March 17, 2002 Farmington, Utah

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EMILY ON TUESDAY - 14 YEARS OLD - WOW!!! I have many favorite memories of Emily but my very favorite one is the time she tried to convince me the video store I wanted to go to while I was taking care of her and Timothy was in one direction and she knew it was in the opposite direction. She "stomped her feet" and headed in the direction she knew was right and I didn't have any choice but to follow her and sure enough she was right. I couldn't believe that such a little girl could be so positive and determined to "prove her case" - Ha!!! I hope you have a WONDERFUL day Emily - I'm proud of you!!!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU BUT ESPECIALLY TO MY IRISH FAMILY IN LITTLE ROCK. I have never really known much about St. Patrick's day except that we are supposed to wear green - it was always so much fun to find friends who had forgotten so we could "pinch" them. I receive the Presidential Prayer website on the internet and today they had the following prayers commemorating St. Patrick's Day:

From President George W. Bush: "I am pleased to send warm greetings to all those celebrating St. Patrick's Day. On this day millions of people in Ireland and throughout the world will gather to commemorate the life of Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland. From his days as a slave in Ireland to his work as missionary years later, St. Patrick demonstrated a courage, commitment and faith that won the hearts and minds of the Irish people".

From St. Patrick of Ireland: So that whatever befalls me, be it good or bad, I should accept it equally and give thanks always to God who revealed to me that I might trust in Him, implicitly and forever and who will encourage me so that, ignorant, and in the last days, I may dare to undertake so devout and so wonderful a work; so that I might imitate one of those whom, once, long ago, the Lord already preordained to be heralds of His Gospel to witness to all peoples to the ends of the earth".

As I read those I thought I had a better understanding of the meaning of St. Patrick's day and the devotion of so many Irish people so maybe you will too (you have probably already known this). Many Utahns celebrated St. Patrick's day yesterday with parades and get-togethers and I have never known the full significance of their celebrations. I visited a friend in the condos yesterday and she had a large decoration on her front door and since her last name is Baldwin, she had "An Irish Welcome to the O'Baldwin Home" written on it. I quickly said, "I have O'Donoghues in my family". I'm wondering if the Roy Mellor family is celebrating today with Suzie and if you are having corned beef and cabbage - I hope so!!!

I was SO happy to come home from church this morning to find that Annie, Susanna, Lee Anna and Jessie had been here. They had met here to practice a musical number they were doing for Jeff Grondahl's missionary farewell - I believe he is going to Australia on his mission. I know his farewell was special and I hope Grandpa Russ and Mimi were able to come for it. I was sorry to miss them and I was also sorry my home was so cold - I sleep better if my bedroom is cold and I don't turn the heat up until I get up and since our church starts at 8:30 the house really hadn't had a chance to get warm - it was very cold last night and snowed about 6 inches. Thank you for the delicious carrot cake you left for me - I am assuming you were assigned to bring a cake for the "farewell dinner". I'm SO glad you would come like that - my home is open to all of you and you're welcome to turn the heat up or turn on the fireplace. Sorry it was SO messy too!!!

John - thank you for all your e-mails and I LOVED the picture from the Empire State Building. John said the "6 month anniversary" of the New York tragedy was a big deal and those "memorial lights" are VERY impressive. I read a little about them after I received John's picture and I believe they are going to be lit until April 3rd. If anyone in the entire world could have picked a period of time to be in the New York community it would have been the last six months - John - you have experienced things not many people will ever have the opportunity to experience and I'm sure you won't ever forget them.

Bob and Claire - are you home from France??? I believe this has been the longest time I have gone without hearing from you since moving to Davis County. I kept expecting an e-mail message from Paris but since you knew I wouldn't be home I guess you didn't send one. I hope SO much you had a GREAT time and also that Brett and Katie got along fine - I'm sure they did with Laura's help and also the woman from your ward who was staying with them. I'll be anxious to hear all about your trip when you get time.

