Weds., Oct. 1, 2008, Nashville, TN, 5:38 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Beatrice (or can I call you Bea for short??)~

No, I don't mind that you wrote to me.  I always enjoy getting letters, even though I don't always get to respond back when I'd like to.  I hope you understand.  With the demands of my family, my job, my church, and my writing, what free time I do have is very limited, and it is very precious to me.

To tell you a little about myself, my name's Louisiana Sandusky.  I've been married to my husband (Bill) for 16 years now; we are the parents to sixty three children (61 adopted).  Most of our children are disabled in one way or another or are older than the age of two.  They come from a whole variety of nations:  Iran, Iraq, Africa, Russia, the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, France, Italy, Malaysia, India, Korea, China, Vietnam, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, the United States, Russia, Bosnia-Hergozovina, Romania. 

We adopted our first two back when they were mere babies; now they will be sixteen come December.  Seems hard to believe that it's been that long since we first started on our adoption journey!  Time sure does fly by when you're having fun! *Giggle*

We took in children who were older/disabled/of mixed race, or deemed "hard-to-place" because we wanted to show these special angels that we cared enough for them and their welfare; we haven't regretted it, not even for a minute!  We also took in these special children because we'd lost our three birth children, and we'd wanted a family; so God intervened.  (Boy, did He EVER!! LOL)  We consider our family a miracle of God's mercy, and our children are our testimony, our ministry, if you will.

Now, we have had some foster children (most recently a little boy with autism; we had him just a few weeks back; unfortunately, he only stayed a very short time), but we mainly stuck to adoption.  Foster parenting is nice, but we got too attached to the children who come to our home, so we don't really do it that often; it's too heartbreaking, for one thing. 

We've tried to adopt some children in the past, but most went to other homes; we would have otherwise been the parents to nearly seventy children by now.  LOL  They still live on in our hearts; we will never forget them as long as we live!

I am a nurse; work at a (fairly) large hospital here in Nashville.  Hubby works, too:  he works at Wal*Mart as a greeter.  We have to work in order to provide for our burgeoning brood, as well as provide for our grandchildren.  I admit it:  we're proud grandparents:  seven times over!!  (And yes, I do carry pictures of the grandbabies to show off to others! :) )

When I'm not working, I'm busy with the family and with my writing.  Church also keeps me hopping.  We go to a nondenominational (Assembly of God) church here in Nashville; we've found a wonderful church home at Christ Community Assembly of God, which has been our church home for the past eight years now.  It's a spirit-filled, Bible-believing church, and God's really been moving mountains there!

I sometimes wonder how I find the time to do anything!  My family, job, church, writing take up the majority of my time; I'm lucky if I get six hours of sleep a night.  People jokingly call me "The Energizer Bunny" because "I keep going and going and going and going..."  LOL  It is only by God's grace that I'm able to function like I do!!

If you want, I will send you copies of my other books, free of charge.  (Consider it a gift.)  What book of mine do you have?  I need to know, so I don't send you a duplicate copy! LOL  Glad you enjoyed the one; that means a lot to me when people comment on my books!  Nothing makes a writer feel good than to hear praise on what they do!

Well, I've bent your ear long enough, so I'll go.  Besides, I have to get ready to go to work; leave in a half hour or so.  Please tell me more about your beautiful family; if you'd like, send a picture; I'd love to see what y'all look like!  I will try to do the same, get a current picture of our brood.  (We do look intimidating to most folks; most people aren't used to families like ours!  LOL)  God bless and do write soon; I'll answer you as soon as I can!

~Love, your new friend in Tennessee, Louisiana Mayrah Sandusky. :D