May 5, 2002 Farmington, Utah

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY TO RUSSELL TODAY!!! I hope you are having a WONDERFUL day today Russell. I don't know the time difference but I'm thinking the day is probably over and he is asleep somewhere in Johannesburg, South Africa. I look forward to the information Ann & Ron forward to us from Russell's mission and I keep hoping to hear that things have settled down in Madagascar enough so the missionaries will be able to return and finish their work. I know Russell is happy though and has probably already found many investigators who want to hear about the gospel - I hope so!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO JESSIE!!! Jessie graduated from Utah State yesterday and she graduated "CUM LAUDE" - I'm SO proud of her and appreciate being invited to participate in all the activities. Saturday morning is my temple morning and I had arranged for a substitute to come in at 7 - I don't have much luck in finding someone who will come in at 5. The processional for the graduates was at 9 and I thought I would be able to get there if I left the temple at 7. She surprised me and came in at 6:45 so I hurried and left and got to the University about 8:45. I was SO thrilled because I wanted to get a picture of Jessie as she marched with her graduation class but would you believe I didn't recognize her when she passed - I was right in the middle of the road but somehow I missed her. I did get a picture of the flags and maybe a picture of Governor Leavitt - Ha!!!

I hurried from the processional to go to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum and I was SO happy to have Ron find me and help me cross the grass which was quite "lumpy" and then we caught up with Ann, Lee Anna and Jimmy - they were at a different place from where I was at the processional. Ron and Jimmy left to get more pictures of Jessie before she went in for the commencement exercises and Ann, Lee Anna and I went to get good seats. I was surprised to find there were a little over 3,500 graduates and it was fun to watch them all march in to their seats - I never did find Jessie. The exercises were very good - Carolyn Tanner Irish, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah was the commencement speaker and I enjoyed reading her speech in the Deseret News today more than I did when I heard her yesterday - I am definitely a visual learner!!! I was also impressed with the President of Utah State - Kermit Hall - I thought he did a GREAT job. Governor Leavitt was on the stand but he didn't speak - he had a son who was in the business graduation class.

Jessie's college of Humanities (I believe that's right) had their exercises at noon - right after the commencement and of course that was much smaller and they presented their diplomas individually and it was just WONDERFUL. We had good seats and we found her immediately and I hope some of my pictures turn out. Then we all went outside to take some pictures - Jessies' family had brought her a large bouquet of pink roses and her friend boy, Cody, had driven from Provo to attend. THEN - Ron treated all of us to dinner at "The Bluebird" in downtown Logan and that was SO special!!! Jessie had made reservations and we had such a nice table and they served a delicious buffet. Susanna and Steve came to join us - Susanna had worked all night on Friday night and had to work all night again on Saturday night so they couldn't come for the graduation exercises. The whole day brought back so many wonderful memories for me and eating at the Bluebird was the frosting on the cake - I spent LOTS of time there and on the campus 55 years ago and much of it is the same. When Daddy and I graduated, his folks came from Manti and my folks had a dinner in their backyard in Brigham City for all of us - it was the first time they had met each other and as I look back it was a very special day. I have the hardest time putting myself in my right age bracket. I walked to the processional with a couple and I asked them if they had grandchildren who were graduating and they said, "No, but we have a son" - I thought sure they were my age - Ha!!! It's a good thing I don't feel as old as I look.

Patrice - thank you for your sweet letter. I enjoy hearing about the "Heifer Project" in your church and after being with some of your members I can tell it is a worthwhile project and all the children get involved. I have never really understood what it was before and I would like to learn even more. I am all for families working together on a humanitarian effort. The Unitarian Church in Little Rock is working towards getting a good water buffalo for a farmer in Thailand - I hope that's right. The farmers couldn't farm without their water buffalo in the country of Thailand - they use them like American farmers use tractors.

John - thank you for your sweet letter too and I'm glad you are busy. I haven't talked to you for awhile but I watch the news broadcasts from New York each morning and think about you in your nice weather and hope you are exercising like you want to. I'm anxious to have lunch with Laura again and hopefully we will be able to get together in June or maybe the last of May - trying to get three very busy women together for just one afternoon is almost impossible!!! I'll bet Bren is busy with softball or is it soccer???

Bob and Claire - thank you for spending Friday night with me. We went to our favorite Thai restaurant in Roy and had a DELICIOUS time just visiting and eating and it was so much fun and I know they don't really have time for that. Laura is home for the weekend before starting the Summer Semester at Utah State - I believe she starts tomorrow. Claire told me she was having some problems getting into her apartment so she is going to be staying at the University Inn right on campus for a week. I have stayed there and it is SO nice.

The Weinerts have had a challenge this week and I know all of us want them to know we are thinking about them and wanting the very best. Ricky is such a big, strong and healthy young man and it was a shock for them to learn he has a kidney concern. He feels good but they want him to have more tests made after his Summer Semester the end of May. He is on a trip to Oregon this weekend with one of his roommates. We will do whatever it takes to make sure the outcome of this problem is positive.

Michael - I envy you for having an apartment and arrangements made to start school at Utah State. I truly do not want you to get "Trunky" though. I hope you will give your mission your very best efforts and help all the other missionaries with whom you are working to be enthusiastic about their callings - it's such a "downer" when companions who are going home dwell on that. I know you already know that and will help your companion have success.

Mother's Day is this next Sunday and I am pleading with each one of you to PLEASE not give me a gift - YOU ARE MY GIFTS!!! I am very much aware of the fabulous Mothers in our family and I am SO proud of each one of you. Annie, Jeannie, Claire, Patrice and Laura are such GREAT examples of motherhood and you deserve all the attention and I MEAN IT!!! I plan to drive to Brigham City and put flowers on my Mother's grave so I won't even be home.