Mary Ann - I'm SO anxious to hear about your marathon. Did you actually run it??? Jeannie and Sarah - I want to hear all about your trip to California for the Davis High Drill Team competition. I thought today as I drove home from church that I don't know where my family is - my Davis County family has been scattered all over - it was a joy to come and find the note from Annie.

Roy - thank you SO much for your phone call a few minutes ago. I have been waiting to hear from them about the best time to go to Little Rock in April. Roy was worried that a medical meeting he was supposed to go to would conflict with the time I wanted to go for a visit and he called today to tell me that the meeting won't be in April as he had thought. Dorothy and Dans' 50th wedding anniversary celebration is going to be April 13th - that is a Saturday. John said he would make my airline reservations which will really help me and if he can make them so I can be there that Saturday that would be wonderful. They are having a "drop-in reception" at the Fellowship Bible Church Great Room and it will be fun to see their family and some friends if I can be there.

I left last Sunday with Margaret and other friends right after Sacrament meeting to go to Etna, Wyoming. We have such a good time together - we got there about 6 p.m. and had stopped to have Mexican food at Taco Time somewhere along the way. There were 8 of us and the people who take care of Margaret's home there had the road all cleared but I have never seen so much snow since I have been going there - you could hardly see her home. She told us they have to keep the road cleared in order for her to get fire insurance - it is mind boggling to me when I think of the expense that home is for her. We each have our own bedrooms and bathrooms, three huge family rooms, dining room, huge kitchen and other rooms like her private rooms and game rooms for her grandchildren AND each one of them has to be heated and they all have their own television sets plus a big screen in their largest family room. It was so cold that no one wanted to go snowmobiling. We all gather about 10 a.m. and fix whatever we want for breakfast - everyone brings something and we always have way too much. We go into Afton, Wyoming to shop at little special stores - someone fixes dinner and then we usually watch videos until time for bed - this time we watched "Cool Running" to remind us of the Olympic bobsled races. We also spend time reading and doing some handwork - I'm working on some little receiving blankets for Barji and Susanna. I would live there if I were Margaret but her family won't let her be there alone and she says she would be frightened too. We didn't see any deer around her place but the man taking care of it says he see cougars quite often.

I went to our Ward's "Men's Gourmet Dinner" last night - I don't usually go to those but another widow called me at the last minute and asked me to go with her so I did and I enjoyed it. I don't believe I have ever tasted such good salads and I hope they will pass out the recipes. The grand prize award went to a man who had made "veal scaloppini" (sp.?) and it was very good. Lynn would have won with his fried catfish wouldn't he?

I went into Salt Lake to the Family History Library to find Ann and Dick Cobb but they weren't there that day. I left a message for them to call me so they did but I wasn't home - I don't know what I would do without my phone answering machine. I have invited them to come for dinner and I'm waiting to hear from Linda Smithers to see if she will come too. I haven't seen the Cobbs for a long time and I want to do something for them while they are here.

Russell - what a relief to finally hear from you via e-mail and I hope you will be able to communicate like that real often. It sounds to me like President Hill is taking every precaution to keep you safe and still have you do your missionary work - he sounds like a truly great man. It was good to receive his letter too and have him explain exactly what is going on in that country - I cringed when I read that there is A LOT of mail that will probably never be sorted or delivered - so much for all the letters I have been sending you - Ha!!! I really appreciate your folks forwarding the letters from Pres. Hill and parts of your letters too.

Michael - what will they do with the Mission Home in the area where they are closing the mission? I know you are a big help to your Mission President as he makes all the adjustments involved with that. I visited with a Mother at the temple who was with her daughter who is going to Bulgaria - I gasped when she told me that and I wish I hadn't. Mothers worry SO much about their sons and daughters who are serving in foreign countries and I don't blame them. Mary Ann's friend, Matt Steed, just received his mission call to go to Venezuela. His parents were hoping for a "Stateside Mission". He will be their fourth son who has gone foreign.