Louisiana fires off another email, this time to her friend in Arizona, Wyndi Storm Piestala, who lives in Prescott. She is in a particularly good frame of mind because she got some unexpected very good news concerning her daughter, Ronee', and her health.
December 29, 2005 (Wow, where HAS the year gone to??)~
Dear Wyndi Storm~
Hi! Thanks for your letter, and thank you for the snacks for Johnny and Ronee', but I must tell you something: I know you meant well, but Ronee' can't HAVE nuts of any kind. She is highly allergic to peanuts and ALL nuts. If she has even a little bit, she could get into serious trouble with her breathing, and she could even die if she doesn't get the needed medical help as soon as possible! I don't mean to hurt your feelings, but this is how it is for Ronee', and she has had this problem nearly all her life. She may outgrow it, but chances are she won't. She HAS outgrown MOST of her allergies, but she probably won't outgrow her allergies to insect stings or nuts. I hope you understand. Johnny loved his snacks that you sent to him (he ate them as soon as they came into the mail! LOL), but Ronee' can't have any nuts, so I gave them to my husband. At least they got put into good use: right into my hubby's tummy! LOL
I am glad that Karla is hanging in there, and that she has good days. I am keeping her (and you) in my prayers! I know it is hard to have sick loved ones during the holidays. Please tell her that I say hello and that we wish her a belated Merry Christmas and an early Happy New Year!
Glad you had some of the white stuff for Christmas: here we had a GREEN Christmas: it rained. But now it is sunny and windy out, just enough to put a chill into the air. But I feel for the people in Texas and Oklahoma: they are under a high fire danger, as they haven't had a decent rain fall in over two months, and they are nearly 20" below the norm in terms of rainfall. Please do a rain dance, so you can send some of it to the people in Oklahoma and Texas! And all that rain in California, even flooding...CRAZZZZY weather patterns we are having! Hope next year is better, in terms of the weather!!
We had a lovely Christmas: we went to Christmas services at our church, Christ Coommunity Assembly of God, and we have all the kiddies home; and even the grandkids. We have been having a wonderful time spoiling the grandbabies, and the kids are glad to see their sisters again! We also have guests from Alaska here, and we had guests from Finland stop on by (but they have since left; they went on a Mexican cruise; they will be back sometime next week). It was good to see everyone, and of course, the kids got LOTS and LOTS of presents! Santa Claus was VERY good to our family this year!! :) I hope your Christmas went without a hitch!
Now New Year's Day is staring at us right in the face, and soon another year will come to pass. It seems strange, but as I grow older in my years, it seems that the years just FLY on by when they just DRAGGED when we were younger! I just hope and pray that 2006 was as good as this year was: we probably had our best year EVER, in terms of the kids' health and well being! And 2006 already shows promise of being a good year: my daughter, Ronee', who had lived with asthma or breathing problems all her life, got some unexpected good news from her lung specialist today: she no longer has to use the oxygen at night, and she only has to take ONE inhaler and one asthma pill (both in the morning)! Her breathing has improved markedly, and while she still has the allergies to the insect stings and the peanuts, she knows well enough to stay away from them, and she has been breathing so much better! It has been a long time since she had a really bad attack of asthma, and it's like she's become an entirely different person altogether! :) I just hope her brother, Johnny, does just as well: so far, his muscular dystrophy has NOT gotten worse, but we are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Muscular dystrophy IS unpredictable, and unfortunately, it DOES get worse over time, but Johnny has been doing splendidly, and he's already outlived the doctors' predictions by EIGHT years! :) (He wasn't expected to live past the age of five; he's now THIRTEEN! He is a living, breathing Medical Miracle!! :) God is so good! :) )
Arjun, Rani, and Janica all had a wonderful (if memorable) first Christmas here in America: little Arjun oohed and aahed over the twinkling, multicolored Christmas lights and decorations, and Rani and Janica both cried with sheer happiness when they got their gifts on Christmas morning. They couldn't believe that all these new, shiny toys were all for them, and they couldn't believe that Santa had brought them to them all the way to the North Pole! It was a wonderful, magical time for them all, and we took plenty of pictures and video to caputre the moment forever! I will be sending you some of the Christmas pictures as soon as we get them developed; I think you will get a kick out of them or something! :)
Well, I am going to go for now...I have to take Lightning and her family to the airport...they are leaving today to go back to their home in Colorado. While I DO hate to see them leave, it was still good to have them home, and I hope that they can come back home here in Tennessee during the summer sometime. We only see them once a year--TWICE, if we are lucky! Until later, Wyndi, take care of yourself (and of Karla), and God bless you mightily during this happy time of year that is quickly winding down! Have Karla write a letter; I'd like to hear from her one day!
Have a wonderfully happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! :)
(((HUGS)))) and much love, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May. :D
I'm glad I don't have any allergies, and especially that I am not allergic to peanuts. I eat a LOT of unsalted peanuts, but salted red pistachios by the pounds! And Cashews and Macadamia nuts! AND ALMONDS ALMONDS ALMONDS ... even shaved on my salads! Thanks for the letter today, Karen Lynn. Countdown to the New Year!
Your writes always touch me, Karen. It makes me realise how great it is to be alive - and to cherish each moment as special. May we all in 2006 both count our blessings and live for the NOW... after all, it's actually all we've got. Bless you and thank you. Kate xx
These song lyrics and art are tales, tides and twinkling lights - tunes telling stories of warmth and sun, city and sand, paths that lead, and the coins we can keep in the Karma Bank. Spirit's been bypassed for sorrow, dreaming of a better tomorrow .
