June 21, 1989 Orem, Utah
Dearest John; Roy, Patrice & Emily; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:
We just came home from our trip to Arkansas last night and I have at least one million things to do but I'm going to write a short letter or I will forget some of the things we did!!!!
We left last Wednesday morning (June 14th) about 7 a.m. and drove through Colorado and into Kansas - we had expected it to be really, really hot but it was just wonderful and everything was so green and pretty because of all the rain they have had. We went through Vail, Colorado and I just love to go that way - it's hard to believe how that place keeps growing and growing!!! We spent the first night in Colorado, close to Kansas. We did some sight seeing on the way and visited the Kit Carson Carousel - that was the first one made and they have preserved it in a little tiny town in Colorado - we even went for a ride on it. It is a beautiful carousel but the animals don't go up and down like they do now.
Thursday morning we left and drove through Kansas, arriving in Russellville just as it was getting dark. We stayed in a state park right on the lake and it was absolutely gorgeous - there were ducks quacking most of the night and of course Daddy loved that. We drove into Little Rock early Friday morning and we just "goofed off" because we knew we couldn't get into our motel until about l o'clock. We went shopping at Steinmarts and bought each of us a bathing suit so we could swim at the motel and we had lunch at the Taco Kid - we had smothered sanchos and wow did that bring back a lot of memories. When Roy worked there they would often have sanchos left over and he would bring them home and we loved them then and they are still just as good. We drove all over Little Rock and loved seeing our old home and other places. We got into the motel and dressed in our bathing suits and went to the pool - the water was just freezing so we didn't swim but it was fun to sit at poolside and sun bathe. Daddy looked through the want ads and found some fishing boats that interested him (he wants to have two fishing boats so he can have one here to fish on Utah Lake and then one to keep at the cabin). We decided to go look at one of the ones advertised and thought that by the time we got back Roy & Patrice would be there - we had thought they would be driving. Just as we were driving off, here they came - they had flown and rented a car. We went to look at the boat while they got unpacked and then we went to dinner.
THIS IS THE BIG NEWS FOR THIS LETTER - ROY HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION WITH THE BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER IN LITTLE ROCK!!!! He told us that and Patrice told us that he has just been COMMISSIONED A MAJOR IN THE AIR FORCE!!!! We're really proud of you Roy and you too Patrice - you surely do deserve it though!!! We all went to dinner at Catfish City and it was just wonderful and little Emily was SO good. After diner we went to get a TCBY (this can't be yogurt) and what a thrill to see how that has grown - they have little yogurt places all over Arkansas and other places too now. We were there when that first started and it was started by the Jordin's friends, the Higginbothams. We then went back to the motel and we were all tired so we just went to bed.
Saturday morning we had bran croissants and cantaloupe in the motel room. Daddy had found more boats to look at so he went to look at them and Roy, Patrice, Emily & I went to Reservoir park ª that little park by Leawood. Emily played and played and it was wonderful to be with her. We then went back to the motel and Emily napped and Daddy & I got ready to go see our former neighbors and Roy & Patrice got ready to go to their friend's wedding. We had lunch with Dan & Dorothy and all their girls were there and also Dorothy's mother, Nonny. Dana, Terry & Carol all wanted to know all about all of you - we took pictures of them and will share them with you when we get them back. We also took pictures of John Robert and Kay and their children - a darling family!!! Little Emily loved being there because the Woods' two grandchildren were there and there were lots of toys. We then went to see Jeannette Barbee - she has just had another knee operation - then to see Pete Hipp and she is going on another cruise - then to see Tom & Bobbye Dennis - it was JUST WONDERFUL to visit with all of them and they all wanted to give you their love.
We went back to the motel to get ready for the dinner at the Stake Center and Roy & Patrice came back from the wedding. The wedding had been at Marlsgate (a plantation out by Scott) - they said it was very nice and many of their friends were there. They met with some of their friends that night and went for pizza and then to the home of the bride's sister to visit.
The dinner at the new Stake Center could not have been nicer. They served all Southern food - ham, grit casserole, black eyed peas, slaw, sweet potato muffins, and pecan pie!!!! We spent so much time visiting with friends that we didn't have much time to eat and right in the middle of our eating they called on Daddy to speak - I kept right on eating and had my mouth full of pie when they called on me to "say a few words". Dean Andrew, LaRaine & Bob McChesney and Daddy & I were all there representing the former Stake Presidents. To say the people of the church in Arkansas love Daddy is the mildest form of expression - they were all SO sweet to us!!!!
We got back to the motel about the same time as Roy & Patrice did on Saturday night and Daddy & Roy went to get us all another yogurt - they brought back huge cups of peach yogurt with fresh peach topping and it was just delicious and we visited for awhile and that was such a treat to be with them. Daddy and I are so impressed with Emily and how good she is - she just adapted to our schedules and was so happy all the time.
