Sunday, January 19, 2014, Nashville, TN., 8:53 a.m., C.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Good morning, Lord, and good morning, world!!

This is your friend, Louisiana, writing.  Thought I would write in here before we head off for church; Bill is getting the kids ready and soon will be loading them into the bus.  I will be joining them shortly, but decided to write in here first before I do; it's been a little while since I last posted.

Hope y'all understand.

You know how it is when one has a family, especially one my size.  Hardly any time to even take a breath; always on the go, it seems.  And then you add a full time job to the mix.  No wonder I'm so tired; at times I don't konw whether I'm coming or going!

Anywho, things are going well at Casa Sandusky.  Some of the kids did come down with the flu, but thank God, none warrented hospital stays; just good old fashioned home made chicken soup, plenty of Tamiflu, and lots of extra love and cuddles took care of the worst symtoms.  Bill had it too, but he's over it as well.  I never did get it, thank goodness.  Several of the kids who live away from home had it as well, but all are on the mend, too.

Thank God we all got our flu shots; would had been a lot worse without them!

Now that the holidays are over, things have quieted down considerably.  The kids who did come home for Christmas and Thanksgiving are safely back at their places of residence and are getting back to normality too.  It was a wonderful Christmas, one of the best we ever had.  The kids fell in love with Loretta, and Loretta fell in love with them; she is going to be one spoiled little girl, what with all the extra attention she got from her new brothers and sisters!  She has settled in beautfiully and is even starting to pick up her first English words.  Such a little smartie pants she is!  We are so thrilled to have her in our lives!

Last night, our firends in Fairbanks, Alaska, Frank and Kat Hammer, called.  Haven't heard from them in a long while!  They are surviving the cold, brutal Alaska winter; and Kat is smartly staying indoors.  She isn't used to the cold, even after several years of living in Alaska!  (I would probably do the same thing; my Cajun blood couldn't take that kind of extreme cold! LOL)  He said they lost their one kitty, "Aurora Borealis of the Far North", a few weeks back; they don't know what happened to her, and Kat, understandably, is devastated.  And their kids, Maverick and Frank, Jr. (nicknamed Junior) are growing like weeds: Frank, Jr. is almost six, and Maverick will be two in August of this year.

I remember them both when they were really little.  I remember Frank, Jr. when Maverick wasn't a part of the family.  Hard to believe that Maverick is now walking and talking and that Frank, Jr. will be starting school in the fall!

Time sure does go by quickly, especially if you're a parent!  I know all too well.  Seems like only yesterday when there were four of us: Bill, myself, Johnathon, and Ronee'.  Now all these kids later, we've grown just a little LOL, and the kids are now moving out and starting their own lives and families!  *Sigh!*

Makes one feel as old as the hills (namely ME!!)!  LOL

Come to think of it, I haven't heard from Jenna and Michael Doucet, who live in Anchorage, lately ... I pray they are okay ... I will have to give them a call later today to see what's up with them.

Well, I hate to run, but Bill is bellowing; it's time to leave for church.  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Louisiana saying so long; may God bless you as much as He's blessed our family over the years!

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