June 9, 1979 - Saturday

Dearest Ron, Ann & Susanna and Rick and Jean,

This has been a fun and busy week - we were supposed to have a big Missionary Fireside here tomorrow night so I have been cleaning house all day and I made three gallons of that banana frozen slush - I was just going to start making some cookies when Jim Morgan called and said it would have to be postponed. It is really nice to have the house straight and it's good I didn't have the cookies made or I would be upset - we will use the punch.

Johnny's birthday was fun and it was so sweet for you to remember him and call to wish him a Happy Birthday - that means so much to him and to us too. Johnny's entire life is centered around his family and we hope it will always be that way - he would absolutely be crushed if he here forgotten by anyone - you would think he would be spoiled but he is so sensitive and really appreciates you all!!!! Bob and Claire arranged to have the day off and then the weather looked as if it would be bad so I "half-heartedly" prepared a lunch but I didn't make a birthday cake - as it turned out we had a beautiful day and we all went to "Beaver Fork Lake" in Conway and skied and finished all day - Johnny just loved it. We all got sunburned and you know how "yucky" you feel after a day like that - we had just been in the house a few minutes when the phone rang and it was the "Larsens" from Logan. Phyllis and Swede and their seventeen year old son had been to Fort Worth, Texas, where they had taken one of their daughters to be a camp counselor and they were on their way home. They came right over and spent the night with us and left Thursday morning. We really enjoyed their visit but I couldn't have looked worse and our house was messy and it was one of those in-between days where it wasn't absolutely necessary to have the air conditioner on so it was hot and muggy. We (Phyllis and I) talked steadily for at least five hours - Daddy had gone to take a Real Estate Exam so he wasn't here until about 10:00 p.m. I got caught up on all the news from our Brigham City and Logan friends - I just loved it. Do you girls remember Phyllis? She and her daughter Christie came to Phoenix when you were little and stayed with us a few days - they had just found out that she had leukemia and just had a few months to live - I can remember you two and Christie playing with my old formals but you probably don't remember it. Swede was Alumni Director at Utah State for many years and now he is Assistant Dean of students and Phyllis teaches kindergarten in Logan and has done for nineteen years.

Roy took Johnny on a backpacking trip - they left yesterday and came back this afternoon - they went to Hot Springs and had a wonderful time. Roy had given John a little camp stove to go in his backpack - that was what he wanted for his birthday - it's a lot like Roy's except that it is smaller. He is going on the Boy Scout Camping week this year so it will come in handy - it's really a nice one. Roy is beginning to feel a little better about Jill but it is still really hard on him - Ellen called me last night (that's Jill mother) and told me there is another boy involved - I think he already knew that but he hadn't told us. She will probably be married before long. Roy will be so much better off when he gets over this and as Bob says, "This is one of life's experiences that prepares us for something else" and that's true. We had a thank you letter from Ty today and it pleased me so much - we really like him and think it is so good that Roy found a friend like that at Brown. Ty didn't want tea or coffee while he was here and as far as we could tell he didn't have any bad habits - he is Catholic and for Family Home Evening we played "Seek" and used the Bible questions and he really put us to shame - Roy says we would like Keith that well too when we got to know him.

I told; you in last week's letter that Marc Jordin has inflammation of the esophagus - well they discovered that he had some problems with his heart instead so he had heart surgery on Friday and they did a "double by-pass". It was interesting to us that he wanted some spiritual help from our church before the operation - he has been taught the lessons so many times and refuses to accept it or let his two boys accept it - he is such wonderful man and has a million friends and encourages Chris in all her church activities but he is active in the Presbyterian church. He'll get to home next Friday and will have to stay in bed for a month before he can go back to work. Chris feels that has really been a blessing because he was able to get something done before he had a heart attack he has diabetes and is overweight so she is going to put him on a rigid diet!!!!

Bob and Claire are doing fine - Claire gets to move to the downtown office of Cohns this coming Monday - she's looking forward to that. They went to look at a house right by the Med Center - some med students were living in and wanted to sell it for $30,000 - they said it was in terrible condition and didn't have an air conditioner or anything to cool it so they aren't interested. Tommy Luten came over today and wants them to come by and look at his house - he and Mickey are getting a divorce - isn't that sad? Tom has had a hard time keeping a job - he said, "This hasn't been my best year"! Mickey is working for Arkansas Power and Light and has a pretty good job and is going to live in an apartment with another girl. His house is just a few houses down from where the Culwells live and would be in an ideal location - he didn't say how much he wanted for it but I know he got a really good deal when he bought it. Betty and Chick have really had it this year - I hear that Betsy and her husband are having problem too.

Daddy went to Memphis this morning for a Regional Meeting - he drove over with President Jones and they talked about how valuable the property is in Utah - I told you he is in Real Estate there and he says people are moving in there at an incredible rate - there and into Southern Missouri. Bob told us yesterday that the Med students all tell him that the best place for interning is at the University of Utah Med Center - wouldn't it be great if, after four years here, he would go there and we would move back and Roy would do his interning some place close - now with Jill going with someone else it surely changes how he feels about Arkansas. He still has some great friends here but I believe he is finding out he can find great friends anyplace if he looks for them.

Jeannie - we are so thrilled that you are still doing so well - when I think how fast time is moving it won't be long at all until we'll be out there with you. We are so involved in planning for the Regional Relief Society Meetings here on the 23rd of June and right after that we will be going to Washington for the temple excursion and then July will be half over - we can hardly wait!!!!

Annie - little Susanna is getting to be so much fun for you and yet you have so many wonderful things to look forward to. I was always so relieved when our children turned three - that seemed to be the magic age when they were dependable and didn't need constant supervision. I can just see her playing in her little swimming pool. We are so anxious to be with her and have her get to know us!!!!

Daddy just came in and said he would take Johnny and I out for an ice cream cone so I'll finish this tomorrow. He is studying for another Real Estate Exam - the one he took the other night was just a preliminary one and the real one is Tuesday morning - he's worried that he won't pass it because he says the questions are so ambiguous (sp.?)!!!!

Now it is Sunday afternoon - we just came home from Sacrament Meeting. Bob and Claire came over and had dinner with us - Roy is going to be in a house next year and wants to learn to cook so Daddy gave him a lesson on how to cut one up and fry it - it was really good too. I also made John a birthday cake so we had another celebration. Bob had to go to work at 3 this afternoon and works until 11 tonight. After Claire and I got the dishes done we went to look at Tommy Luten's home - it's really nice - I wish they could buy it - there is some state money now that is being made available to young couples who can qualify for 8 3/4 % interest and that's a lot better than 10%.

It was so good to have you call this afternoon Jeannie and Rick - we have sorta' excepted that your doctor would want you to have the baby before the actual due date. Do you want us to come before the baby is born or shall we do it the way we did with the Woolleys - we'll do whatever you want us to do. We won't stay with you - we'll be at Aunt Marvels - I want to stay a few nights after you come home from the hospital or however long you need me - we can hardly wait. I'm so glad that Annie is going to be with you this week and help with your party - I wish I could be with you too.

Our Mission Presidents mother and father are here visiting - I told them that you knew one of their daughters Annie. They are so concerned about Sandy (Jones) and her family - I know this has been a hard thing for all of them. By the way - we received an announcement of Stephanie Richard's marriage - isn't that wonderful?

We surely do love you and hope everything is fine with you - be careful on your trip.
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