September 28, 1986 Orem, Utah

Dearest Johnny; Roy & Patrice; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura & Brett; Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:

I finally got "my act together" and will write my letter on Sunday this week. I have had the flu bug for the past two days and I know some of the Woolley children have had it too - I forced myself to get ready for church this morning after being right in bed all day Friday and Saturday - I can never remember the luxury of being able to stay in bed that long but I was so sick I don't believe I could have done anything else. Barji was the first to get it and as I stayed in bed I thought about her so much and how sick she was at a time when the rest of us were all having fun. I just never get sick so this must be a very strong and I hope if Ann & Jean get it they will let me know so I can help them to stay in bed.

Johnny - we received the letters you wrote on September 4th & 10th last Tuesday (or Wednesday) and it was so good to get them. It sounds to me like your infection was really a serious one and we're so glad it is healing up good. It's a wonderful experience for you to be able to work in the office and I'll bet your Mission President appreciates the help you have given him. You said to send your mail to the Mission Office so that's where I'll send this letter but I'll bet you are well enough now to be sent some other place - it's so funny but by the time our letters get to each other everything has changed. Your mission isn't nearly as large as Montana so you probably get your mail soon after it gets to Chile anyway - don't you? They sent you the Billings 4th Ward Newsletter and I'll send it on to you - there is some news about Brent and also Kyle & Jay that you will probably enjoy. I haven't sent you the ones from Lehi because I wanted to keep them for your "Mission Scrapbook" (more like scrap-drawer) but we have written articles about you for them and they always send us one. You will have three places to report after your mission: Lehi, Orem 27th and Billings 4th!!!

Claire - we loved you long and newsy letter and those wonderful pictures. We are so thrilled that your family enjoys water sports - that "apparatus" that looks like a jet ski looks like a lot of fun. Daddy thinks Brett looks like Michael but I don't. WE'RE SO THRILLED YOU ARE GOING TO COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!! That will be a perfect time (Dec. 19th-26th) but it seems like too short a time for such a long way. We hope Roy & Patrice will be able to come too - we'll start planning right now for fun, fun, fun and hope the skiing will be good. Wouldn't it be neat if you could all come for Christmas next year when Johnny is home too and then make it a tradition - I can't think of anything that would make us happier. Michael - so you had your tonsils and adenoids taken out!!! It sounds like you were really a brave little guy too (he had them taken out in out-patient surgery so he didn't have to stay overnight). Bob - we loved your phone call and laughed about how you described how excited little Michael was to go to the hospital and was still talking when they "put him to sleep" for the surgery. I'm sure this will really help him in every way and we're glad you got some "professional" advice that would allow Laura to suck her thumb. I know how frustrating that is - do you all remember that I was a "star graduate" in Child Development and gave many talks to new mothers before we had any children and when Ann started to suck her thumb I was sure my world had come to an end - and look how good she turned out!!!

Roy - we loved your phone call too! Patrice - it sounds like you are really working hard in school and we're so proud of you!!! Annie came over yesterday and told us about Ron & Roy having dinner together (Ron was in Boston on business). We're so happy you are having a little less stressful time at work right now - (he said the next part will be hard) - you will both be ready for a vacation at Christmas time and we hope so much you will be able to come and spend the holidays with us - you two could have the bedrooms upstairs and the Bob Mellors could have the downstairs - you all know that we have lots & lots of room for all of you.

Last Wednesday I went to Brigham City to give my mother a permanent. I had talked to Dee the night before and he promised me he would arrange to have her hair cut by the hair dresser at the resthome. I left here really early and got there about 10 o'clock and found out their hair dresser had quit so Mother hadn't had her hair cut. I was already to give a permanent and she really needed one so I borrowed some scissors and started to cut - Mother has really coarse and stubborn hair and I knew that if I didn't get it short enough it wouldn't be worth it to even give the permanent. I have never cut hair before so it took me forever and I didn't finish rolling it up until about 1:30 - Mother ate her lunch on a tray in her room. I started testing the curl and it just wouldn't curl so I left Mother and went into town to get the pork Dee had ordered for us and I left it rolled up with the waving lotion on it for an hour & a half. I finally finished about 4 o'clock and Mother was completely worn out - she said she didn't ever want to have another one. I left word that if it looked funny they should call me so I could get someone to cut it for her and I haven't heard so it must not look too bad. Mother & Daddy are contented and happy and are well taken care of but it just kills me to see them that way.

This is really a beautiful time of year for Utah. It has snowed at all the ski resorts and even down to the 6,000 ft. level - we love to look out at Mt. Timpanogos and the top is all covered with snow and then half way down it is covered with the beautiful Autumn colors. This is not normal so early in the season so I'm sure we'll have warmer days but we love this. BYU won their game with Temple University yesterday and it was supposed to be a rainy day and it was cloudy but it didn't rain until later.

Daddy has his sprinkler system all in down in the lowest level of the lot - he had planned to put in the sod but didn't get time before our Missionary Reunion this weekend since he is leaving Tuesday for his big unit. His friend, Ray, fixed his gun rack on his four-wheeler and they should really have a wonderful time if they don't get into weather trouble. He says he doesn't really care if he doesn't get an elk - he just wants to ride around in the mountains on his four-wheeler. I really don't want him to try to get back for the reunion - when we went to the BYU catering place to order our ice cream we found out that BYU plays a game here that night the very same time as our reunion so we won't have very many come. They will probably all come after the game and that will be okay unless it's really late. That is the night for all the missionary reunions and we are surprised they would schedule a game the same night - I believe it's one of their few night games.

Do you all remember the flower arrangement painting that Aunt Elaine painted for us a few years ago? Well - it got scratched in some of our moves so when she was here not long ago she took it out of the frame and took it home to "spruce it up". She hadn't brought it back so we decided to go get it today so we could have it for our reunion. They have such a gorgeous home looking out over the valley just above the Temple but they just don't take the time to keep it kept up. Well - she was all alone in that big house watching the opera "Carmen" and we took her by surprise and she told us the painting wasn't quite ready. We visited for a little while and then left - soon after we got home, here she came with the painting and it is just like new, all freshly varnished and so pretty. She confessed that when she saw us earlier today she couldn't remember what she had done with it after she had fixed it. She finally remembered that it was in the trunk of their old car. I told her that was the sign of an artist - someone who really got lost in their work - I am so clock oriented I can't create anything. She said a Spanish girl followed Matt home from his mission and is now in Logan going to school with him - Lisa is finally back in Provo after being so long in Nursing school and living a Hippy Life but she is doing great and their daughter Kim is working at their plant here in Orem. Elaine seems happier than she has been for a long time. Jill's husband quit as their plant manager and they live in Salt Lake and Elaine is happy about that.

That's all the news. We love each one of you so very much - PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO!!! Let us know how we can help you.










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