Sunday, April 4, 2010, Nashville, TN., 5:22 a.m., D.S.T. (Easter Sunday)~

Dear Journal~

Louisiana Sandusky here.  Sorry if I haven't written; between working at the hospital, wrangling kids all day when not at work, and trying to get things done, I just don't have much in the way of free time as I would like.  I hope you understand.

We have been doing well; no unexpected crises have befallen our family, which is a miracle in itself because so many things can happen when one least expects it.  I pray to God that this continues!

The kids are enjoying their Easter break from school; they go back tomorrow (Yay!! Peace and quiet [don't I wish!!]).  They got some new books, toys, and treats (candy) from their loving family (they'll be wired for a year! ... LOL), so maybe that will keep 'em out of mischief (somehow I doubt that it will!  LOL).  And who knows what "surprises" Mr. Bunny left them when they get up this morning??

Today our church is having special Easter music/drama for the people who attend.  Our church, which holds 2,000 people total, will be full to near bursting; it always is during holidays like Easter/Resurrection Sunday or Christmas.  There will be more cars than usual in the parking lot, so we'd best get there early (especially since I am singing as are several of my kids and my husband).  It should be really good; I am looking forward to it!

After church, we will probably go out to eat at the Golden Corral (got some coupons in the mail; they'll come in handy to feed this army!!), then to the park; it's supposed to be a beautiful sunny day today, with temperatures in the sixties.  Pretty cool, but not really chilly.  Just perfect!

That way, Bill and I can let the kids run off their "sugar rush" when they get into their Easter candies while we catch our breath and thank God for sending His son to die for our sins, only to be resurrected from the cross three days later, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.   Hallelujah!! Jesus is alive!!  This is why we really celebrate Easter!  It's nice to be reminded of that once again! :)

Yesterday, I got a nice surprise in the mail:  Anne Arnette King of Anchorage, Alaska, wrote to me; haven't heard from her in ages!  She sent me pictures of her family; the kids have really grown so much, and she and her husband, Bob, adopted two more:  two little boys from Haiti, ages five and two; they are simply adorable!!  I will have to write to her and send her piccys of my brood!  Maybe even some of the grandkids; that will just floor her!  LOL

I am happy to say that Johnny's ventilator alarm has been fixed.  For a while, it'd go off on it's own, and not because Johnny was having issues with his breathing (which he wasn't).  The alarm was just extremely sensitive; it'd go off, scaring us (and those nearest to us).  Now it's behaving; I pray this continues!  It was getting way past the point of annoying!!

Johnny is doing quite well.  Still skinny as a post, but at least he hasn't been losing any weight, thanks, in part, to his PICC line, plus we load him up with extra nutrients and protein; kid is always eating, it seems!  LOL  I pray this continues; I hate it when he gets sick!

Ronee' hasn't had any issues with her JRA or asthma, but I always worry this time of year because the bees are out, and Ronee' is highly allergic to them.  She has her Epi pen with her, as well as her inhaler, plus she knows to steer clear of the bees and not do anything to provoke them; she is very careful.  She has to be; she has no choice.  She hasn't had an episode of anaphylaxis in over five years now, which has been a huge blessing!

Jodie has been doing well since having her foot surgery in the fall; no added pain or discomfort.  She is once again the very bubbly young lady we have always known her to be.  She is still learning every day, and we are proud of the progress she's made. 

While she will never walk or move independently on her own, she is communicating more and more, and she has proven to be quite smart, even after doctors said she'd never learn.  (She is profoundly mentally disabled.)  She is a lot smarter than what people realize; see, even doctors don't know everything!)

Lightning's daughter, Jamee, is doing well even with having muscular dystrophy.  This year she is going to MDA camp for the first time; she is really looking forward to it!  Lightning and her family are doing well; it's just too bad I don't see them but maybe once or twice a year (this past year we didn't because she and her husband, Darnell, were having marital problems -- since resolved).  Hopefully they will come this Thanksgiving or Christmas; we can only hope!

Steffi and Tank are still together.  Still planning on getting married in the fall.  They are very much in love.  We enjoy it when they come to see us from Texas; they are here now, in fact, and we are enjoying their company.  Tank is such a sweet young man; he and Steffi are very good for one another!

We found out that Ronee' just missed out being class validictorian by a few points, She will be speaking at the graduation ceremonies in just a few months.  Johnny scored pretty high in his class, too, and he will be speaking as well.  Hard to believe that they (as well as Sylvia, Jeraldo, and Trude) are graduating high school; seems like only yesterday when they started kindergarten!

Roberto would be graduating along with them, but he has more learning to do; therefore, he probably won't get to graduate for a few more years.  No worries; at least we can work with him on improving his learning capabilities, not to mention, his socialization skills!

Yesterday, Ian and Sergei got into the flour and decided to have a rock'em, sock'em flour fight.  Flour went everywhere!  I was not happy; I had two messy boys (and an even bigger mess in the kitchen) to clean up!  I don't know what got into them, but they had to spend an hour in time out!  They know better than that!!

Well, I hear rumblings from some of the rooms; that must mean that the troops are starting to rise for the day.  Best get breakfast on the table and their clothes ready for church; I will write in here again soon.  Until later, this is Louisiana Sandusky saying so long and God bless!  Happy Easter; may it be full of the joy of the Lord!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Louisiana Mayrah.  :)