Sunday, March 19, 2006, 1:33 s.m., C.S.T. (early, I know, but I can't sleep!)~

Dear Don~

Hello! It sounds like a wet time y'all are having over there in Washington State; hope it dries out there soon before you turn into duchs! LOL

I am well; I am probably going to stay up because we will need to get up anyway in a few hours, so....you know how that goes. We go to breakfast (either to Ihop, Fire Mountian, Golden Corral, or Denney's; today it is Fire Mountain's turn) at 7:30 and then go to our church, Christ Community Assembly of God, where services start at nine thirty sharp. We also have services at 11 and then again at six tonight. Sunday is always a big church day for us, and we always get so much out of it, especially if the Lord is involved! :)

Johnny is over his tests (we should find out something this week; thanks for the prayers for him; it is very much appreciated!), and he is back to being the happy little boy he always has been (okay, he's not so little now, but to me, he will always be little! :) ).

Ronee' is better too, but arthritis can make people sick if the pain is bad enough, plus she has the systemic, or severe, form of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It affects her bodily systems (lungs, heart--the lining around them-, stomach, eyes, and liver besides her joints). She has lived with this since she was five, and she has already had three joint replacement surgeries (knees twice, and her hips).

Ronee' has learned to cope with the ramifications of her disease beautifully: while she does have bad days, she has had more good days than bad lately, and is now walking with just two canes instead of crutches, which she has done for years. She is very happy at her new found freedom.

I am afraid, though, that Johnny's fate isn't as rosy. He has Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (diagnosed when he was three, but there were probably signs earlier). Usually, people with Duchenne's (mostly males) die before they reach their teen years, but Johnny has already lived far longer than doctors predicted he would. He is a living, breathing, walking medical miracle, and we plan on enjoying him as long as God lets him be with us.

My daughters Barbara, Camey, and Tammi are working: Barbara has a new job at Golden Corral (she will be at work when we come in later this morning), and the twins are working at Fire Mountain. They seem to like their new jobs very much, but they will especially be happy when the dough starts rollin' in! :) It is always good when people get paid for their hard labor! :)

It sounds like the flu bug was having a busy time at your place. I am glad that the kids are doing so much better nwo. So far this year, the flu has escaped the Sandusky abode, but I am sure that it will be paying us a visit. We did manage to get the flu shots, so maybe it may have done the trick. I hope so; the last thing I need is a bunch of sick kids to worry about!

The other kids are fine, as you can see by my happier tone of writing. I have been a depressed wreck lately because of worrying about Johnny and his tests, but I need to focus on the needs of the others as well, not just one or two of them!

Well, this isn't much, but I am going to try to get at least a little shuteye, or I will be good for nothing! Take care, Don, and thanks again for writing! God bless you and your family always!

(((HUGS))) and much love, your (suddenly sleepy) friend in Tennessee, Louie May. :0 (*yawning*)