Sunday - February 18, 1979


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

We are "iced" in again this morning and Priesthood and Sunday School have been cancelled so I'll get an early start on my letter - I may not be able to get it mailed but I'll get it written.

Congratulation Bob and Claire!!!!! Last week when I wrote my letter and congratulated Roy I was hoping so much that I would be able to do the same to Bob & Claire but I was so worried all week and I composed many mental letters trying to express in a "funny" way that podiatry school would be just as nice - some of those letters were quite clever but I'll never have to write them and I am not glad. Several weeks ago when Daddy and I were alone he said, "How do you really feel - do you think Bon will get in?" and I said "I don't think he will make it, not because he isn't qualified but because things like that just haven't happened to us for a long time" and Daddy said he felt the same way - well, when you called to tell us you had made it Bob, Daddy said, "You know, you didn't think he would get in, but I did." I didn't sleep all week and by Friday I was really in a tizzy. I had the camera all ready to take a picture of the mailman bringing the letter - he thought I was crazy when I appeared on the doorstep with the camera and went through the mail before I would let him leave - Daddy was calling every five minutes and was ready to come home to call you because I said wouldn't do it again - last year was enough! I wanted to cry when Claire called about 10 a.m. out time and I didn't have anything to tell her. What a thrill when you called Bon - that is a day we will never forget. I hurried and called Chris and Diane and all our neighbors - they are all so thrilled for you and for us. It is so funny, we have made a lot of plans for you about housing and things and then we suddenly rallied that you will make your own plans - we want you to know you will be so welcome to stay with us and we'll do anything we can for you but we'll also respect your right to do what you want to do - Daddy and John got all the fishing gear ready yesterday!

Jennie - we really loved your long letter - it sounds like you're doing great and we're so thrilled about that. Rick we're pulling for you that your project will work out and we're happy that E.F. Hutton is becoming stronger in that area - your work sounds so interesting and channeling. Jean said you were on some kind of Scout drive last night when she called - they're having a Scout Skill show here on the 10th of March and I have bought tickets from all the neighborhood kids and then they gave some to John to sell - I bought it was just for Cub Scouts to sell - he was cross with me. We're so anxious to see your home and your new curtains and everything - all the homes I have been in that are so pretty are that way because of handwork and it's really great you are doing that for your home - I'll be happy when we're closer so we can quilt together - you and Annie and I could finish a quite in a short time and they're so pretty. Barbara Sondrup has a group or us over to quilt on one she is making for her Father's birthday and I have never quilted like that - her mother sent her the material from Barbizon in Provo and it's so easy to quilt on and you use a twill embroidery thread and quilt with the large stitches and it is just beautiful.

Annie - we really loved your long letter too and it is really wonderful to be able to count on a letter from you each week. We laughed about people calling Susanna a "boy" - a ribbon on her head? I have done that to young mothers so many I am really sympathetic with them - it always helps for the mothers to hurry and say "She -------" so people won't have guess because I have even done that to babies who are saturated in either pink or blue. We are so thrilled with your plans for a family business Rom and "Woolley Enterprises Incorporated" sounds so important!!!! We loved hearing about all your plans and you can carry out everyone of them - a big family, a lovely homer and successful careers put the Lord first in all that you do and then work really hard at each one of them and it will happen - the main thing is to not get discouraged at little failures because everyone has them and they'll never get you down unless you let them. Take little Susanna with you wherever you go - you're already doing that and I think that's great. I admire the young women in our Ward who do that - sometimes it's bedlam but they're not destructive and the babies and toddlers are all so happy and well-adjusted. I was always so worried that our children were bothering others and as a result didn't take you as much as I should have don Roy - are you still there???? We haven't heard from you for a long time - we hope you received your scuba diving gear - Daddy mailed it and insured it and we still have the slip so if you haven't received it be sure to let us know. I'm sure you are really busy with your full schedule. Robert came over for a little while last night and he said that he and Dan and Tim are going to fly up to see you the first of March - their Spring Break. He said they're going to stay a week - he said they plan to stay in Manhattan with Rick Martin's brother if it can be worked out. That will be so much fun and them and you too but it's unfortunate your Spring Break isn't the same time because you won't have much time to spend with them. Robert had come home to go the races with his family - his brother Jack Jr. and Janice and her husband and family were all here - the racing season is really a big deal with them. Unless our weather changes, it surely won't seam like Spring here the first of March - we have had the coldest and snowiest weather we have over and here - January and February have broken all kinds of records. We'll probably start right off with 1000 weather when Spring comes - ugh!!!!

Bob - we loved your letter too - we love to hear about Lehi. We doubt they would ever close down Geneva Steel no matter how bad the pollution gets because of what it means to the economy of that whole area but it amazes Daddy that they can get by with it - Olin's plants haven't been near that bad and they have really cracked down on them. Your work at the hospital had really prepared you to be a Doctor and we're grateful you have had that opportunity. We appreciate so much what you and Claire have done to Aunt Marvel's home - I have a good feeling about that when I think of it instead of having it be so run down. It would be fun to continue on remodeling it. Jennie said that when Rick called you, you said, "I just have ten more years of schooling" - we laughed but I guess that's just about true. We have heard that the first two y4ars of Med. School are the hardest so look at it that way - I know it's going to be rough - but fun for both you and Roy!!!!

I have some goss - Randy and Any Oliver are getting a divorce. Betty called me one day last week and she said, "Barbara, I know you never did receive a thank you note for the wedding gift you gave Randy and Amy" - before I could explain that I really didn't care she went on to hell what kind of a person Amy was. I couldn't believe it because Betty is not that kind of a person a tall. Evidently Amy asked Randy to leave right after Christmas and give her time to think things over so he moved in with his folks - Randy and Amy had just bought a new home and Betty is so upset that Randy had to move out of it. Finally last week he told Amy that she had had enough time to think and he was filling for a divorce. Amy is really a very successful newscaster - she's the Barbara Walters for Little Rock and she has bigger plans than being married to Randy - I feel bad for them!!!

I have some good news - Marvin Greene is getting married this June. He is metering a girl from Pine Bluff and they will be married in the Idaho Falls Temple - we don't know her and I don't believe he has know her for very long but we surely hope it works out. Sharon Brown Jones had a little baby girl last week - the last time I talked to her she was really hoping for a girl so I know she's happy. Linda Smith Garrett and Ken would like to go to the Temple with Stake Excursion in July - I hope so much that they can because the church means a lot to Linda and I think this would help Ken.

John is receiving his magazine, Field and Stream, Woolleys and he really love it. it is very unusual to see John reading anything and I was really thrilled to see him spend so much time with that - maybe that's the answer to that problem. He's a good reader and makes "A's" in all that at school but they don't require him to read anything - isn't that dumb???? He just never reads and I have tried everything I know of. Our little neighbor, Jerry Hoskins, invited him to go her formal Valentine dance at her church, the Trinity Methodist Church, last Friday night. He got her a beautiful carnation corsage and she wore a long white dress and he looked so cute in his navy blue suit- Daddy wanted to take some pictures but John wouldn't let him. It was so funny - he wanted to get her a corsage just like Roy bought for Jill - an orchid - I had a hard time convincing him he was too young and it wouldn't be in good taste - he's growing up too fast.

I called Grandmother and Grandpa Forrest last night (rather yesterday morning) And talked to Grandpa because Mother was getting her hair fixed. She had gone to Salt Lake last Monday for more tests but they still can't find anything wrong!!! Aunt Marvel is doing fine. We surely do love each one of you and we're really proud of you all!!!!
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