Friday, November 7, 2008, Conyers, Georgia, 11:17 a.m., E.S.T.~

Dear Louisiana Sandusky~

You don't know me, but that's okay; I hope you don't mind my writing to you.

I have read some of your books (most notably "A Family Made Out Of Rainbows And Miracles" and its sequel, "...And The Miracles Continue"); what I have read has prompted me to write to you, to share my own adoption story.

To give you a proper introduction, my name is Mattie Denise Wright.  I live in Conyers, Georgia, with my family.  Right now we have four children, ages 8, 7, 5, and 4; we are getting ready to add two more, to bring the total up to six.  We have one boy and three girls, named Kaylie, Kensington, Kristmas, and Korina.  Our youngest is adopted; she was adopted nearly one year ago from Vietnam, and it's been an incredibly moving experience for all of us.

I am a homemaker; my husband works.  He has to, in order for us to survive.  As you know, raising children is expensive, especially when one of the children is disabled.  Our youngest, Korina, has spina bifida that requires her to walk on crutches and braces; but she still gets around very well in spite of it.  We are very proud of all that she's accomplished in the short time she's been with us!

Speaking of adoption, we are getting ready to adopt two more:  a little two-year-old boy from Africa that we will call Charles Kesogo, and a three-year-old girl from Latin America named AnaGraciela.  We have seen their pictures; we have already fallen in love with them; we are already counting the day to when they will be with us!

Both Kesogo and AnaGraciela will be here within a month or so; I pray they come earlier!  We are more than ready to take them in now!!

Upon learning about you, I must say you are a miracle worker in all sense of the word.  You have taken in difficult children that nobody dare even take a chance upon, and it's apparent just how well your children are doing, are thriving.  I cried when I read the parts about Johnathon's illnesses and Ronee' 's hospitalizations (plus others' medical experiences); I am glad that they are doing much better now!  I also cried when I read about the deaths of your own three children, your sister/her family, your beloved mother, and your nieces/brother-in-law!  I don't know how you can keep going after all that death that's hit your family; I'd committed suicide long ago!!

I don't think I could ever be that strong!!

I can't imagine what it must be like to parent sixty-plus children, then find out that you are pregnant with twins!  Incredible!!  You ought to have your own show on the Discovery Channel, show people what it's like to raise such a large family!  I know I have four kids now; I can't imagine parenting sixty-plus!!  And most of them disabled, too!  WOW!!

The world needs more caring families such as yourself; there's so many hurting children now in the world, children in desperate need of a family, love, a home to call their own!  If I could, I'd adopt at least three dozen more children; I have more than enough love in my heart!

Well, I am going to go; Korina is crying; have to see what's going on with her.  She probably has dropped her toy or something, or else Kristmas is picking on her again; seems those two girls never stop instigating one another! *Sigggh*  So before there's any bloodshed, I'd best go.  I will write to you again; I hope to hear from you!

God bless you and your beautiful Rainbow Family mightily!!  And if I don't write to you beforehand, let me be among the first to wish you a most blessed, safe, happy Thanksgiving!

~Most sincerely, a new friend in Georgia, Mattie (Matilda) Wright.  :)