May 16, 1982 Little Rock, Ark.

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

Our posterity is really growing and we're so proud - it's wonderful to talk to the Woolleys and learn that the baby is doing great and Ann is recuperating quickly - what a great blessing!!!! We're also thrilled to talk to Jeannie and learn that she is doing better and can eat a little solid food and we hope so much that you will continue to improve daily. We're happy to talk to Roy too and learn that all is well with you too and even though you are keeping ultra busy with school you are happy. In our Relief Society lesson today we talked about how important it is to enjoy what we're doing "now" and not keep waiting for future days when we expect greater happiness - the teacher passed out pieces of paper for us to write the things we would want to change in our lives now to make us happier and I wrote "To have our family closer to each other in miles" - Claire put "to have Bob be a doctor". That is my goal anyway and it will take a few years to accomplish it but if we all try we can live closer to each other. I don't see how Bob and Claire can be any happier when he finishes school but I'm sure it seems like a long way to go for them. They came over for dinner today and he told us that unless he receives a letter in the mail next week he is officially a senior medical student - he finished some tests on Friday and will have next week off.

We have sold our home and it is really wonderful to not have that worry anymore but it gives me a sick feeling every time I think about it - the people who bought it are from Louisville, Kentucky and he has a PhD in theology and works for the Catholic church - they have two children, a girl, 15 and a boy, 12 so the house is perfect for them. We think they are going to move in the day we move out so that will be good. There are quite a few houses for sale in Leawood so we feel lucky to have sold ours. The Smithers are moving to Las Vegas and want to sell their home but have had very few people even look at it. It is getting really hot and humid here now so it won't be really hard to leave.

Pete Wiggins Jr. was in church this morning with his third wife - she is blonde and very attractive - his last wife was brunette and very attractive. They are living in an apartment off Rebsamen Park Road so they're in our ward - I don't know what he is doing for a living. I can't help but really feel bad for him - three children and he very seldom gets to see them - maybe this one will work for him.

Hall High School has really been upset this week - Johnny and a lot of his friends went to the funerals for the two boys who were killed last Saturday. It was really the first funeral for Johnny that was sad (he went to Granny Mellor's funeral but it wasn't sad) and it has had a very sobering effect on him. The driver of the motorcycle lost control of the bike right in front of McDonalds on Cantrell and they flew off and one hit the top of an oncoming car and broke his neck and the other one went under a car and was driven over. They had been to a party - one lived in Forcroft and the other lived in Robinwood and they were going home for something - Birke Petersen and John Croswell were their names.

How about Miss Arkansas becoming the new Miss USA - we were watching the competition on the TV in the kitchen and John was watching another movie in the den so I went down to tell him that Miss Arkansas and Miss Utah were both in the final five and he turned and looked at me and said, "How about Miss Montana"!!! I personally thought Miss Utah would get it - did you watch it? There are some beautiful girls in Arkansas.

Do you all remember Paul and Jane Rippier? We had a sweet note from Paul last week and he said that Jane was in the hospital with a broken hip - he said to tell you all hello.

I went to a school meeting last week and it was really sad - they told all the Reading Aides to find other employment for next year. The Reading Aide with me has worked for the District for eleven years and has forty days of accumulated leave so I am expecting that she won't be working much for the next couple weeks and I don't blame her. They are also reducing the teacher's salaries by 6.5% next year - there is no way I would teach in the Little Rock School District next year unless I could be in all white school - the blacks require more time and without an aide it would be really hard.
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