Wilma Gardner in Skiatook, Oklahoma, writes to Louisiana Sandusky in Tennessee after she has written to her.
Friday, August 19, 2005, 10:15 a.m., C..D.T.~
Dear Miss Louisiana Sandusky~
Thank you for your most informative letter of the other day; it was a delight to hear from you! Thank you, too, for the information regarding Tyler; we will do our best in trying to adopt him, which will hopefully be the case. We will get in touch with the AASK agency and find out more about this special little guy, and we will then get the necessary steps in getting the ball rolling, as they so often say!
Thank you, too, Louisiana, for telling us about your family; it seems that you have your hands full in parenting fifty three children, most with special needs! I think you ought to write a book about your parenting adventures; I would love to learn more about you and your family! FIFTY THREE children?? WOW!! You either must be looney-tunes, or else you must have an awful lot of love in your heart! *giggle* It is obvious that you are very faithful, and that God plays an important role in your lives; and that is so refreshing to see in today's cynical and mean world!
To tell you about OURSELVES, we live in Skiatook, Oklahoma, which is northeast of Tulsa, and we both work: Fred, my husband, is a high school football coach, and I am a teacher; but we feel that we could give a child with a disability our love and a chance to succeed in life. We decided to pursue adoption after my sister's child was born with disabilities, and she has grown into a beautiful little girl of five. Her name is Ayla Davi, and she has Down's syndrome, an incompletely formed bowel (she has had several major surgeries on her bowel, and she right now has a colostomy), low vision, and heart deficits (but surprisingly, her heart hasn't required her to have surgery yet). She is in and out of the hospital on a frequent basis, but she is still a very happy child, and we just love her to pieces! The little girl you put on your letter reminds me a little of Ayla; she has the same, curly blonde hair, and she loves to wear pretty dresses too! Ayla is my niece, and she is a Miracle Child to the full. Both Fred and myself tried to have children, but so far, nothing has happened; so this is why we turned to adoption. So we are going to try it, and we are quite exited about it!
I am glad that God has been so good to you and your husband; but I was sorry to learn of the deaths of your three birth children. How very sad! Please do accept my deepest sympathy and condolences on your loss! However, He has blessed your family with the children you now have, and it is obvious just how much you love and care for them! You are truly angels of this earth, and the world can learn a lot from people like yourselves! Hopefully we can do the same and make a difference in a deserving child's life; and we would like to adopt a boy with Treacher-Collins syndrome. My friend has a child with T.C. syndrome, and that child has been through so much; but now he is ten, and he is doing beautifully. He can hear with his coclear implants, and his speech has improved to near normal, and even though he has a tracheotomy tube in order to breathe, he still can talk and make himself understood, and he is such a sweet, delightful child with a personality that is so much bigger than he is! He was the inspiration behind us in deciding in adopting a child with T.C., and we would love to get this child a home and a family that he could call his very own! We will most definitely get in touch with AASK, and inquire for more information about Tyler, the little boy you informed us about!
Well, Louie, I will go for now; I am at school, and I am on break; and break is about over, so I will let you go. I will write to you again soon, and I will let you know what transpires regarding the situation regarding Tyler. Just keep us in your prayers, and pray that all goes through! I'll keep in touch!
God bless you, and thanks again for writing! I do look forward to hearing from you again!
From the Caribbean Sea to Machu Picchu in Peru, and from birds to flowers and butterflies, Reflections and Treasured Wonders offers a collection of images gathered from around the world.
From the Caribbean Sea to Machu Picchu in Peru, and from birds to flowers and butterflies, Reflections and Treasured Wonders offers a collection of images gathered from around the world.
Friday, August 19, 2005, 10:15 a.m., C..D.T.~
