April 5, 1999 Farmington, Utah

I have had a hard time getting to the computer today. I don't have very much time before I have to get ready to go to Salt Lake for a "Volunteer Teacher Reunion" so this will be a short letter. I am also expecting a former missionary teacher friend who is coming from Star Valley, Wyoming to go to the reunion with me and then spend the night here - her name is Vicky Burton.

Some of my neighbors have a son who has an exchange student living with them and she is from Bangkok. They brought her over to meet and you know how much I love to talk about Thailand so they stayed for along time. I am behind schedule!!!

PATRICE - IT WAS SO GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU THIS MORNING. I always worry about my family when they are "out of pocket" so I am happy you are back home in Little Rock. It sounds like your trip to Gulf Shores was just wonderful. I'm so glad that Wayne was able to take Roy fishing and that Chris could fix you a "fish dinner" - she is such a good cook. Your plans to come to Utah over the fourth of July sound great to me and nothing will please me more than to have Emily come spend awhile with me before that. I hope SO much that she will be able to go to Lake Powell - SHE WOULD LOVE THAT!!! I keep thinking that my grandchildren will tire of Lake Powell but I don't believe they ever will - it still ranks top of their lists of fun things to do even before cruises, Thailand, Hawaii, Europe, etc. etc.

I had such a WONDERFUL Easter yesterday!!! One thing I am sure of - when Ann is involved in any kind of holiday it is bound to be special and this was no exception. The Woolleys came about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday and their arms were filled with things - I couldn't imagine what was going on. They had a big basket filled with 80 plastic Easter eggs and Ann had folded dollar bills in each one of them. She hid them all over the house and it was hilarious as the young people all tried to find them - as it ended up, they couldn't find four of them so I have four dollars hidden somewhere in my house. We "all" cooked in the kitchen and watched the morning session of conference on my "tiny" kitchen television set - IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!

Michael came over to join us and WE LOVED THAT. He didn't want to go to Portland with his family so he stayed home and worked. We had dinner. hunted Easter eggs, and just played until it was time for the afternoon session to start. We watched that and then had one of the most delicious desserts I have ever eaten - Ann had brought a carrot and fruit cake that was "out of this world". That is definitely my kind of dessert - quite heavy and filled with EVERYTHING!!!

I didn't want them to leave but they did. Jessie had come on Saturday evening and spent the night with me - she is such a joy to me when she does that. She sat by the fireplace and did her homework and it just gives me such a good feeling to know she is here.

Vicky just called me and she is trying to find my place so I had better close and go look for her. I may write again tomorrow and tell you about our party tonight.