Saturday, March 18, 2006, 6:32 p.m., C.S.T.~

Dear Jouranl~

I am sorry for not writing in here for so long, but when you have school (and also a part time job on the weekends), well, what free time I do have is severely constrained. I hope you understand.

This is your friend Barbara. I just turned 17 years old the day before yesterday, on the 16th. I had a nice birthday; my family gave me gift cards to stoes like the Disney Store, the Warner Brothers Store, 1/2 Price Books, Tower Records, Wal*Mart, and BlockBuster. I also got money from my folks and some of my aunts and uncles, new clothes, new shoes, and new stuff for my hair. I also went roller skating with my boyfriend Gene Peoples and my best friend Ginger Jo Stockhausen. I had a wonderful time.

As I mentioned above, in the first paragraph, I am now working. I got a new job at Golden Corral, where I am a cashier/line person in training. I just started there last week, and I think I am going to like it. The boss is nice, and I like a lot of my co-workers. (My sister Stephanie, who is now in Texas attending college, worked at Golden Corral before she left, and she worked there for over two years. The people still miss her a lot.) I work at Golden Corral only on the weekends because I have school during the week; I am in the last year of high school, and I am thinking of attending college after I graduate. (Where, I have no clue, but I have plenty of time to decide.)

Now that football season is overwith, I can concentrate more on my schoolwork, and also my new job. I can also concentrate on visiting my boyfriend and my school chums. I  can spend time with my family, and I can practice my music if I am not too tired from work or from school.

My family has been doing well, but Johnny recently has been having weakness, and he had more tests recently. He did okay, but the fact that his muscular dystrophy is getting worse is very upsetting. I know that there isn't much hope for Johnny, but hope springs eternal, and all we can do is pray for a Miracle. Lord knows, Johnny certainly needs a Miracle about now!

We have been enjoying Arjun and Rani, who came to us from Sri Lanka about a year ago, and we have also been having fun with Janica, who came to us last August from Romania. I now have fifty two brothers and sisters, and we have enjoyed having them in our lives.

Maman has been working at her job at the hospital, and she has been somewhat stressed, what between taking care of her patients and dealing with us, the kids, after she gets home. Daddy has also been working at Wal*Mart, but a few weeks ago, he fell and injured his back. He was off work for over a week until his back healed.  Now he is back at work and he has been enjoying it. He loves working with the customers as they enter and leave the store, and his co-workers love him.

Grandad Armand is doing okay. He still has his health problems, but for a man of his age (later 70s), he is doing a lot better than a lot of senior citizens, and so far his health has held out. Last year he had heart surgery, and he nearly died after he had complications; he hasn't had anything since recovring from the surgery, and he still has that heavy Cajun French accent that so many people find endearing!

My sister, Ronee', performed last night at the annual Irish Festival held in downtown Nashville. She played her Cajun accordion and sang her traditional country and Cajun music. She did really well last night, and the people seemed to like her a lot. Of course, they were a bit surprised because she didn't do any Celtic music, but they still enjoyed her on stage, nevertheelsss. Ronee' also got over a flare of her JRA, and she is back to her happy self again. She is now walking without crutches (she is using just two canes) and is just doing super!

Well, that is about it for now. I will try to write in here when I can, but I don't know how my work schedule will pan out just yet. I don't know yet if I am full time or part time; I should find all that out by next week. I think I am going to like working at Golden Corral! :)

Take care, and God bless! See ya later!

~Barbara Le-Anne, now aged 17. :)