January 14, 1979 - Sunday

Dearest Ron, Ann & Susanna, Rick & Jean, Bob & Claire and Roy,

This will just be a short letter - Johnny and I went to Searcy with Daddy this morning and we just got home - it's 4:15 and we have Sacrament Meeting at 5:00. He had to change the Branch Presidency up there - they have a new chapel and it's just beautiful and they have a large congregation. I remember when we used to go up there and there was just a handful of people of most of them "Sherwoods" but there are really a lot now. Jerry Jackson was there - do you remember him Bob? He is looking for a job - says noone around there could afford him because he has two PhDs.

We really loved your long letter Annie- it was so much fun to read about your Christmas and I hurried to get the Church News so I could see your coat on Marie Osmond and it's beautiful. Your Christmas cards really made a hit around here - Cissy Beyers called daddy on some Church business the other night and talked to me and told me how thrilled they were to receive one. We can understand your anxiety about leaving little Susana to go back to work but we hope you get over that - she is being well cared for and at this stage of her life it isn't nearly as hard on her as it would be when she gets a little older. We know you're an excellent Mother!!!! Your plan to teach night school next year sounds just ideal. I don't blame you for getting excited about plans for a new home - that is so much fun - your home now is so nice and comfortable that I wouldn't be in any great hurry - wait until you can get what you want for what you want to pay for it - we think Real Estate has about leveled off - 'course how can we know????

Roy - we were so thrilled that you called last Sunday - you sounded so good. We'll be thinking about you all next week during your finals - I know you will really be glad to have them over with and we hope so much you do as well as you would like to. We hope you'll tell us where you will be during your Semester break and we hope you will really be careful in the things you do. We have really loved that Weather Bulletin thing - it is so wonderful to not have to wait until the News Bulletins come on to get the weather. The desk organizer is so neat too and makes the desk look so much nicer.

Jeannie - it was fun to talk to you yesterday- you sounded sleepy though. Rick and Ron have really been doing some skiing according to you and Ann - that really sounds fun. Daddy ran into one of your friends at the First national Bank one day last week - she works there - Nancy Barger (?), and she's expecting a baby in May - she has had a lot or problems. Do you like your Church calling?

Bob and Claire - we're anxious to hear how your trip to California was. I have been concerned about your car and hope it made it okay. You start your last Semester next week Claire - we hope it's a super one. You will have received the letter I wrote to you concerning that quit-claim deed for Aunt Marvel to sign and I hope you can get it cleared up for us - I feel sure it is a very minor piece of property after talking to my Mother and Lee Stewart but it just didn't seem right to sign something without looking into it. Last Saturday I had a phone call from the Sheriff - he said he had a summons for Mrs. Marvel Racker - when I told him she was incompetent he said I would have to meet him at the rest home and he would just touch her with the summons and then give it to me to take care of - isn't that strange????

I just came home from Sacrament Meeting - Chase Mart gave his Missionary Report and he did an excellent job - he has changed so much. He and Kim Aday were such good friends for a long time before he left and now they just barely speak. She had to give a talk tonight too and they didn't even sit together on the stand - she is going with a young man from Mountain Home who is in Law School here - he just came back from a Mission to Sweden - he joined the Church in Fayetteville where he was going to school - he's really a nice guy. They released Barbara Sondrup as our Relief Society President and put in Laura Gonce as President, Viola Munk as 1st Counselor and I'm her 2nd counselor - it will be fun. I have been released from my other positions and it will be nice to not be a teacher in Relief Society - I have done that for a long time.

We have had the craziest weather lately - last Thursday they predicted two to four inches of snow and freezing temperatures - everyone rushed to the grocery store and the school kids were all so excited - they had predicted this for two days and all kinds of meetings were cancelled - at 10 o'clock they completely changed their forecast and said the wind had moved it further South. Saturday they predicted sleet and snow and freezing temperatures and once again all the meetings were cancelled - Relief Society Leadership meetings, the Stake MIA Standards program and dinner and dance we didn't get one bit of prescription. There had been such a lot of preparation put into everything and they don't know when it will be scheduled again. We have had some really cold weather though. We had a couple in our Ward marry in the Temple a couple weeks ago - John and Skylar Merrifield - they had their reception last night at the Cobb's home and it was so cold we worried that not many people would go so Daddy and I went - it started at 7 p.m. and we were there about 7:30 - we waited until about 8:15 for it to start and then left - they wouldn't start it until Skylar's mother got there and I heard tonight that she didn't get there until 9:00 - isn't that something?

I went to be baby shower for Villa Munk at Barbara Sondrup's home last Thursday - it was really nice. The Sondrup's home is just like the Bridges in Pleasant Valley - it is in a place called "Marlowe Manor" and it's just behind the Pulaski Academy. Barbara really had a knack for decorating and it's just darling. Viola has a little baby boy and she really received some nice gifts.

I went to garden Club meeting at Angela Lateana's on Thursday too - she has bought a new cabinet to display her decorated eggs - you wouldn't believe how beautiful some of them are - she has converted her attic into a workshop and she spends hours doing this - she sells a lot of them but the ones she has on display are really works of art.

Johnny is making a lamp in Industrial Arts - he really loves that class so maybe he's going to be our builder.

Marvin Green just came over to visit with Daddy - he is such a nice guy, I hope he can find a really nice young woman to date.

I can't think of anymore news. The man who is going to operate the Texas Trade Exchange went to Houston yesterday - we're anxious to see how that is going to work - the one in here Little Rock is really going!!!!

We surely do love each one of you - we think of you all the time and wish we could see you. I have a hard time realizing we really have a little granddaughter - wish we could give her a squeeze. Please be really careful in everything you do and let us know if you need anything.

We Love You Bushels & Bushels
Dad - Mom - John
XO XO XO
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