Sunday morning, Daddy & I went out to Stake Conference - the new Stake Center is in Otter Creek and is really a beautiful building. Roy, Patrice & Emily all went to their Unitarian Church which is on Reservoir road by Pleasant Valley - they were impressed with their congregation. Jim Griffin is doing a great job as Stake President and the stake has grown considerably - they also have a Jacksonville Stake that has grown considerably. Daddy spoke and just did his usual perfect job - Andrews and McChesney also spoke. Let me tell you a little about some of the people there that you might remember. Tom & Barbara Brown are just the same - she is Stake Relief Society President and spoke at the Saturday night session - Sharon has a beautiful little family - Bobby is in the Marines and is divorced - Richard and his wife are at BYU. Neil & Marjorie Littlefield are just the same too - Neil is a Bishop now and Marjorie has lost a lot of weight and looks beautiful - I saw this young man standing by us so I went up to him and asked who he was and he said, "Sister Mellor, I'm Eric Littlefield and I'm all grown up" - he is darling and has been accepted into the pre-med program at the Y. Cissy & Charles are just the same - her ankle was all bandaged - she had fallen at Shawna's and twisted it - he is Bishop in Hot Springs. Lucy & Jack Williams have moved there and they look just the same but Jack is "out to lunch". Peggy Miller is still ill (mental problems). Joy Geisler is still the same - she is a librarian at UALR and doesn't want to retire because she likes her new boss - her daughter Judy has five children and is expecting again soon. We missed seeing Chris & Marc!!!! We'll have to tell you more about the people when we're with you.
After church we met Roy & Patrice back at the motel - they had Father's Day for Daddy and that was good because I had just given him a kiss and hug - they had such special cards - Roy has saved many things through the years and among them was a card he had made for Father's Day when he was probably in the first grade - he gave that to Daddy for the second time - twenty five years later - I must somehow create a picture of that with Roy & Daddy now and frame it - I wish I had thought and taken a picture of them when he gave it to him - also Patrice had found a "flying duck" in Connecticut and had brought that to him. Then we all went to Andre's for lunch - that's in the same little shopping area as Swensons (where we used to get earthquakes). That was just wonderful - spinach salads, turkey croissant sandwiches and delicious pastries - we used to go there for bakery goods. We said goodbye to Roy & Patrice - their flight was leaving about five p.m. - and we headed for Searcy, Arkansas to try to find Brenda Lowe who is ill with lung cancer.
It took us about four hours and I don't have the space for details but we finally found her - she was at her daughter's home and her daughter is just a doll - she is one we hadn't met. Brenda looks good and has a wonderful attitude just like Daddy does - she starts chemotherapy this week - we took pictures of her and I will try to get some of our missionaries to write to her.
I was going to end my letter but one of the neatest things happened at the end of our trip that I can't leave out. We knew that Bob & Claire and their children would be at the cabin but we thought they were going there on Monday. Daddy kept saying he wanted to go see them but I didn't want to bother them - the closer it got to the turn off going into Scofield from the freeway we were on the more I could see that Daddy really wanted to go. SO, I SAID "OKAY"!!!! Just as were driving from Scofield to the cabin we noticed this red van ahead of us - we knew it looked like their car but we also knew they were supposed to have gone on Monday. When we caught up to them we found they couldn't leave on Monday because of T-ball games. Wasn't that ironical - for both of us to arrive at the cabin at the very same time????
What a darling family they have and they were REALLY excited. I have never seen so much food - they asked us to stay and we were really tempted, mostly because they were celebrating Michael's birthday and they had a beautiful birthday cake. He wanted us to stay and was so sweet in asking us that I worried about it all the way home. Little Katie is just beautiful and is so good - Claire says she is always that way. I worry about the steep steps but Jimmy mastered them so maybe Brett will too. It was windy while we were there yesterday and I hope it calms down so they can have a wonderful vacation. There is absolutely nothing that pleases us more than for the cabin to be used like that and I told Claire that we will clean it twice a year - once in the Fall at the end of the season and again in the Spring and nothing in between - it isn't fun if we have to worry about keeping it clean. The dock is in the water and that is SO neat!!!!
John did a wonderful job with the yard - we were SO thrilled to come home and find the grass all mowed. Little Hans was happy to see us but we could see he had been well cared for. John has his finals on Friday and Saturday and then he is through until the Fall Semester - he decided it would be better to work this Summer because he couldn't get the classes he needs. We talked to him this morning but we haven't seen him yet.
We haven't talked to either Ann nor Jean and we hope you are all doing fine.
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.
HOW
IS THIS FOR A VERY SHORT LETTER!!!!!