May 24, 1987 Orem, Utah

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

It's Sunday afternoon and Daddy is downstairs watching the basketball game between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons!!! The Pistons beat them yesterday by 20 points and they are ahead right now in the 2nd period. Poor Larry Bird is completely covered and can't do anything - Danny Ainge is out of the game because of injuries. I believe the Sports World is in shock - the Celtics have always won!!! Daddy is still recuperating from his surgery and feels great - he is walking a little slow but other than that you would never know he had had an incision from his navel to you know where plus two drainage incisions!!! He goes back to his doctor in Salt Lake this coming Thursday morning and then will start the radiation treatments here at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo. I will be glad to get those started and over with - I hope they don't make him sick and I doubt they will. He has actually read some fiction - he has just about finished that Louis Amour book of your Johnny, "Comstock Lode" and says he is ready for another one. We have also watched three videos and have two more to go - it's kinda' fun to be recuperating with him. He has such a wonderful attitude!!!

Johnny - we haven't heard from you for awhile. I had you so mixed up with my letters that I imagine you are still trying to catch up with all the news. We keep hoping we will receive some information from you about classes you want to take at the Y so we can get you registered. We received a High School announcement and picture from Shawn McCleod yesterday - it surely brought back a flood of memories from the time you graduated from Billings Senior - that was a fun time in our lives. I believe Kyle Lythgoe got home this month from his Mission - it will be fun for you to renew friendships with all your Billings friends.

Patrice & Roy - we loved the picture of your new home - it is so nice and looks like it has a beautiful front yard. We can just imagine how busy you are with wedding plans and moving plans, etc., etc.!!! Patrice - your graduation sounded special and we are so happy that your family was with you. I loved visiting with your Mom on the phone and can hardly wait to meet her. Roy - will you graduate too?? We are kinda' "out of it" as you can tell!!!

Claire - thank you for your wonderful letter - we love hearing about the children's activities. At their ages, they really keep you hopping, don't they??? Susanna, LeeAnna & Russell watched your video the other day and they were upset when their Mother told them they absolutely had to go home - they could have watched it for the full two hours. Bob - it's wonderful that you will have the responsibility for your department at the hospital after the first of July (when he told me about that, he said it wasn't because he was good or smart or anything but just because he had "hung in there long enough") - we know you are all of those things and more and we're proud of you!!!

The Woolleys and Weinerts are making plans for the Lake Powell trip a week from now - we won't be able to go with them because Daddy will start his radiation treatments that week but we'll be with them in spirit and hope they have a wonderful time. The newspaper yesterday had a big article in it about Lake Powell and how they expect around 50,000 young people on the lake this weekend because of Memorial Day Weekend. It has been a little too cool here to think of playing in the water but I guess it's a good deal warmer down there.


Daddy and I appreciate so much all of your phone calls and the visits made by the Woolleys and Weinerts last week - it made everything so much easier knowing that you were all "with us". Daddy's hunting buddies from Lehi came to the hospital to see him and he is already making plans to go hunting in the Fall with them and he can hardly wait because Johnny will be here to go with them. Our friends, Ellen Mae & Mel, from Kaysville came to see us too and we ended up telling jokes and laughing so hard I was worried that Daddy's stitches would give way!!! We really haven't done anything except go to the hospital this week so I don't have any news. We went in on Monday and then I brought Daddy home on Thursday morning. I have tried to cook nutritious and "fattening" meals but he just wants soup and crackers so I have eaten the fattening stuff - he looks wonderful though and will gain his weight and strength back fast!!!

We love each one of you very much and we're so proud of you. PLEASE BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO and let us know how we can help you. If I can think of any more news, I'll add a P.S. to this later.
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