Dearest Family,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BRETT ON THURSDAY - WOW - I
can't believe you will be 17 years old but I hope you have a WONDERFUL
birthday the day after Christmas. I don't know for sure but I'm betting you
will probably be practicing for the Rose Bowl Parade - you have been
practicing every free minute for the last month. I'M PROUD OF YOU BRETT!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH ONE OF YOU TOO!!! I
almost feel like I have already had Christmas with all the things I have
attended this month - it has been an absolutely GREAT month and one I will
not soon forget!!!
It would take a better writer than I am to
describe Mary Ann and Davids' wedding adequately. It all started at the
Bountiful Temple on Thursday morning (Dec. 19th) - I got there shortly after
Jean and Rick had arrived with Mary Ann and it was fabulous to see some of
my family gather. It would have been like a glimpse of Heaven if the Roy
Mellors, John & Russell could have been with us. I parked in the
underground parking and as I was walking into the temple I saw Ron and Ann
in their car - they were waiting for Susanna to feed little Jackson. I had
worried that maybe they wouldn't be able to get there in time because Provo
is a long ways from Bountiful and we had to be in the temple by 8:30 a.m.
The Woolleys waited in the children's room for Sarah and one of David's
sisters to come babysit Jackson and Preston. Finally all of us with
recommends met in the marriage waiting room and Jean & Rick joined us.
President Stanley who was the second President
of the Bountiful Temple is an Uncle of David's and he performed the
ceremony. When I first started working at the Bountiful Temple he was the
President but he was released about six months after that time. I don't
believe I have ever heard a more beautiful ceremony and I hope I can
remember some of the things he said. I was thrilled to see so many of Jean
& Ricks' friends there along with our family and the Parker's family. The
sealing rooms are not very large but this was one of the largest and it was
completely full.
After their marriage we all went outside and the
photographer took many pictures around the temple. It was cold but a
beautiful day with a bright blue sky and Mary Ann looked gorgeous and David
looked handsome - they both are SO happy!!! Then we all went to North Salt
Lake where David's parents hosted a lovely wedding luncheon at the Eaglewood
Reception Center. It was all very special - delicious food and Wayne,
David's Father, emceed (is that right?) the program. He invited the
Grandmothers, one Grandfather, the parents and the bride and groom to say a
few words. Mary Ann was SO cute - she gave such a good message and then she
said, "And Now I'm Done" - Ha!!! Their personalities really compliment each
other - Mary Ann is vivacious and laughs alot and David is VERY serious!!!
They have a bright future ahead of them. Sarah and one of David's sisters
played a violin duet with Barji accompanying them and it was beautiful.
THEN Annie went with Jeannie to the Memory Grove
Reception Center to help get ready for the reception. I came back to
Farmington and Ron, Susanna and Jackson came with me - we all took a little
nap. We were all back to Salt Lake by about 4:45 for pictures and to get
things in order for the reception. I have never been to that place but it
was just PERFECT. I have NEVER seen so many beautiful cakes - Jean had
ordered them from the Lion House and I believe she ordered two of every kind
they make. Jean's friend and neighbor, Shauna Oveson, did the decorating
and it was beautiful with LOTS of greenery, red, red roses and silver
garlands all over. One of the highlights was an ice sculpture of three pine
trees that was in the back of the serving table. There were beautiful
pictures of Mary Ann in her wedding dress and also pictures of both Mary Ann
& David displayed on the gift table and other tables. I thought the table
centerpieces were very unique and special - square glass decanters filled
with cranberries and red, red roses.
The bridesmaids' dresses turned out so nicely.
Jeannie had found them in the right color (cranberry) but she didn't think
they were modest enough so she bought an extra one and had a lady make broad
straps that were almost like sleeves. Sarah and Barji were bridesmaids as
well as some of David's sisters and Mary Ann's friends. David has a
WONDERFUL family - four sisters and three brothers and they were all there
with their little children and they were just darling. It's funny - three
of his sisters are blonde and one is a brunette and of the four boys, three
are blonde and one is a brunette. His Grandmother is beautiful and so very,
very nice and so are his parents.
I was SO pleased to have my brother, Don, and
Cheryl come. Don can barely walk and to think how difficult it is for
Cheryl to get him in the car and bring him makes me want to cry but they
really enjoyed it - Bob helped get him back into the car after he had eaten
four pieces of cake and he is diabetic - Ha!!! Gerald Perkes also came -
his wife, Carolyn, is Lynn's niece. What a coincidence - Gerald and Wayne
Parker were in the same mission together many, many years ago and they
remembered each other. Mel and Paula Pack also came - Paula is Keith
Mellor's daughter and I really admire her. I'm happy that at least two
members of Lynn's family came. Bob and Alice Ezell also came with Claire's
sister Carolyn - GREAT SUPPORT!!!
