Wilma and Frederick Gardner, Louisiana's friends from Oklahoma, are staying with friends after their house was engulfed by the wildfires plaguing the region. They are all okay, but for now they are homeless.
Saturday, January 14, 2006, Dodge City, Kansas~
Dear Louisiana and Bill~
It is us, the Gardners! We are okay, but we are not in Oklahoma now. Seems that our place got burned by one of those wind-swept wildfires that have been plaguing Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico due to the long standing drought the region is having. It doesn't look like they'll get any relief anytime soon, and now we lost everything in the fire. The only things we got away with were our lives (thank GOD nobody was killed or injured!!) and the clothes upon our back. We are now in Dodge City, Kansas, where we are staying with our friends, Tim and Rachel Elsworth, whom we have known for a very long time. The Elsworths are adoptive parents too: they have 10 children, all from Haiti or Trinidad. Their children are all beautiful, and all are healthy.
Poor Pearl, who arrived in December by the way (just about a month ago) was scared (we ALL were), and she wakes up screaming every night. She has had to sleep with daddy and I, and she doesn't understand why this had to happen to her. She has already been uprooted from the life (and country) she knew so well, and now this, the fire. She is going to have a lot of deep-seated trauma in the months ahead; but I just thank GOD that she is okay, and I thank GOD that we are too. A home CAN be replaced, but a human life CANNOT! It could have very easily been so much worse!! Pearl is absolutely ADORABLE, and we can hardly believe that we got her so fast!! I figured we'd be waiting at least a YEAR to get her; it has only taken but a few MONTHS, and it's been like a Miracle!! :) She is so bright, and before the fire, she was a happy, carefree toddler just enjoying life; and we have been happy to be with her every step of her journey to America! :)
So, how are things on your end of the street? :) I hope and trust that you and Bill are well, and I hope that the children are doing well, too. I know they are getting big; I have been looking at the pictures of the kids in your books, and looking at the latest pictures you sent with your Christmas card, and it is incredible! Kids sure do grow up fast, don't they? Pearl may be little now, but one day she will be walking better (and talking more), and pretty soon we won't know WHAT to do with her! LOL She is such a charming child, and people just love her every time they see her! They ask about adoption, and they can't believe that we adopted a little baby from China; but here she is, as big as life, and most of the time people have been very positive about our choosing to adopt her. We enjoy teaching her English and about our ways, and we enjoy teaching her new words and watching her discover her rapidly expanding world! She is such a joy, and I can't believe how easy the process went in getting her! I just hope that the next time we do this, it goes just as well, and I also hope that we adopt a boy. I would so love for Pearl to have a brother that she can call her own, and we would LOVE to have a son in our family! Then our family would be complete! :)
You know how the weather was in Oklahoma (dry, dry, and windy, which only aggravates the fire problem); at least here in Kansas we get RAIN!! It is raining now as I write this, and Fred and I are in the livingroom at our friend's house, watching Pearl interact with the Elsworth children. She has bonded with them, and it is amazing to watch her. It's like she has known them all her life when she has only known them a few weeks, and she is really starting to open up!
People have been so kind to us since our arrival: they have heard about our losing our home in the fire, and they have been reaching out, supplying us with clothes, food, and money, the whole nine yards, and their love and generosity has been enough to move both Freddie and myself to tears. Sure, we still cry about our losses, but we are ALIVE, and we still have each other, so that is what is most important! We will get back to Oklahoma ONE day, but for now Kansas appears to be our home, and we do like being here with our friends.
I am sorry for telling you about the bad news, but as I said above, we still have our lives and our health, and we also have Pearl Xie to enjoy; so life is good for us, even with all that has happened recently! Just continue to keep us in your prayers, and we will do the same for y'all!
God bless you, dear friend, and hope you have a wonderful 2006! I miss your letters; please do write soon!!
Love, your friend in Kansas, Wilma Gardner. :) (trying to smile despite the pain)
I don't know how you keep track of all your characters and plot lines but you do it very well, Karen. Thank you for sharing the wealth of your imagination. Amour et paix,
Karen you are always so up to date. A fantasatic write. It seems mother nature is providing you with some dramatic topics. We surely have had the gamut of catastropies this past year.Keeping it all in prayer. Thank you for yours for me, I deeply appreciate it.
Suspenseful and close to home, Rain of Deception 2 will leave you in Tears. Much like Part 1, this will shocking sequel will keep you on the edge of your fingertips.
A poignant story about letting go of a narcissist in your life. Have you ever been attacked FULL force by a narcissist? It's the closest thing to being stabbed over and over in the back.
