January 13, 1980
Little rock, Ark.

Dearest Ron, Ann & Susanna, Rick, Jean & Ricky and Roy,

Bob and Claire just left - they usually came over after Sacrament Meeting and it was good to visit with them - we haven't seen them for awhile - Bob really keeps busy with his studying and Claire is going to start taking some accounting classes at UALR so they are both busy. Claire is interested in going to work for the FBI - to investigate store fraud or something like that and she is going to take the test this Wednesday - the beginning salary is much higher than she is getting at Cohns and I don't blame her

Annie - we really loved your long and newsy letter. You have really been a busy gal this past week - we talked to the Weinerts last night and they told us how good you were to them - you and Ron - and how cute Susanna and Ricky were to each other when they finally decided to be friends. We have worried so much about Jeannie and yet we are so relieved to know Rick and Jeannie do too. Your new home sounds just raved on and on about it. We're happy you liked the Christmas presents - I have a bottle of cologne for you Ann but I'll being it out in April. We laughed about your wanting a "fat" baby - we're so happy that you're feeling good Ann and that the doctor says everything is going fine - we're getting excited!!!!

Roy - Dan called tonight and I was so surprised that he hadn't good back to school yet - when he asked when you had gone back I had to go look on the calendar - it seems like a year since you were home instead of just a week. He told me a little about his trip to the Bahamas - he said they stayed right on the boat for five days and did some diving and they saw shark - anyway it sounded scary!!!! He is really one cute boy - we really like him. We'll keep our fingers crossed that you do well on your exams this week - we hope that you will give us your schedule for next week - I believe that is the week you're going to Vermont to go skiing and we'd surely like to have a phone number where we could reach you if possible.

Jeannie - we surely hope you get feeling better right soon - you go through more than anyone I have ever known to have a family - it is worth it but right now I'm sure that's hard for you to believe. We are so grateful that you have such an excellent Doctor. We're concerned about Ricky's ears - does the Doctor plan to put the tubes in his ears soon? Marilyn Harris couldn't believe that you had been here and she didn't get to see you - she said that December was just a big blur to her - she was so busy filling her orders for all the credit work. Please let us know if you have to go back in the hospital again because I want to come out if you do and help you - okay!!!!!

Daddy went to Pine Bluff this morning to put in a new Branch President and I went to Hot Springs for their Ward Conference - this has been a long day - left at 7 and he left at 8. It is hard to believe that Hot Springs has grown so much - do any of you remember when they were a dependant branch on Little Rock and Daddy was Branch President in L. R. and we had to go to Hot Springs at least once a month? They met in an old, old home and there were very few people - Jim Nance was the Presiding Elder at that time. Now they have a beautiful chapel and they are a Ward and a Bishop presides and it was completely full today - Jim and Marlena Griffin live there now and they have four children and they're doing great!!!!

They came back and fixed our carpet last week - they put all new carpet down the stairs and fixed the other carpet right - they put a metal strip all around the carpet in the den and it looks so much better - we're really pleased with it and our "pit group" should be here soon. I should get busy and make drapes for our bedroom and some of the other rooms but it seems like there are son many other things to do. I taught two days last week - one was third grade and the other was a nursery class of forty three and four year olds. I didn't know they had a nursery in the public school system but they do - it's more like a day care center - I had five sides to help and it was a "ball" - it was in the new "Rockefel School" and I have never seen such a beautiful school - 80 percent black and it will be interesting to see if they take care of it - I hope so.

Daddy and I ran into Helen Bridges and Janie one day last week - they are doing fine. Janie had been working for "Falcon Jet" but was laid off just before Christmas - now she wants to work at the Med Center. Dianna and Mary Helen were here for Christmas - Helen said that Mary Helen was still quite plump and that Dianna hadn't remarried yet - she's still teaching in Raleigh but they don't know where Selby is. Doug and Tina are in Charlotte South Carolina and Doug is still doing really well in the Real Estate business - they have a little boy. Helen says she has kept one of your letters Ann where you wrote that you thought it was better to not get married until you're 28 - she says she reads that really often trying to get some consolation because Janie isn't married yet - fact. I guess she doesn't have a boy friend.

I had a tooth extracted yesterday - I had a little toothache during the night some of the time last week but by Friday night I just about went crazy - in fact, I took four of my really strong pain pills where before on would really know me out - Daddy called our dentist early yesterday morning and he met us at his office by 9:30. It was one of the back molars and he said he could do a root canal but he couldn't promise that he could save the tooth and by that time it was hurting so bad all I wanted was to have it pulled so I finally talked him into it. Be sure to take good care of your teeth!!!!

Johnny and Daddy went fishing for a little while yesterday afternoon - they went out to Lake Maumelle but they didn't catch anything and it was so cold they didn't stay very long. It was "casual night" at Cotillion last night and I couldn't get John interested in anything special to wear so he just wore his corduroy pants and old rugby shirt - well. When we went to get them we saw all the young men in dress slacks and collared shirts with nice sweaters on - I think he was really embarrassed. It is really hard to get him interest in anything that isn't "super comfortable". He has his Semester finals this week and he hasn't studied one bit - do you have any suggestions???? He is going through a lazy stage!

Aunt Marvel will be 91 years old this week - she is doing fine. Daddy went to see her one day last week and he said she talked about going back to Utah when Johnny finished High School - she probably will. We enjoy having her here though where we can be sure that she is getting good care and she really is.

I can't think of any more news. We surely do love each one of you - you're in our thoughts and prayers constantly and hope you'll let us know if we can help you in any way.


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