I can't quite explain how happy it made me to
see my family "pitch in" to help with everything - I was SO proud of all of
you. It seems like every time I saw Ron he was filling the punch bowl with
ice and water and every time I saw Bob he was carrying big bags of garbage
out to the garbage bins. My grandchildren were all just BEAUTIFUL - they
were all dressed up in their "Sunday Best" and yet they were clearing the
tables after the guests had eaten and making sure the serving table was
always full besides inviting everyone to have what they wanted. I noticed
that Steve who had to work that day, came to the reception in his business
clothes and then changed into his nice suit. Annie was "up to her neck" in
frosting from all the cakes as she was cutting them with a dull knife - they
were supposed to have been cut at the Lion House. I don't know how many came
but I'm sure it was in the "hundreds"!!! David and Mary Ann went to Bear
Lake to go snowmobiling for their honeymoon - I'm not sure they have had
enough snow!!!
It seems like every single day this month has
been filled with special activities. Last Monday morning I went to a
Christmas breakfast given by the lady who is my visiting teacher - she
served waffles with fruit and whipped cream, sausages and bacon - it was
very good. Wednesday I drove to Bountiful and picked up Janet Asper and
Janet Johansen who served with me in Bangkok and we went to the Church
Office Building in Salt Lake to meet my former companion, Helen Horner for
lunch. Helen is leaving to go to Fuji for 18 months on another mission and
she is excited.
Wednesday night I went to Salt Lake again with
Bob and Claire and their family for see "Savior of the World" which was
presented at the theatre connected to the conference center. I had never
been there and it is very, very nice. I had seen this same program last
year in the conference center but I enjoyed it a lot more in the smaller
theatre. They took me out to dinner first and we went to the "Macaroni
Grill" - I had never been there either and it was FABULOUS. Claire had to
go in her own car to take something she had rented back by 4 o'clock - she
got in this big building and they locked all the doors and she couldn't get
out. She had to call 911 and they sent some firemen to rescue her - VERY
SCARY!!!
John came by to visit for a little while on
Tuesday and he was excited about their cruise in the Hawaiian Islands. I
hope they stay well so they can enjoy their scuba diving. I appreciate his
Christmas gift to all of us and I know you do too. When you all get my age
you will realize how important it is to have the records he is preserving
for our family. I don't know half my cousins or even my nieces and nephews
and I feel badly about that. I LOVE the picture you put on the cover of the
video of PaPa's Oral History John - I remember that time as though it were
yesterday.
Roy and Patrice - you have had some SCARY
weather with tornadoes in states close by Arkansas. My narcissus plant is
so much fun to watch - I'll take a picture of it when it blooms. I think of
Timothy and Jesse a lot because I remember when Roy and Bob were about their
ages and you got "walkie talkies" for Christmas and our neighbor, Angelo
Marinelli, talked to you someway and you thought it was magic. I think
about Emily too and I'm sure she isn't wanting an American Girl doll - my
grandchildren are growing up much too fast.
Russell - I am anxious to have your folks tell
us about your telephone call on Christmas day. What a treat to be able to
call home clear from Madagascar!!! My neighbors who served in Ghana have
guests from there for the holidays and I visited with them today - actually
they moved to the United States 10- years ago but my neighbors have been
instrumental in helping them come. They are VERY black.
This is for my journal!!! The church owns the
Deseret Book store and they have started being more careful about what books
they put on their shelves. Richard Paul Evans is a very famous Utah author
and has sold many books during the Christmas holidays nationwide during the
last few years. His most famous one was probably "The Christmas Box". Well
- this year he wrote one titled "The Last Promise" and all of a sudden the
Deseret Book Store said they wouldn't put it on their shelves - they would
order it but they wouldn't carry it. I have given it for Christmas gifts
this year and now I am feeling sorry. I had a "form" letter from Sherry Dew
who is the CEO of Deseret Book explaining their reasons. Living in Utah is
different from living any other place I have ever lived.
I'm excited about being with my family on
Christmas Eve day at the Weinerts and especially because I believe we are
going to play games. You all know how much I love to play games and that is
something we haven't done before at our family gatherings. Don & Cheryls'
family gets together for games each year and they have LOTS of fun. We are
also going to tie a quilt for the Women's Shelter and I'm very proud of
that. YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO MY CONDO FOR WAYNE SMITH'S RECIPE OF SEAFOOD
GUMBO ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
I LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU. Grandma B
XXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO