January 28, 1991 Orem, Utah

Dearest John; Roy, Patrice, Emily & Timothy; Bob, Claire,

Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean,

Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna

& Jimmy:

Wow!!! It's almost the end of January (c) has this been a long

month for you??? I REALLY love Winter but this January has even

seemed long to me (c) we have had some very, very cold

temperatures.

I guess the war should be first on my list for this letter.

Daddy & I are so happy we have lived long enough to witness

history in the making right before our eyes. I don't mean that

we're happy we are at war but after living through World War II

and comparing that to this one it is just unbelievable. During

World War II when Daddy was flying fighter planes off aircraft

carriers the news didn't even reach the states for two weeks. I

remember going to the movie theatres and they would always have a

segment on the war and the pictures were so poor that it was

quite boring!!! I haven't quite figured out why the public needs

to be as informed by the hour as we are (c) the military men who

are in charge almost seem apologetic when they can't divulge

information that would benefit Saddam Hussein. His last terrible

strategy really shows the world how "insane" he is (c) spilling all

the oil into the gulf!!! It isn't going to be over nearly as

soon as everyone thought I'm afraid and will probably be much

sadder when the ground troops start fighting!!!

Chris Jordin called Saturday morning and I was telling her that

so many Utah troops had been called up (c) she quickly reminded me

that 70% of the military serving in the Gulf is from the South.

I don't know where she gets her information but she seemed right.

I want to mention John before I forget him (c) Ha!!! He decided

about a month ago that a law degree would help him with his

engineering degree. He has been going to Salt Lake twice a week

to take a law test preparation class. He will take the test

necessary to get into law school in a couple weeks (c) he says he

will really have to score high in order to have a chance. The

two schools he is most interested in (c) BYU & Arizona State (c) will

already have chosen their students by then so he will not be

eligible for another year. He did really well on his GRE test (c)

that's the engineering test required for graduate school in

engineering so that is another option. The jobs in his field

right now are very scarce and he knows he will have to have

advanced degrees. He is such a joy to have around we are not

wanting him to look into work or schools out of state but we are

not saying anything. He doesn't read my letters so I can write

this about him (c) I leave them out for him but he ignores them (c)

Ha!!! There is a DARLING girl in our ward who would do just

about anything to get him to take her out (c) she even came over

one morning to visit with him (c) he is very loyal to Gayla!!!

Daddy's visit to the doctor wasn't too bad!!! His PSA has gone up

to 25 but that is only an increase of 1 in almost three months (c)

it went from 17 to 23.5 in one month so I think this is good. He

feels really good and Dr. Brown says he doesn't want to do

anything more until he has symptoms. Daddy has a WONDERFUL

positive attitude and keeps busy every single minute (c) he stained

all our wood last week and is going fishing tomorrow.

Roy & Patrice (c) when we went to see Dr. Brown last week he asked

us what it would take to get you to come out here to work. We

told him we would tell you about it but that you were REALLY

happy in Little Rock. One of the anesthesiologists at Utah

Valley hospital died last week and then there have been some

called into duty so "they are hurting". WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE

YOU OUT HERE but we think you have a wonderful situation there

too. Chris & Marc see Ted Snyder often and keep in touch with

Chip Strickland (c) Chip had been called into service and was

actually in line getting his shots when they told him he didn't

have to go just yet.

Daddy & I went to the Woolleys last night to visit with them and

also the Weinerts who had driven down for a visit. Before we

went we called Bob & Claire to see if they could tell us when the

best time would be for a family picture while we're all together.

THIS IS THE TIME WE CAME UP WITH (c) THURSDAY Feb. 28th at 10 p.m.

at the Woolleys home. If this is not good for any of you please

let me know this week because I will be calling the photographer

to make arrangements. It is very difficult to find a time with

so many families and I know Bob & Claire both hate having a

picture made (c) at the risk of all of you being mad at me for the

rest of my life I am going to insist that we all try to get

together that night. I could tell you all the reasons why that

is the only night but it would take the rest of my letter (c) Bob,

Rick & Ron all have conflicts with being out of town or on call

and John goes into Salt Lake Tuesdays & Thursdays and doesn't get

home until 10. You don't need to tell me that 10 o'clock is

very, very late for little children (c) I know that!!!

We are still having missionaries coming by and we appreciate them

SO much!!! Yesterday, Elders Madsen (you all remember him) and

Klem came by with their wives (c) we were at church so we missed

them but they left a note. Last week one night quite late one of

the young women who served with us came by to tell us she is

getting married (c) she is in her middle thirties and is marrying a

man whose wife died last year leaving him with four children

whose ages range from 3 to 7. Her name is Annette Bloom and she

has an excellent position at BYU and this will really be a change

for her (c) they will live in Kaysville. The only bad thing is

that her reception is going to be in Salt Lake the night Roy &

Patrice come in (c) I'm sure they won't mind our leaving though.

She has been such a sweet friend we couldn't possibly miss her

reception.

WE LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. Please be very careful!!!

Return to Home Page January 28, 1991 Orem, Utah