Hello from Chicago, Illinois!

This is your friend, Magenta Grace Privkar, writing.  Sorry if I haven't written in a while; things are crazy at best around here!  I hope you understand and forgive me.

School/homework, church, and helping Father and Ma with grandmother and/or grandfather keep me very busy.  Yesterday, for Patriot's Day, we also visited several different grave sites and put wreaths and flowers on the graves of police officers, paramedics/EMT's, Veterans, and firefighters who died, as a way of remembering the brave sacrifices they made to help out the needy within our city. 

I also participated in a church program.  I sang as part of the choir; they had a special presentation about the significance of 9/11/01 and why we must remember what happened ten years ago.  It was extremely moving and powerful.

Today is a day where I am home from school.  I woke up with a terrible sore throat and sniffles; think I must be coming down with a cold ... that or I'm suffering a severe allergy attack.  Anyway, I feel terible, so I am staying home from school today.  Will probably be home for a couple of days. 

If I don't feel any better, Ma is going to take me to the doctor's.  I see Dr. Bijaj; he is my pediatrician; has been since I can remember.  He is very good.  I really like him; he is very nice and understanding.

Starting next week, we will be starting to practice the music for our upcoming Christmas Cantata at my church, so I will be starting to sing Christmas music earlier than most, even though it is nowhere near Hallowe'en just yet.  Our church is also going to have a Harvest Festival, as an alternative to Hallowe'en.  That will be held on Hallowe'en Eve as well as on Hallowe'en itself.

That is gonna be fun, and so is the Cantata!  I can't wait!!

After we got home from church yesterday and did our running around, we also started up our "Life Groups", where people get together and read the Bible, pray, and discuss the sermon.   Yesterday, Pastor Morgan talked about how we need to become united again as a nation and we need to put God and/or prayer back.  No kidding.  We are more divided now, ten years later, than we have ever been; our country, as a result, is in trouble.  Big trouble.

It was very interesting.

Anyway, now I'm home, sick, and I am feeling horrid!  I guess I will stop writing for now; my eyes and head (and my throat/nose) are killing me and I need to rest.  I will write in here again soon; hopefully by then, I will be feeling much better!  Until later, this is Magenta Privkar saying so long and God bless!  Pray I feel better by next Thursday, so I can start working on the music for the upcoming Christmas Cantata!  I would greatly appreciate it!  Thanks in advance!

~Love, your friend in Illinois, Magenta.  :(

~To be continued.~