Saturday, August 25, 2012, Nashville, Tennessee, 7:17 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Howdy! Louisiana Sandusky here.  Hope this finds y'all well.  I am fine, just have been very busy.  

Last weekend found our family in Louisiana, where we attended the annual LeCajun Cajun Music Awards Festival in Lafayette.  As always, we had a wonderful time, but I wish all of the kids could have joined us.  

We did see Ronee' and her fiance', Michael Stinkowitz, there; they are doing great!  They both looked wonderful, too.  Both are excited: they're getting married next month, on the 16th.  They will be coming up here to get married at our church; Pastor Bilkey is the one who will be uniting them in marriage.  After their reception, they will be leaving for the hotel and then the next day, they will be flying to Israel, where they will have their honeymoon.  I pray that they have a safe trip and a wonderful time!

Johnathon has been spending time with his wife's family; he's been there for the past few weeks and has been enjoying himself immensely.  His health has been holding up; I pray this continues, but I know deep in my heart of hearts that this can't keep on.  Sure as shootin', something will come up, but I am praying with all my soul that it doesn't.  Johnathon has been enjoying a run of good health (excepting for his recent bout of seizure activity that landed him in ths hospital for a few days) and he has been enjoying life.  Life for Johnathon has been nothing short of extraordinary.

I got the children registered for school; I am also in the middle of getting their school supplies.  Even with the sales, it's still expensive.  You try buying clothes (uniforms or gently-used clothing) for over 40 kids and see how YOU do.  And with the ever rising gas prices, this only drives up the cost of everything else and it's a vicious cycle.  I also got the littlest ones registered for pre-K and this year Ian and Isaiah will be starting kindergarten.  Kindergarten!  It just does not seem possible!

Seems like only yesterday when they were tiny babies!  Ian and Isaiah will be turning five years old in November!

Bill continues to work at Wal*Mart, in the security department.  All he has to do is look at the video camera all day and if he sees a theft going on, he calls it in and the person is then (hopefully) aprehended.  Doesn't always happen, but sometimes it does.  It drives him crazy.  Other than that, he loves his job.

Speaking of, Bill made me laugh last night.  He and I had gone to the store and there was a sample of free beer near the beer aisle.  I don't know what tempted Bill to do it, but he tried some beer called "Moose Drool".  He said it didn't taste all that bad; then, all of a sudden, he made the most horrible faces I had ever seen.  I just started laughing my head off.  I know people were looking at me but at the time I didn't care.  I was laughing too hard at my hubs.  Bill then said, "Now I know why they call it 'Moose Drool'!"  That just set me into more gales of laughter.  It was funny!

We did get some though: My Daddy likes a cold beer every night; he may like it.  He drinks just about anything: Daddy isn't particular.  As long as it's beer, he'll drink it.  He is NOT an alcoholic by any means, but he does enjoy his beer!

The weather here has been hot, but not like it was a few weeks back.  It's cooled off somewhat, but to tell  you the truth, I'm more than ready fro cooler temperatures and for the leaves to start changing.  Fall time is so pretty here in Tennessee; we have a lot of trees in our yard and in the fall, it is nothing but spectacular when they're at the peak of color!

I am also ready for school to start.  That way on my days off I can have a break from the kids, even if only for a few hours; that way Bill and I can have some "alone time".  We don't seem to have much of that when the kids are here.  

Well, I have to go; it's about time for me to clock in and start my shift here at work.  I pray each and every one of y'all have a great day and I pray nothing but God's blessings upon your lives!  Take care; I'll try to write before the wedding!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May.  :D