Sunday February 28, 1982
Little Rock, Arkansas

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

We just came home from Bob and Claires where we had dinner - Claire is a good cook and it was fun to be with them - we had quiche, salad, sour dough bread, root-beer and the best chocolate pie - she made the crust and then the filling was two large (giant) Hershey chocolate almond candy bars melted with 24 marshmallows and folded in a pint of whipping cream whipped (cool the chocolate and marshmallow mixture first). I probably ate more calories in that meal than I have had all week!!!!

They put the For Sale sign up in our yard last Thursday and it looks awful - I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it and can't go back to sleep. This has been a nostalgic (sp.?) month with all the packing and going through boxes of memorabilia - I hope I live through it. It doesn't bother Daddy - it is so easy for him to go through things and throw things away - that's why it is good for me to be teaching school I guess. We have a buyer for our home - the Martinous family - they own the Oriental rug company here - but they don't have the cash and want us to take a second mortgage on it - we will rent it first - 'course it has only been for sale for a couple days. This is hard on Johnny so I'm glad the rest of you aren't here - especially you Roy - Bob says he doesn't look at when he comes over.

This morning was the farewell for Brad Smithers - he is going to the Belgium Mission - Daddy gave the opening prayer, Dave Gonce spoke, Linda Smithers and then Linda and her daughters, Danielle and Beniece sang a trio 1 that was really beautiful and then Brad spoke. John Smithers was there and he looks so forlorn - he has taken out bankruptcy and they will probably get a divorce. They (Linda, Brad and the girls are going to Utah the middle of March and wanted to stay in our Lehi house - it would be nice if we could let them but the water and gas and everything is turned off and we don't think the Hansens could get it all turned on.

They announced about our mission call this morning and everyone is so thrilled for us - we talked to Sister Tenney who is the Mission President's wife here and she said they received their call on Feb. 5th last year and didn't know where they were going until April conference so it could be another month before we'll know. I guess they don't tell you where you're going because they don't want the Mission President where you're going to feel as if he had been replaced until closer to June. The longer it goes the more I want to be assigned a place in the United States. The Tenneys tried to sell their home in San Diego and couldn't so they're renting it and storing all their furniture. We're so lucky to have our Lehi house!!!!

We loved talking to you Annie and Ron and we loved your long and newsy letter Jeannie - you all sound happy and settled and that makes us happy. We surely hope everything is going well for you too Roy. Jeannie said that she saw Roy on national news when they did a special on Brown University - I can't believe that and to think we missed it. Things will really be different in three years - Susanna, Jessie, Ricky and Barji will be in school and pre-school and Michael will be four and won't even remember us. Roy will probably be about finished with his internship wherever he goes - Bob said that Jim Griffin is going to try to get him into the internship he went through in Dallas so they could be in Dallas. We hope Johnny will stay with us in the Mission Field and then he will leave for his mission right shortly after we get back - he is telling everyone he is going to have a five year mission - we may decide to have him leave the mission and have a year at the Y before he's 19.

I had a bridal shower for Jennifer Doan last Thursday (Wednesday) - we made a quilt but I have to hand hem it and it is going to take me forever. We want to go to her marriage in Logan on March 30th. Kim Aday and John Sherwood Jr. are engaged to be married May 18th - we're thrilled for them. We love you all very much and will let you know as soon as we know anything - PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!!
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