and my heart goes out to those poor people. They think Al-Quaeda may be responsible for the attacks. I am just glad that Presidents Tony Blair (Great Britain) and George Bush (America) weren't there in London; but they ARE at the G-8 Summit in Scotland; so I am sure that they are very aware of the situation at hand, and will try to see that a swift solution is in the offering. I am angry at the callousness of these cowardistic jerks (I have more names I could call them, but this is a G-rated letter, so I shall digress), but they are pure-t garbage, and they don't deserve to live on this Earth! I know of the pain that the British people are experiencing right now because I lost friends to terrorists myself, and so my anger is very real and just.
As you can imagine, my spirit is broken, and I have been on the verge of tears ever since getting Kendra's email yesterday afternoon. I have contacted my pastor, Bruce Bilkey, from my church, Christ Community Assembly of God, and have told him about Kendra's situation, and I also wrote a letter to him, further explaining what is going on. I expect to hear from him sometime today, so we can talk and pray about it.
I also am sad because my daughter, Ronee', is in the hospital; but they think she will be out tomorrow morning. She got stung by a bee while outside, getting the paper, but she used her Epi-Pen, and that kept her from going into a full-blown anaphylactic shock attack; but still, she had trouble breathing, so off to the E.R. she had to go for treatment. She was then admitted, but only for overnight. She has been doing so well with her breathing: it's been a while since she had her last full-blown asthmatic attack, but now she is back in the hospital, and it is very upsetting. She just got out about a month ago after having hip replacement surgery, and she has been doing great ever since. Now this happens, and I am going to have to go BACK to the hospital SOMETIME today, so I can visit her! *Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhh*
But onto more pleasantries; this has been a "bad-news" letter so far, and I am sure you don't want to hear of only bad news...
I hope and trust you had a fun Fourth of July; it sure sounds like you did. I loved the picture of the fireworks exploding on your letter; that was really pretty! We went to our city's annual "Fourth of July BLAST!" Celebration, and we went to our city's parade, and yes, we did see a wonderful fireworks display that lasteed a good 30-45 minutes; it was one of the biggest displays that I can rightly remember, and it was very enjoyable!
The weather here is rainy, and that does little to lift my depressive mood. The weather outside matches how I feel on the inside, and it is NOT a pleasant feeling to have! I hope the weather is much nicer there!
I am glad that we were able to answer your questions; but as long as a child knows he or she is loved or cared for, it shouldn't matter one IOTA that he or she is disabled! Disabled kids are just like NON-disabled kids in so many ways! They just happen to have a problem that was apparent at (or even AFTER) birth, and that left them blind, unable to walk, talk, hear, or whatever. But they are still kids, and they should be treated as such! As I told you in my last letter, we try to treat our disabled kids as normally as possible, and we rely on their strengths instead of on their weaknesses; and they have been able to experience life to its very fullest; and it benefits them, their non-disabled brothers and sisters, AND us. It also benefits people who haven't been around people with disabilities. They teach people about acceptance and tolerance, and they have made a lot of friends as a direct result of this.
No, in lieu of your question, the picture of the kids I put on my letter to you are NOT some of mine, but they DO have similar problems. Like the little girl on the bottom. I have two children who have cerebral palsy (and the one is mentally disabled as well), but they are still dear, sweet, loving children who know how to love and enjoy life. They have lived longer than doctors predicted they would, and my daughter, Jodie (the one who is mentally AND physically disabled), IS now able to express herself and has blossomed into a beautiful, happy young teenager! Now, she may never be able to walk, read complicated books, become fully toilet-trained, or write, but she IS learning at her own pace, and she is happy!
Unfortunately, Penny, I am NOT much of a Willie Nelson fan. I am glad you get so much enjoyment out of his music, but I just don't care for his style. Now, I DO admire his talents as a musician and a songwriter, but to me, his whiny, nasally voice has something to be desired, and I can only take him in small doses. I HAVE seen Willie Nelson in person (have met him too!), and he DOES put on a rather enjoyable show, but I just don't care for how he sings. I prefer the talents of people like Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Patsy Cline, Hank, Sr., Ray Price, and Webb Pierce, to name a few; now THOSE are SINGERS! I also love Tony Booth and Mickey Gilley. Another one that comes to mind is Dolly Parton, and also Porter Wagoner. Just call me a traditional country "bumpkin"! LOL The stars of today ARE good, but to me, they have NOTHING on the legends of country music!
Maybe next year you can get to Fort Worth for the NEXT Willie Nelson Picnic. Ain't no harm in dreamin'; you are SO right about that! I never thought I would get to go to Fan Fair (now the CMA Music Festival), but now I have been there for all but maybe three at the most! (I went to my first Fan Fair when our first two kids we adopted, Johnny and Ronee', were just tiny little babies.) So I think I do have a pretty good track record! :) My kids have also been to Fan Fair/CMA Music Festival, and they enjoy meeting the stars and the concerts as much as we, their parents, if not, even more so! :) It is an exciting experience, and we see so many stars we might not otherwise get to see! So all I can say to you is if you EVER get a chance TO go to Fan Fair, you WON'T regret it AT all! :)
Well, Penny, I must go now..the phone is ringing off the hook, and I am getting a SEVERE case of writer's cramp in my paws; my wrists are absolutely KILLING me. *OW* I will write more later; but all I ask is this: just keep Kendra Williams and her family in your prayers; I will keep you abreast of this developing situation. Also keep the people of Great Britain in your prayers as they deal with this horrible terrorist attack. Also keep our nation in your prayers, and also our President and government. Thank you again for writing!
God bless you and Chuck always!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May. :( >tears<
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Thursday, July 7, 2005, 10:16 a.m., C.D.T.~
