Donna Oliver in Smyrna, Georgia, writes back to a woman in Tennessee who has written to her after she read an article about her in a recent adoption newsletter.
Friday, November 4, 2005, 10:25 a.m., Smyrna, Georgia~
Dear Ms. Sandusky in Tennessee~
It was a delight and a privilege to have read your inspiring letter that you wrote to me yesterday; thank you so much for taking the time to write to me! You sound like you have your hands full with so many special children, yet it is obvious from your words that they are very much loved and you are there for them in times of sickness and in health! That is so wonderful to hear! But why so many?? I mean, ten children for us is no small feat, but FIFTY-THREE children?? WOW! You either have a great amount of compassion and love in your heart, or else you are just plain CRAZY!! LOL Still, it IS good to know that there are people who are willing to give everything they have to make some deserving children's lives so much better! The world needs more people like you!
Some of the stories you shared about your children (your son Johnny and daughter Ronee', for example) sound so heartwrenching; but it is obvious that they are now both doing much better, and I am glad that they are. Ronee' and Johnny sound like beautiful children with so much potential! Have any of your other children had it as hard as Johnny or Ronee'? What are some of the other children's stories and experiences? I would like to learn more about some of your other children, too!
I would have gotten back to you yesterday upon getting your email, but we had to call an ambulance on one of our children, and now she is in the hospital. M'Bute' had another mental health crisis, and she tried to purposely harm Bethlehem when Beth tried to look at one of her drawings. I suspect that M'Bute' has been off her medications because she has been acting so strangely and unpredictable, and yesterday, she tried to set Beth's bed on fire while Beth was still in it. We were able to quickly contain the fire, but it scared the hell out of us, and Beth suffered some minor burns to her feet and lower legs; she is in the hospital as well, recovering from her burns and her trauma. It could have very easily been so much worse, and I am still shaking as I try to write this. So now two of our children are in the hospital, one in the children's wing, and the other in the mental health center for problem children. I just hope that they get M'Bute' straightened out; she has been a terror lately!! Be praying for her and for us; we have been at our wit's end with this girl!!
It is warm here, temps in the 80's, which is mild for November. How is it there in Tennessee? Is it warm there, too? I hope we have a good, hard, cold winter; we need it to kill some of these bugs!! We have had an infestation of fruit flies and other bugs, and the fire ants have been awful!! Do you have fire ants in Tennessee? If not, I hope you never do; they are nasty, and when they bite, you KNOW it!! It burns like fire, and the ants can leave painful, red welts on your skin after you have been bitten by them (and they can cause allergic reactions in sensitive persons or in very young children). Last year, Dix got bitten by some fire ants, and he went into anaphylactic shock, and it was scary; but he got over it in time after he got emergency medical aid at the hospital. The leaves are changing here, and it is really getting pretty outside! I just love fall!
Did you have a good Hallowe'en? Did your kids go trick and treating? Ours did, but Dixon and Sugar threw a fit when they saw the costumed kids, and they got scared; so we had to cut our trick-and-treating outing short. I hope your kids got a good amount of treats! (And maybe some toothbrushes and toothpaste! :) )
What are you doing for Thanksgiving? We are going to go out to eat, but where, we don't know yet. We can't decide between Shoney's, Good Eats, or Golden Corral.
Well, Louie, I will go now; the phone is ringing. Bet it is my parents again; since finding out that M'Bute' and Beth have gone into the hospital, it seems that they have been calling every hour, to see "if we have heard anything new about Beth and M'Bute'!" It is about to drive me crazy!! I will write again soon; just keep us in your prayers!!
Love, your new Georgia friend, Donna Oliver. :) (Trying to smile through the tough times)
I laughed so hard at "... You either have a great amount of compassion and love in your heart, or else you are just plain CRAZY!!" Oh yeah, fifty eight is a whole lot! Your inspirational and compassionate letter series are so descriptive, Karen! You described all ten of them so well! Wonderful write, Karen! Lovely! And the picture compliments the story only too well!
The picture says it all! Another day of the little hand being guided by the Big Hand, the compassionate adult who brings in a child and provides nourishment, spiritual guidance, education, entertainment, and love. Thanks for the letter today, Karen Lynn.
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
