May 5, 1997

Dearest John & Julianna; Roy, Patrice, Emily, Timothy & Jesse; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, Lee Anna & Jimmy:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RUSSELL TODAY!!! Wow, Russell you are 15 years old and that's mighty close to being 16 and getting a driver's license. I surely hope you have a WONDERFUL day!!! It is so much fun to have grandchildren and learn about all the different things they do. I have never known very much about wrestling but since Russell is into wrestling I find myself reading all the sports accounts about wrestling. I understand you are very good too, Russell!!!

I had such a wonderful week last week. Dianne and I spent the day together on Tuesday. We had lunch at Thanksgiving Point and it was very good and then we shopped there and also visited their nursery. That is a very nice addition to Utah County and especially for Lehi and it was very crowded while we were there. Dianne wanted to show me her son Brick's home in Highland. They have a new baby and I didn't think it was quite right for us to just "pop in" but Dianne said it would be okay. I waited in the car while she helped Laura tidy it up - Ha!!! They have a lovely home and two darling little children - a girl and a boy. They have a lot to do in their yard and they have one of those wooden play gyms that keeps getting blown over - I'm not sure I would like all the wind they get.

I couldn't let Dianne "out do me" so I said we should go by and see John & Julianna's home. Julianna was SO sweet and there is no way she could have tidied up their home for us - they are doing a lot of work and have carpet pulled up and Julianna is up to her elbows in paint. She very graciously invited us in and we saw their beautiful backyard and Oscar, Sasha and Tar - it was fun and after we left Dianne said, "she is so cute" and I agreed.

I went to Layton on Thursday and I had a WONDERFUL time while I was there. Michael, Laura and Brett couldn't have been sweeter - they helped me in every way and it was so much fun to become acquainted with their friends. I don't like for them to be away from home after it gets dark so as a result their friends came to their home - they have very nice friends. One evening when I told them they had to stay home,. Michael said "We'll go up in the computer room" and he took about four friends with him. Laura said, "We'll go downstairs and watch a movie" and she and a friend went down there. Brett and I played some games - BRETT, NEXT TIME I COME I AM GOING TO BRING MY OWN GAMES - Ha!!! He tried unsuccessfully to teach me how to play Risk and Stratego. When I couldn't learn either of those he said, "Well, Grandma B, I have a really easy one you can do". He got out this marble game that reminds me of checkers and no matter how hard I tried he got me "cornered". He is so considerate and tried to let me win but I just couldn't. I probably should have spent that time doing spelling or reading with him but I didn't. I was happy their curfew was 11 o'clock and I could say goodbye to their friends.

Friday night Laura and Michael were involved in a fund raising function at their school - it was called "Falcon Fest". Jeannie had asked if I could go to the Davis High School "A Night To Remember" and she said I could bring anyone I wanted to. Brett had a little friend, Jordan, over to play with him so I invited them to come with us. I really had no idea what it was going to be - I told Brett that all I knew was that Rick was going to escort Barji somewhere. I am not kidding when I say it was 'SPECTACULAR". It was kind of a finale for the Davis High School Dance Team and I have NEVER see anything more beautiful. Barji performed with her team in about ten dance routines and each one of them was very, very difficult and with gorgeous costumes. I can just imagine the many hours of practice that has gone into those presentations and they didn't "mess up" even one time.

They introduced each member of the team and then her Father or other relative escorted her through a background of flowers and pillars, etc. It was VERY impressive and of course, Rick and Barji were by far the most attractive. Barji's friend, Boyd Summerhays, sat with us and he is such a nice young man Brett and Jordan were so very good and didn't complain through the two hours of dancing. They had a table display of all the dance team members with their pictures in the entrance of the school. I wouldn't have missed that for anything in this world but I am so sad that I didn't take my camera - can you imagine me missing out on so many photo opportunities??? Barji is a beautiful little dancer and I am SO proud of you Barji.

Patrice - thank you so very much for your phone call this morning. It was SO good to talk to you and hear the same things that Bob and Claire had told me. YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL TIME BEING TOGETHER AND EMILY AND KATIE ARE GOOD PALS. I am thrilled that you were able to go on the Quapaw Home Tour - that was the first thing Claire told me when I talked to her last night. I had the wrong time for their return trip home so the children were alone for about three hours - Bob and Claire called me on their car phone and they hadn't been home yet and it was about 9:30 and I left a little after 6. I felt bad about that.

My friend, Mel Manning, had open heart surgery a few days before I went to Layton. I didn't know about it and called to tell Ellen Mae that I hoped we could get together and she called me back and told me. It was an emergency type of thing but he is doing very well - I took a bouquet of flowers and left them at their door and he called to thank me. He had a 5 bi-pass - whatever that is. They have more names for things they do with hearts and I can't keep up with all of them. The hardest thing for Mel will be to slow him down but he is home now and Ellen Mae will keep her thumb on him. I was glad I was there or I probably wouldn't have known about it for a long time. I also had a lot of time to talk to Ellen Mae on the phone and also to my other friend, Margaret Jost.

I don't have any more news about Jill. The funniest thing happened. Carol Ann has been in Provo and she called and told me that she had been to the hospital to see Jill and that she was doing a lot better and was responding to commands. Shirley called me a little later and told me there was no change in her condition and Shirley has been the one to take Elaine to the hospital all the time. I don't really know how she is doing and they probably don't either.

John - I'm anxious to talk to you about the T-shirts. Bob has made a design for you to either use or alter and it is WONDERFUL I have the design here so I can bring it to you or you can come get it. I need to figure out all the sizes. Roy and Patrice - I will order large for each of you and comparable sizes for the children like their cousins will have. We will have over 100 if I have figured right.

I have more room so I will tell a little more about the things Bob and Claire told me about Little Rock. Bob said he spent some time at our home on Leawood but he didn't go to visit any of our former neighbors. I am going to tell them he did and that they weren't home if they ask me. They also went to see their first home but the people weren't there so they just walked around it. They went to our old ward there and said it is not doing very well - Bob said they used to have an average attendance of about 130 and now it is down to 90 - that has to be very discouraging for them. They saw Chris, Joy, the Adays, the Cobbs, the Baileys, and some others I can't remember. It is always hard for me when I go to Little Rock - thinking about all the wonderful memories of our life there - I was happy to have Bob tell me it was hard for him too. I will never again experience the happiness that comes from the things we had there - respect, love, concern and interest from all the church members and our neighbors for our entire family. That is a rare blessing that I am aware of more each day. I have many, many happy things now but they are different. I have forgotten to mention Brett's soccer game - BRETT IS ONE FANTASTIC PLAYER!!!

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