Cedar Rapids, Iowa, January 31, 2009, 10:33 a.m.~

Dear Louisiana Sandusky~

You don't know me from Adam; however, I decided to write to you after reading one of your books, "...And The Miracles Continue", which I picked up at our local library the other day.  I hope you don't mind.

Let me introduce myself to you, so you know who I am.  My name is Sara Rebecca Probst; I have lived here in Iowa all my life.  Born right here in Cedar Rapids.  I am married to Isaac; have been married to him for thirteen years now.  We have six children, four adopted (one from China, one from Haiti, and the other two from here in America).  Our children range in age from three to thirteen years old.

I am a part time school nurse; my husband, meanwhile, works as a driver's ed instructor at a local high school.  (He works full time.)  Besides the children, my mother, Clara Bean, lives with us; she takes care of the kids while we are working.

We adopted our daughter Clementine Riley from China when she was three; she's now ten years old, and has turned into a beautiful young lady with a heart of gold.  After Clemmie came a pair of brothers, Giovanni and Geraldo, who were adopted from New York when they were babies.  (They are now seven and five.)  Our last adopted child came from Haiti last year; that's three year old Icarus Daniel; he's a little pistol!

Besides Clementine, Gio, Geraldo, and Icarus, there's our two "home-grown" children, thirteen-year-old Estacia (Stacie) Grace and eleven-year-old Wren Michelle.  We had two daughters before we added to the family; our family is made better because of our newer additions.  It's gotten to the point to where we can't imagine our life without them!

Happily, all of our children are healthy; however, Icarus has asthma and sometimes has to go to the emergency room for his breathing. 

He takes medicine every day, and we give him breathing treatments; that seems to do the trick.

When we adopted, the waiting period was the hardest thing we had to go through.  How did you while away the time while you waited for your children?  How did you feel when you first laid eyes on them?  When I first laid eyes on Icarus, Clemmie, Geraldo, and Gio, I cried like there was no tomorrow; it was instant love at first sight!  And when our children officially became "ours" for life, it was cause for great celebration!

I know you have taken in children nobody else wanted (disabled).  How do you cope with all the problems that they have?  That would scare me to death!  Whenever Icarus has an asthma attack, I'm on edge; I can't imagine parenting a child with multiple medical problems or disabilities; that would make me so nervous!  I hope you have had a lot of medical training to deal with all of the challenges that they face!

I've seen the pictures of your children, and let me tell you, they are absolutely beautiful!  They must be wonderful young men and women; I can imagine how proud you must be of them!  I would be if I were you!

How is the weather there in Tennessee?  I bet it's a lot warmer there than it is here in Iowa:  it is in the single digits, with snow on the ground; it's brutally cold here!  I am more than ready to move to Florida or Texas, someplace warm!  LOL  I am tired of living in a deep freeze!  Sometimes I feel like I must live in ALASKA!  LOL

Well, Louisiana, I've bent your ear long enough; I will let you go.  I hope to hear from you soon; I am enjoying getting to know you through your words!  Your book is making for some mighty interesting reading!  Take care, and may God bless you and your beautiful International Family abundantly!

~Most sincerely, a mother in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Sara Rebecca Probst.  :)