Nashville, Tennessee, February 13, 2012, 11:03 a.m., C.S.T.~

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

M'Buti Ayala writing.  Hope this finds you and the cattle well.  As for us, we're doing as well as can be expected, although the children are growing faster than I'd like!

It seems like only yesterday when all were little babies.  The oldest child (Jubaki) is now in middle school and is over six foot tall: he's nearly as tall as me!! (And still growing!!)  He is thirteen years old and is as smart as a whip!  (He certainly did not get his brain from me, that is for darn sure! LOL)

When older, Jubaki wants to follow in the footsteps of his father: he wants to join the Marines.  He also wants to go to university and become a doctor.

The twins, Kibarake and Eshe', who are ten, are in the Gifted and Talented program at their school, where they consistently score higher in their test scores than their classmates.  Both have won awards for spelling and writing.  They are also going to be tall.  They have grown into beautiful children and Eshe' looks exactly like me.  (Poor child! LOL)

The triplets (Manari, M'baki, and Maliki) are eight and are in second grade.  They are feeling their oats and are all extremely mischevious; one cannot keep their back turned or their eyes closed for long or else the boys will destroy the house in mere minutes! 

As for the quadruplets, who are six, they are in kindergarten and have proven to be gifted little vocalists, athletes, and actors.  They love to create; they get this from me, their mamma.  They sometimes sing at church during special programs and always delight the congregation.

My husband is still working at Nashville Memorial Hospital, where he is a nurse and I continue to work for the Nashville Banner, where I regularly contribute articles for the church section and the community scene.  I happen to enjoy my job very much; I get much fulfillment in using my giftings in writing in reaching out to others.

Healthwise, I am surviving.  I have my bad days, but happily, those are far fewer than they used to be.  I am still walking with crutches and have pain from fibromyalgia, but compared to the intractable pain I had when I was so sick, what I have now is nothing.  It is aggravating, though, but I try to make the best of it.

Well, I have to get back to work, so I'd best go.  I will write in here again soon; again, I am sorry for not keeping you up to date as to what has been going on with me.  I hope you understand.  Working and raising ten active children does not allow me much in the way of free time AT all!

Take care and may the Good Lord bless you mightily!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, M'Buti Ayala. :)