December 11, 2008, Nashville, TN, 7:41 a.m., C.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Bill Sandusky here.  Good morning!  How are you?  Hope this finds y'all well!

I am getting ready to leave for work; I leave within a half hour.  The kids are in school, so the house is (relatively) quiet.  Wife has gone to work; she left at five-thirty; she started at seven, just a little under an hour ago.  My father-in-law and his wife are up; they're sitting in the kitchen with me as I eat, write in here.

In just a few days is our Cantata.  I am looking forward to it, but at the same time, I'm nervous.  I'm not singing a solo, per se, but I do have some speaking parts in the play, and I hope I don't mess up.

I'll also be singing along with the choir several times during the course of the production.  For the past week, week and a half, we've been busy practicing, to make sure all goes without incident.

I've also been working hard at Wally World.  I'm forever having to watch out for shoplifters; have already nabbed at least half a dozen of them (most have been young females in their teens to early twenties); very frustrating, because it's people like them that keep driving up the prices of everything.

I am about ready to kill "Ricochet", our little orange kitten:  he managed to knock some of the decorations off our Christmas tree, broke a few of them, too, including several of Louie's prized Cajun ornaments from her childhood.  Of course, Louie was upset; now the kitty has been banished to the utility room for the time being, until the tree is taken down.

I don't know what it is about kittens and Christmas trees, but somehow they seem to attract nothing but trouble when the two get together!

I don't know why the dogs don't get into Christmas-time mischief like the cats do!  If Marmaduke, our great big Great Dane, ever got a hold of the tree, there'd be nothing LEFT of it, on account he is so large!!  LOL 

He'd probably EAT our tree:  decorations, lights, EVERYTHING!!  LOL  I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to eat a present or two! LOLOLOL

I can see why people hate cats:  cats are sneaky, and they never tire of finding ways to get into situations or trouble!  I don't mind the cats, but I'm getting ready to kill a certain little orange furball named "Ricochet"!!

NOT really, but I AM getting annoyed with him with a quickness!

I am a good boy:  I got all the Christmas cards mailed out; got the last of them out only yesterday.  Now that is one major worry out of our hair.  I am so proud of myself; this is the earliest we've gotten our cards sent out in a long time!

We also got the Sandusky Newsletter completed; we mailed that along with the cards, plus we've enclosed a few family photos, the latest ones.  That way our friends and family members can know what's going on and see how fast the kids are growing.

Ain't nothin' like Christmas to keep family or friends connected with the latest juicy news!  LOL

We have done something totally different this year:  about a month ago, we decided to sponsor a child through Christian Children's Fund.  We've sponsored a little six-year-old boy from Kenya; his name is Amuko, and he has spina bifida.  He is desperately poor, and he lives in a mud hut with his family.  He has his parents and five brothers, four younger, one older.  He takes care of the family because his mother is sick, dying from AIDS.  It's a really tragic situation.

We will be sending Amuko money every month; the money will then go for his education,  his clothing, and his medical care, since his family is too poor to be able to do it themselves.

If I could, I'd like to apply to adopt Amuko, but we already have more than enough kids now.  So this is the next best thing.  If we can help a deserving child in need, even if far away, then it's worth it, because we are helping our fellow man.

We have been praying for little Amuko, every night, when we say our prayers.  He is a part of our lives now.

Well, it's after eight, so I will close this for now.  I have to leave within a half hour.  On that note, I will write again soon.  Take care, and may God bless you mightily, especially in this Christmas season!  And never forget the reason why we celebrate Christmas:  the Birth of the Christ Child!

~Bill. :)