Louisiana Sandusky writes to her friend in Alaska after Uma Tullaq has sent her an e-mail. She lets her friend know how Jenna Aurora Doucet is doing and breaks the news of her earlier-than-expected delivery, amongst other things.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006, 3:36 a.m. (woke up early, felt like writing on the computer while it is peaceful and quiet)~
Dear Uma~
Thank you for your letter, and thank you for the nice things you said about my writing. I am so glad you got the books that I sent you! I hope you are enjoying them!
I heard you were wondering about your friend, Jenna. Well, I have good news and bad news. She fell on the 11th and delivered her baby boy prematurely on the 12th, and now she and Michael have been going back and forth from Anchorage Children's Hospital to be with their son, whom they have named Mattaq Michael William.
Mattaq is holding his own, but he is a very sick little boy, and he faces weeks of hospitalization until he gets bigger (not to mention, stronger). Mattaq weighed 1 pound, 2 ounces when he was born, and he is putting up a terrific battle. Please keep him, his mamma, and his daddy in your thoughts!
As you can very well imagine, Jenna and Michael are devastated (Jenna more so).
We have company here from California (Louisa Mason and her niece, Rebekkah Rachel Cohen, who is 12 1/2), and we have been having a wonderful time with them. They came almost a week ago (Wednesday the 12th, the day Jenna had her baby boy); so far we have gone to a concert at our church (the McGruders from Missouri; they are a gospel trio), gone to the Cantata at our church (that went very well; the only glitch in the whole thing was during the dress rehearsal when the power went out at the wrong time, thus, sending everyone into a momentary state of panic), and went to the Grand Ole Opry, where we (and our guests) heard some rip-snortin', good, ole-fashioned country music.
Yesterday, we went shopping, and we took the children out to eat and to a movie ("Ice Age 2: The Meltdown"). That was one of the funniest movies I had seen in a long time; it is just as good as its predecessor! We enjoyed it very much; that little squirrel-thingamajig ("Scrat") made the whole movie, as far as I am concerned!
We were gone for a good part of the day.
Today we will be relaxing; it will be a "do-nothing" day. I am currently on a mini-vacation, and I am enjoying my time away from work and spending more time with my family (and friends).
Uma, I hope you and Kirk hear from the adoption agency soon. I know the waiting can be tough, but just hang in there. I will keep you in prayer and hope you hear something soon regarding the pending adoption. I hope you are approved, and I hope that the moment of waiting comes to an end! I have had to go through that plenty of times, and it is not easy, but once you get "The Call", then see your particular child for the very first time, then all that waiting is worth it in the end!
It was harder when we got kids who were healthy. (This is one reason why we adopted children who had special needs.) We didn't have to wait nearly as long for the majority of our disabled children (with ehe exceptions of our first two, Johnathon and Ronee', who were sick then; we had to wait until they got stronger and out of the hospital; they were both born premature), and once we got to hold (or see) our children for the first time, then all the tears, worries, and fears melted away instantly!
We immediately fell in love with the kids, and they instantly became ours. They have since fit into the Sandusky Famly Contingent, and they are thriving and growing like weeds. They aren't so little any more.
As several examples, our two first adopted children are now teenagers. They are thirteen and are quickly accelerating towards adulthood. They aren't the babies they once were (though to me they will always BE my babies!). My youngest child, once a helpless little infant, is now two years old, and he is walking and talking up a storm. He is still learning how to use the toilet, but we are hopeful that he will soon be out of his diapers. My oldest child, Lightning, is expecting her sixth child, a little girl, who will be named Akira Danee'. I am a grandma to be once again, and little Akira, once she is born, will become my sixth grandbaby--and I am not even in my forties yet! *Siggggh!*
Sure, being a parent to this many children CAN be a daunting task, but we rely on our deep spiritual faith in God to get us through; so far, He hasn't disappointed us in the least. Yes, there have been many times where we have wanted to throw in the towel, but God has gotten us through the worst moments and turned them into joy, and we have had more good days than bad. All the worry, tears, frustrations, and whatnot have worked out in the end, and we have only been made stronger--and closer--due to the crises the children have faced in their lives.
I am sorry you are having problems with your multiple sclerosis acting up. I feel sorry for people who have it because the disease is often so unpredictable. I just hope I never get it (for years people thought I had it because I used a cane--or crutches--when I walked--or a wheelchair for longer trips--).
I had to explain to them that I had back injuries and that my back was up to no good; now those pain-riddled days are behind me (thanks to surgery), and I have been given my life back. It has been nothing short of a Miracle, and now I can hold my younger children as a Mamma should, and dance, two things I was denied when my back was so messed up. (I fell out of a tree when I was a little girl, and for a time, I was paralyzed from the waist on down.)
I know what suffering is like, and when my back was hurting so bad, I secretly wished that I had my paralysis because the pain literally took my breath away. I was stubborn, and I guess this was one reason why my back was the way it was because I abused it (working full time, not doing my back exercises, chasing after the rugrats, etc. LOL). It wasn't funny back then, but at least now I can see the humorous side of things. *grins*
The weather here is sunny and warm, even had to turn on the central air to keep things cool, the first time this season. Signs of things to come, perhaps? I really don't mind the heat (I am from Louisiana, I can take it! LOL It's the COLD I have problems with! LOL I froze when I went to Alaska the first time, and I guess I will do so again when we go in October! LOL)!
I hope it warms up soon there (but then, maybe that wouldn't be such a good thing, especially for the ice caps and the snow up thataway)! I am glad the severe weather has finally moved on, but who knows what May will bring? Spring has been off to a rough start here in the Tennessee Valley.
It didn't help that one of my chldren was hurt; she is recovering, and she is (nearly) back to her former self. I am glad it wasn't any worse than it was; I am indeed blessed, and so is my daughter!
At times I wish I could live in Alaska: have heard that thunderstorms/severe weather is a rare thing (but then arises the problem with the cold weather). *Sighhhh* (I guess I am never satisfied! LOL)
Well, Uma, I am going to go back to bed now. I am going to enjoy a few more hours of blissful sleep while I have the opportunity. Take care, and hang in there; as always, you are ever in my prayers! I will be sending Jenna your message and tell her that you were wondering about her. She would be glad to hear from you, especially now, when she is feeling scared and vulnerable.
God bless you always, and keep the faith! Don't give up hope; the adoption agency WILL call you! When they do, let me know, ASAP!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May. :D
Karen
I adore those " Doing Nothing " days, and actually you seem to get more important work completed on such days !
Praying for baby Mattaq and your Dad !
Love and Blessings
Peter
This was a privilege to read, Karen, and the warmth and intimacy of this friendship took my breath away... I was TOTALLY sucked in as if this letter was to me. You are sooooooooo good at this stuff. As always, the relationships are deep and meaningful and you make the day-to-day lives of these extraordinary people shine! Bless you and thank you, Kate xx
The Harvest of Souls Crossover is a story that is exciting, vigorous, and full of suspense about the fight of good and evil in two realms, the light and dark world. The Howdy Family is determined to defeat the world of darkness, led by the seemingly
