May 11, 1980
Little Rock, Ark.

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

Today's Mother's Day and as I always say, "It's great to be honored for doing and being something you love doing" - thank you all so much for your beautiful remembrances and most of all think you for being the wonderful children Daddy and I are so proud of. We are also proud of the mothers in our family - Ann & Jean - we can tell by the way Susanna and Ricky are that you are truly wonderful mothers. We pray constantly that you will all be healthy so you can have the joy and happiness in life that your family will bring to you.

Roy - we were so thrilled to receive something with your handwriting on it - we haven't had a letter for so long - we know you are really busy!!!! I hope we are not neglecting doing something for your graduation - we feel that we need to confirm our motel (hotel) reservations for Saturday night since we will not be able to get there Friday night - we wish you would tell us where you have the reservation!!!! We are really getting anxious to come - time is going by so fast. What did you think about Chip getting married? Chris saw his wife, Ann, one day last week and she said her sisters were getting married this Summer and it had been such a big "hassle" that her Father offered her the money they would spend on a reception if they would elope. They have had an apartment for the last six months so they were married by Chip's Minister and then had dinner at "Coy's" and went to their apartment. Chip will start Med. School here this Fall.

Annie - it has been so much fun to talk to you this week - I would love to be an invisible visitor in your home because it sounds hilarious - I really don't know how you do it!!!! It will be so much easier in about a year and a half when Susanna is old enough to be out of your sight for a little while and she will be a lot of help. Your situation sounds so much like our family except that you and Jeannie were much further apart - I'm so happy that Jeannie has a little more calm personality than Susanna - maybe that is not inherent but rather because you're busier. We think about you all the time and hope you are getting enough rest - we'll help out in June.

Jeannie - we have worried so much about you - we cannot imagine why you have to go through so much. For Roy: Little Ricky knocked over a full length mirror and Jeannie ran to grab it and the point of it hit her in the top of her foot and she had to have twenty-two stitches and she broke several tendons. That must be really hard because there is no way can stay off your feet with a ten month old little guy - I could probably have really helped you. I am just sorta' holding my breath that you will be able to wait to have your baby until the end of the first week in June so we'll be there. Every time the phone rings I envision that it's Rick calling - especially when it's at night or early in the morning and it seems that we get a lot of calls at that time.

I am enjoying my class - it is so easy but it's quite depressing to learn that there are so many children who have learning disabilities when it comes to reading. I only have about five in each class so it's almost on a one to one basis and it is really teaching - much of what I have done this year is just disciplining. Daddy has taught at Parkview and Pulaski Height Jr. High and he has enjoyed that - he only teaches math, chemistry, physics and the sciences and I couldn't teach any of those no matter how hard I tried. They may close the reading lab before school ends and I sorta' hope they do because there are so many things to do at home before we leave.

Our friend, June Bohmont, is coming next Saturday - she is on a tour of the Southern States so we don't know if she will stay with us or not. I haven't been able to offer her a place to stay because I wasn't sure if we would be here. Do you remember them, Ann and Jean. Dale Bohmont was Head of the Agronomy Dept. at Laramie and they lived right in back of us - you used to play with their little boys Craig and Dennis. Dale was made Dean of the School of Agriculture at the University of Las Vegas so they moved to Reno - after they were there a few years, he and June were divorced and he married the Home Economics Dean. June had never remarried and we haven't seen her for 24 years but we have kept in touch and she is such a nice person.

I don't know why I am starting a new page - there isn't that much news.

Marge Lucas called me yesterday to tell me that Frankie Coulter had a mastectomy (sp.?) She is in a Utah hospital and I imagine it might be the McKay-Dee, Jeannie. I have a card to send to her.

Bob and Claire are doing fine - he finishes school this week and will start his job a week from Monday. They are really excited about their trip to Europe and also moving into their home - they are trying to get their passports in order now. Claire was in Memphis two days last week and will go to New York later on in the month - she looks so classy all the time and seems to really enjoy her work. Bob has done really well in school - he is happy to have his first year behind him - he went fishing one day last week with Daddy and Johnny and he was nervous because of his exam schedule!!

Daddy and Johnny would fish every day of the week and every hour of the day if they could find some way to do it - Daddy took him out of school last Wednesday!!! They really have fun together - I hope John doesn't have to do that professionally to earn a living.

We had a letter from Mr. Hinton saying the church would probably buy the dry farm at $550 an acre - there are 280 acres so that would just about give us enough money along with the $60 in my name for the $230,000 inheritance tax. We were really thrilled to hear that but Don called yesterday afternoon and said he thought it was worth a lot more than that and we were foolish to sell it at that - we agree with him but the church has the cash and it's probably the only way we could get cash. It would really be nice though if that is all we have to sell. That should be settled soon.

It's time to get ready for Sacrament Meeting - we're going to Mexico Chiquita (sp.?) right after for Mother's Day Dinner.

We love each one of you so very much and I get so excited when I realize that we will see you all in about a month. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you.

Thank you all so very much again for being our children and for remembering me on Mother's Day.
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