April 4, 1988 Orem, Utah

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

Welcome to little Katherine Marie!!!!! We have to keep pinching ourselves to believe she is here and we are SO thrilled. We talked to Claire last night and she said they had just come home from the hospital and everything was fine - Bob had to go to Martin, Tennessee to work for the weekend so Claire's parents had brought her home. She said her legs were much better - her doctor decided to bring the baby early but she weighed over 7 lbs. so she really wasn't go too early and we were relieved to learn that. It was so funny - Johnny had a date with Sasha on Wednesday night and her mother is one of Claire's really good friends in Memphis. When Johnny came home he said "Claire is going to have her baby tomorrow" - Sasha had talked to her Mom that day and she had told her. SO we weren't really surprised when Bob called us to tell us the news. He talked to Daddy and told him they had a little baby girl and then he hung up. I started to ask all the things I wanted to know like, her weight and her name, etc., etc. and Daddy did not know one thing. I could hardly wait until that evening when we thought they would be home so we could talk to then again!!!!! What a beautiful name - Claire said that Bob picked it out and they would probably call her Kate. It's wonderful that Claire's parents are there to help them out during this busy, busy, time. Claire said that Bob has to go to some kind of conference soon and also that he has to take some kind of big exam so he is studying a lot. We are looking forward to their visit the first of May when they will come to look for a home and we'll get to see baby Kate!!!!

Roy & Patrice - we LOVED the pictures and thank you so much!!!! We couldn't believe it - in fact, I had said that you probably wouldn't send any. What a beautiful little baby girl!!!! In some of the pictures we think she looks like Patrice and in some we think she looks like Roy - is that true???? Roy said he thought she has his nose and we agree - that's a classic nose!!! Patrice - the picture of you holding Emily is beautiful and should be enlarged. We loved the ones of Roy and Emily too and what a treasure - to have her Daddy in his hospital clothes holding her so soon after her birth. She REALLY looks mature and well developed and SO MUCH hair - since we can't see her in person we hope so much you will keep us up to date with pictures. Roy said they would like to make Suzie a Saint - she has been so much help and we know how much they appreciate her!!!!

I must retract my "big news" from last week and I can't help but think that Rick & Jean wish I wasn't such a "blabbermouth"!!!! The sale of their home fell through so now they are back to square one. They don't know what they are going to do but for now they won't be buying the home they had been looking at - I know things will work out for them that will be for their best good but I'm sure it is a disappointment for them. They are excited because they are planning a trip to Mexico the last part of April - they will be gone for a long weekend and I have forgotten the place they are going to but it sounds fun.

The Woolleys hosted the Easter dinner for the family yesterday and it was just absolutely wonderful - their home is so comfortable for a big crowd and our family is getting to be a big crowd!!!! Jeannie had fixed beautiful and delicious trays of fruit and vegetables with special dips, Annie had made her famous delicious twice baked potatoes and rolls and we also had ham - we ate until we almost burst and then watched the afternoon session of conference. After conference Ron & Ann got out a million flavors of ice cream with toppings and even though we were stuffed we all enjoyed dessert. Before Ann would give us any ice cream we had to tell one thing we learned from the conference sessions - it was hilarious because we had all had a hard time staying awake!!!! Conference was just excellent though with great emphasis on the resurrection - President Benson is 88 years old and he spoke at two sessions but couldn't speak on Sunday because he was just worn out. Most of our General Authorities look so old to me - even Boyd Packer who is my age-Ha!!!!

It is so wonderful to have Johnny home with us for all the family get togethers. He is really having a hard time staying interested in his classes - he says he would much prefer the quarter system to the semester system. He is doing great but studies more than he would like. Jimmy & Rosie Willardsen came to see us last night - that's the first time we have seen Jimmy since he came home from his Mission and he has certainly grown into a handsome young man. He will start BYU in a few weeks and go on the "block system" - we would like Johnny to do that but he says he is tired of school. Jimmy wants to go into "Sport's Medicine". Johnny went back to the BYU Health Center and they gave him some more penicillin and said if he wasn't better when he was through with that they would send him to a "real doctor" - I have wonderful if he has mononucleosis - maybe it's just the "end of semester doldrums"!!!!

Daddy is out digging in "his" dirt. Ann said Ron was in heaven on Saturday because he was digging in "his" dirt - I think that's a good expression!!!! One day last week Daddy decided to trim some of the branches from our trees out in back - I was holding the ladder for him but the side opposite from where I was started to sink in the ground and it tilted and Daddy fell to the ground. It about scared me to death but he didn't hurt himself (he really didn't fall very far) - after that we went to the store and bought one of those trimmers that you can extend to get to the high branches. He had Johnny saw one of our trees down - just a little one. Daddy is just dying to get the yard in tip top shape and plant his flowers - he got some redwood logs and has terraced the top part of our hill. He did a lot of work this time last year and then the yard just kind of "kept itself" - he has all the shrubs, etc. bricked in so there isn't a lot of trimming and with the sprinkling system we just don't worry about it. He is feeling really good - he went to the internist last Friday (just because he had made the appointment when he had his cough) and Dr. Anderson gave him some pills for his acid stomach that have really helped him. I don't ever remember when he didn't have an acid stomach so that isn't new.

We had our Missionary Reunion last Friday night and we had about 40 come. Susanna, Jessie, Barji & Mary Ann came to help and they were so cute - Rick had brought Barji, Mary Ann & Ricky down on Thursday so they could spend their Easter holiday with the Skuzzins. We have decided to put one of our missionaries in charge of our reunion in October - we need some fresh ideas. They come at 7 and most of them stay until about midnight and it's getting harder and harder to entertain them because they have seen the mission slides a million times. Johnny went to his missionary reunion in Salt Lake and he said they had a wonderful time just visiting. Daddy & I usually go all out for refreshments and then we are left with a lot of leftovers and that's kinda' dumb!!!! You know me - I always think we have to feed them and most of them don't even want to eat.

Dianne and I spent all afternoon together last Tuesday and we had a wonderful time - she said to tell you all "hello". We went to lunch and then we went to see Ann's home and then shopping. She really looks good but she is plagued with bad headaches - Garry took her to the Bahamas for a couple weeks and she said that helped out as soon as she got back to her home in Indianapolis they started again - he cared for their twin girls this past week so she could come here to stay in their condo and rest and she was feeling better. They are thinking she is allergic to something in their neighborhood - they live in a wooded area. Their son, Brick, is going to the Anaheim, California Mission and will leave the first of June, I believe. Chris Jordin called on Saturday morning (she awakened me at 9:30 - I was embarrassed) and she said Little Rock had been under a tornado alert all night. I remember those days - do you???? She said it was gorgeous there with all the beautiful trees budding out and the azaleas in full bloom. I'll bet it's that pretty in Memphis and San Antonio too - it's pretty here too but will be prettier later on in the Summer.

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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