Monday, Oct. 27, 2008, Nashville, TN., 7 A.M., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Johnathon here.  This won't be long; bus will be coming within a half hour.  Hope you understand. 

I am excited:  this Friday (Hallowe'en night) is our church's second annual Fall Festival; it's already shaping up to be a good one.  The donations for food, games, etc. have been nothing short of miraculous; seems we will have more than enough to satisfy the festival guests (and then some!!).  Also the Kevin Spencer Family is coming to perform; and they're wonderful!

I wil be performing that night, too, as will Sissy Ronee'.  Looking forward to that!  We're opening up for one of the premier acts in southern gospel music!!  Now how cool is that??  :)

I will be at the church all day:  helping out as best as I can with the bagging of candies, treats, then will have time for lunch, fun, before getting back to the candy-loading; got to make sure it's done in plenty of time for the festival!!  We have plenty of volunteers lined up; this should be a snap! :)  Then at night, starting at around five/six or so, the fun begins!!  WHEE!!!  I can't wait!!!!

I just pray, hope my health holds out.  It'd be a tragic thing if I decided to get sick (think GOOD things, Johnathon!!).  Things like that have happened before; it drives me pure-t nuts!  Or I'll have a seizure, and...(Johnathon, what did I TELL you?? Stop thinking so hard; you're going to hurt yourself!!) 

I, however, can't stop worrying like that:  when one has a fatal disease like muscular dystrophy, like I do, you have to be soooo careful; it doesn't take much for the ol' body to give up the ghost!

I plan on stickin' 'round for a while; don't want to see Jesus sooner than planned!  Oh, I want to see Him, don't get me wrong; yet I'm not through living; I have too much to do in my life yet!!

Fall has definitely come here to N-Ville.  Leaves have just gotten past their peak, they're now turning brown, ugly.  Some trees are pretty threadbare while others still have leaves clinging to them, bunches of 'em.  Gonna have to take a good windstorm to get the rest of 'em down, so we can get rid of 'em for another year.

Nights are cool to cold; last night we had freeze warnings, as temps dipped to below freezing.  BRR!!  Nothin' worse than sliding your body into an ice cold wheelchair! BRRR!! That's the worst!!  It makes me hurt, and I'm like, OW!!!! 

When it's cold like this, I have to bundle up extra warm; I've no meat on my bones, and it also affects my breathing; have to be soooo careful!  I pray I don't end up with pneumonia or some crazy respiratory illness to where I have to go to the hospital; I'd be royally pissed off, big time, if that were to happen!!

School is going well:  haven't failed any of my classes yet; have managed to keep 'em to B level or higher, much to my delight (also mom and pop's).  It still isn't easy for me; however, I do work hard, try to get my homework/assignments completed on time.  Love all my classes (excepting for math; hey, I'm allergic; I break out in numbers!!!).  Have wonderful friends there who help me with my books; they know I can't carry 'em, so they are more than happy to help out, which I greatly appreciate!  :)

Family life?  Crazy at best, chaotic at worst.  Kids all OVER the where!  I don't know how mom and daddy put up with all of us!  I know the little ones drive me crazy at times; why do little kids have to be sooo freakin' NOISY??  It makes my hearing aids squeal; I'm like, "STOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!"  It's not fun!!

Seems that the noisier the kids are, the better it is, as far as they're concerned.  Emir is one of the loudest ones; you hear him before you even see him!  I think he's part tornado siren; he's about as loud as one!  LOL 

Ian and Isaiah, they've discovered their voices, too:  they've taken to squealing at any chance they can get; I think Emir encourages them somehow!  YIKES!!

Mama and daddy have been working lots of hours; daddy is not happy with dealing with shoplifters or other incidentals at Wally World.  This is the worst time of year for him; I will have to say some extra prayers for him.  He's been rather grouchy lately; best to stay out of his way when he's in one of his moods; he may smack me with his sticks if I'm not careful!! 

Mama, thank goodness, has been more loving, more lenient.  She still sings/smiles all of the time; typical mama fashion.  I just love her so much!  I am so blessed to have her as my mom; I think I'll keep her! :)

Whoopsie!  Time to go; bus due in about ten minutes; best get out to the bus stop if I don't want to miss the bus!  (This is when I wish I could put jet fuel in my wheelchair; I'd get there to the bus stop lickety split!)  I will write in here again; until later, this is Johnno signing off!  Pip, pip, cheerio; so long!! God bless!

~Love, your friend, Johnathon. :D