Dearest Family,
Welcome home to Emily from Costa Rica and to
Laura from Maine!!! I know they are happy to be home and I also know
they have had some GREAT experiences. I have thought about Emily coming
back to her family where they all speak English and I know that has been
special for her - I can't imagine anything more difficult than to be
surrounded by foreign speaking people but I'm sure Emily learned alot
and I hope she will continue to use the Spanish she learned. I had a
phone call from Somjit in Thailand this week and I was thrilled to be
able to understand her - she wanted me to tell Bob & John "hello". She
had very limited knowledge of the English language when we first met her
in Bangkok and she has continued to use her English and is very good.
I'm anxious to learn what Laura's plans are - college or work???? I'm
also happy that Jessie is back home in Utah.
It was fun to have Jeannie, Ricky & Sarah
come visit last Sunday evening - Ricky & Sarah couldn't stay long
because they were going to a young adult fireside at their new ward in
Salt Lake. They love their ward and I'm SO glad. Jeannie & Rick have
taken Preston boating at Pineview Reservoir and they say he just loves
it. Jeannie was still here when Bob & Claire came and we had such a
good time and I got caught up on their family news - Brett is home for a
few weeks before going back to school and of course that means LOTS of
friends in the Mellor home and Katie and her friends love that too -
good looking and fun boys. Mary Ann & Barji - thank you for your sweet
e-mails. I dropped in to the Weinerts one afternoon this week and ran
into Ricky as he was going for a job interview - HE LOOKED SO HANDSOME
IN HIS NICE SUIT!!!
John - it was WONDERFUL to have you here
yesterday soon after I returned from the temple!!! He came to get more
of the things he has had stored here and to help me move Margaret's
Christmas tree and big chair to another spot in my garage and to help me
with the picture project. John is doing SO good and looks just GREAT!!!
He is enjoying his work AND his horses although I don't believe he has
his horses in his barn yet. I will miss having his things here but I
have wanted him to have a home of his own for a LONG, LONG TIME. He
told me he has been by our former home in Orem and they are doing BIG
things to it - they are re-shingling it besides the extensive changes in
the backyard. I have talked to some of our former neighbors and they
told me they have "murals" painted on their walls inside - I'm not sure
I would like that. The changes in the backyard "boggle my mind" - it is
really beautiful and very different. I wonder what Daddy would say
about it?????
I just answered a letter from Marc & Cherri
Hall - they have been in Russia for about 5 years and their mission will
end September 9th and they will come home. They have had their
grandchildren with them this past week and have taken them to many
historical places. I will miss their letters - they have been so
interesting. My friend, Helen Horner, is home from Fiji so I won't be
hearing from her again either. I SO enjoy the internet. I owe many
letters to friends in Thailand!!!
I went to Star Valley with Margaret and Patt
last Monday and we came home on Wednesday - that is the perfect amount
of time for me to spend away from home. We went specifically to help
with a "tele-a-thon" for the Star Valley Medical Center Annual Fund
Drive. Margaret had told me she had hospital board business in Afton
but she didn't tell me what we were going to do. It really was very
enjoyable but also kinda' sad. I talked to one lady who said she wanted
to donate $10.00 but would have to pay it over a five month period - I
wanted to take her $10.00 just for talking to me. We had gone to
Jackson Hole that morning and had spent too much money buying clothes
and it made me feel guilty. Patt is going to her 50th High School
reunion next month and wanted some "WOW" new clothes - Ha!!! The
medical center is such a great thing for Star Valley and Margaret helps
them ALO!!!!. Margaret's home in Etna is absolutely gorgeous and it's
fun to be there - the squirrels have been getting their nuts from the
pine cones and her porch was just filled with the nut shells. Her home
is surrounded by pine trees and I LOVE things of nature.
Have you had time to watch the Olympics???
I especially enjoy the gymnastics and I'm just amazed at what the young
women and men can do. I always think about Jessie when I see them go
through their routines - I always held my breath when I watched her
doing those same things and I'm SO glad she isn't doing that anymore.
SHE WAS SO GOOD!!!
I hope all my grandchildren will find good
jobs if they want and need them. I remember the difficult times my
children had finding good jobs after they had their degrees and it can
be disappointing but THINGS WILL WORK OUT!!! That is really what life
is all about - disappointments, successes, happiness, sadness, etc.,
etc. BUT our attitudes make all the difference and you can do it!
I LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Grandma B
XXXXXOOOOO