Saturday, January 13, 2007, 10:09 a.m., C.S.T., Nashville, Tennessee~

Dear Journal~

This is Louisiana writing. I have been busy working (lots of doubles lately; in fact, today is a double shift day; I get off at seven tonight; been at work since 7 yesterday evening! *groan!*). I also work tomorrow, but I work my regular shift, which is from 6 a.m. until 2 in the afternoon. I am at work, as you have probably already guessed.

One of my friends, Kat Delchamps, is in the hospital. She was admitted last night for stomach pains; turns out that she has peritonitis. She is now in the MICU, where she is being closely monitored and taken care of by the hospital staff. I saw her just a little while ago, and she is still pretty much out of it. (she is stable, though; so that is good news.) I saw Frank, and he is worried about Kat (as he should be; after all, that is going to be his wife come May!!). I tried to reassure him, but I can identify with his fear. It isn't easy when a loved one is sick and/or in the hospital!

I will have to be careful come Monday or so: we are due for a winter blast from the Arctic; sleet, freezing rain, and lots of snow due to hit the Nashville area. I will not have to worry about the kids missing school that day because it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and it is a national holiday: all the banks, post offices, and most businesses of the government kind will be closed for the day. But it may end up that all businesses may close or let out early if the weather turns nasty!

At least I am off Monday and Tuesday, since I am working the weekend! :)

We are getting ready for the new kids. As I told you earlier, we are adopting four new kids into the family, a little boy from Iraq (Emir Muhammed, who is 1 1/2), a five-year-old boy from India (Habir Vijay), a five-year-old girl from China (Mai Fong), and finally, an eight-year-old girl from Vietnam (Huong Vu). All but Emir are healthy: Emir has no arms or legs due to a bomb blast that severely injured him and killed his family.

We are already counting the days to when the kids arrive, but the neighbors (and just about everyone else) are treating me like I have rocks loose in my head (which I probably do; heck, we are already the parents to fifty-five children, most with special needs)! But God wanted us to have these kids, and once we saw their pictures, we could not say no! :)

I have been busy trying to catch up with my letter writing; am doing a little better, but I still am behind. I have been trying to keep the adoption community informed of the latest happenings in my world, and they have been doing the same. I am also helping several families get in contact with adoption agencies specializing in the placement of children with special needs; I just am busy, busy, busy all the time! It's no wonder I am so tired; I keep on going and going and going, just like the Energizer Bunny! (If I don't watch it, I may run out of juice; that would not be good!!)

Well, I am going to go and get myself something to eat before I miss the opportunity; otherwise, I won't get to eat until I get out of here at two o' clock! I will then go back to work once my break is overwith and done and try to see if I can calm poor Frank down and hopefully help Katrina Delchamps with her post-surgery recovery! Hopefully by the time I see her again she will be more awake than she has been since she came out of surgery at two this morning!

Take care, and God bless!

(((HUGS))) and love, your friend, Louie May Sandusky. :)