January 17, 1982
Little Rock, Ark.

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

Wow!!! Is it ever cold in Arkansas - this is the coldest we can ever remember - it was supposed to get down to 5( last night and I'm sure it was that cold and maybe even colder. We have been snow bound all week and it has really been fun - we went to school last Monday but it snowed that night and they cancelled school for the rest of the week - we haven't heard yet if they will have it tomorrow but I feel sure they will even though there is still a lot of snow on the ground. Johnny has really had a ball - one night there were four boys who spent the night here - they sleighed down Mountain Drive until 1 a.m. and then came in and watched television until 4 a.m. A couple nights later he and another friend played monopoly at David Bass' home until 3:30 a.m. and then he came home only after we called and insisted that he come. He will have a hard time waking up and getting ready for Semester tests next week - so will Daddy and I - I really love this weather but I don't like for all activity to stop like it does here.

Jeannie and Rick - thank you so much for those adorable pictures - it was like having a little visit with all of you and we love them so much. Little Ricky and Barji are growing up too fast - we especially loved the one of them with their little bare behinds playing the piano. The ones taken at the Crawfords were so cute and will mean a lot to them when they grow older - who is the young woman in the background to the left of your children - we didn't recognize many of the people in the picture. It was so fun to talk to Ricky on the phone - he has really grown older since last summer and we are so proud that he is trained - what an accomplishment!!!!

Annie and Ron - thank you for your phone call - we laughed and laughed at little Susanna and her insistence that she is going to have a "little baby sister" - we tried to change her mind but she wouldn't change. The pictures of Susanna, Jessie and Annie at the Crawfords are simply darling - I love Susanna's hair and I'll bet that takes some doing. You look good Ann - when Johnny looked at them, he said, "Wow, Ann is pregnant." I guess it hadn't dawned on him that you really were.

Roy - I'm going to send you the pictures Jeannie sent along with an envelope so you can send them back to us - I know you will enjoy seeing them since you were at that party last year. We hope you have received the Atari by now - Daddy took it out to UPS during the snow storm. You would have loved the snow on all these hills - I remember so well how you used to go on your motorcycle places that cars couldn't go and Johnny has done that on his moped. We surely hope your hospital work is going well and that Patrice has finished up her Semester tests and feels good about how she has done. We are really enjoying our "cleaver" for cutting up nuts, vegetables and a million other things and Johnny has loved his gloves for the snow.

Bob and Claire came over last night and we played tripoly and then monopoly - it was fun but Johnny has learned too much and he won early. Claire had a good trip to New York - she says she has to spend every minutes for days with Michael when she gets back so he will accept her again - I'm sure that is hard. He is really doing well though and eats vegetables and fruits now along with his milk and cereal. Bob is in orthopedic surgery now and said the other day they had a little two year old boy who got his hand caught in some kind of a conveyor belt that tore everything off down to the bone - he said the little boy reminded him of Michael and really hit home. We had a friend (the daughter of a women I visit teach) who had her index finger cut off last Sunday in a pin ball machine - they got the finger though and reattached it and its going to be okay, they thing.

We had a cute letter from Carol Braithwaite - they are enjoying their mission. Art Willardsen's father died just before Christmas and Elliott's sister died on New Year's day. That's all the news. We love each one of you very much - BE CAREFUL!!!!

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