Dearest Family,
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BRETT TODAY!!! He
turns 19 today and that is a VERY important age for all the young men in
our church. Claire called me last night and invited to me go to their
home tonight for a little birthday dinner and I'm looking forward to
that. I believe Brett has turned his mission papers in to his Bishop so
he will be receiving his call in a couple months - I'm glad he will be
able to have another semester of college before he leaves. He will be a
FABULOUS missionary.
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LEE ANNA ON
WEDNESDAY!!! She will be 21 years old and she is such a beautiful young
woman and she has a cute friend boy!!! Her friend is from Brigham City
and of course that in itself is VERY special - Ha!!! I bought books for
each one of you for Christmas and I'll see that you get them. These
books were first printed in 1938 and have been re-printed - I FINALLy
found the mention of my family in them - Ha!!! I had Lee Anna highlight
their names in their book last night. Her friend's father is from
Kaysville but his mother is from Brigham City and I'm sure they will be
in the book.
WHAT A WONDERFUL WEEK I HAVE HAD - it is my
sincere desire that each one of you has enjoyed all the events of the
Christmas week as much as I have!!! I have looked forward to being with
my Utah family for the many things that were planned but I truly didn't
think they would be SO spectacular and special in every way.
My week started with Claire coming over to
visit last Sunday night and I thought that was SO kind because Bob was
busy at church and couldn't come and then he surprised me and came later
and was here when Jean & Rick were here and I always enjoy that SO
much!!!
Jeannie invited me to their home on Monday
night for their annual "chiming party" - do you all remember the "pipes"
the Woolleys gave us many years ago. They were measured to give certain
notes (that doesn't really describe it but maybe you will know what I
mean). The Weinerts have friends with whom they have celebrated
Christmas by getting together with their families and playing Christmas
songs on these pipes. I have gone to some of these get-togethers when
their children were very young and now they are grown and have little
babies. I REALLY enjoyed seeing them again on Monday night and they
were SO happy to see each other. Rick takes charge of this program,
making charts so each person will know when to hit his pipe with the
nail. They are VERY good and the music is beautiful. Rick also invites
his home teaching family to come and there are two young women who have
"down sydrome" and they just love their party.
I especially wanted to go to this party
because Boyd, Barji, Preston & Gracie were going to be there. I haven't
seen them for several months - THEY LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL!!! I also
thought it was SO special for Mary Ann & David, Ricky and Sarah & her
friend boy Greg Baumgartner came for it - traveling long distances but
they wanted to support it. Gracie actually LIKES me - she just cuddles
up and smiles and after my experiences with Preston & Jackson that was
great!!! Preston & Jackson still don't like me - Ha!!!
Tuesday night Bob & Claire came for me and
we went to the "Savior of the World" program at the Conference Center.
Claire is SO good to get tickets on the internet when they first become
available and we had GREAT seats up close and I could hear much better
than before - I can never remember to wear my hearing aids. The Bob
Mellors' children couldn't go to it so Claire gave her extra tickets to
the Weinerts so Jean, Rick, Sarah & Greg were with us. Claire's
parents, Bob & Alice were also there. I will always remember that one
year ago when we went to that same program was the first time I met
Staci - what a difference a year will make!!!
Wednesday, I went to Salt Lake to do a
little shopping and I met Margaret for lunch. I parked on the top floor
of the Cross Road's Plaza and when I returned to my car about three
hours later I found things scattered all over my front seat. Someone
had been in my car and they stole all my car information that was in the
"dog box". They didn't take anything else - good tapes, an umbrella, a
calculator and a flashlight were still there. I can't imagine why
anyone would want my Subaru manual, automobile insurance and
registration and things like that.
I notified my State Farm Insurance and they
will issue me a new card and they told me to notify the police and make
a report so I called them and will go to the DMV and get another
automobile registration. I just never lock my car but I will from now
on - my car was the least expensive of most cars on the parking lot.
Thursday I invited my "China Tour" friends -
Ellen Mae & Mel and Helen Jane for lunch and to see the pictures that
were sent to us from the man who took 1600 digital pictures and sent
them to us. They don't have good computers and can't access them. It
serves me right though - I have bragged about being able to see all the
pictures and then when I went to show them I couldn't get them. The
problem I found out was that after a certain period of time they change
the password for security reasons. We had a good time visiting anyway
and as soon as they left I discovered the problem and corrected it and
was able to get all the pictures. We will get together soon so they can
see them. I LOVE MY COMPUTERS!!! I receive so many Christmas messages
from friends who are serving missions all over the world - Armenia and
Thailand. My friends who served in Russia and Fuji have come home. I
have connection with the world and I am amazed at how many people don't
have this privilege.
Friday night was our Family Christmas Eve
party at the Weinert's home and it just couldn't have been more
WONDERFUL. My entire Utah family was there and I wanted to cry when I
saw that beautiful little Caroline and adorable little Jackson. When I
got home that night it dawned on me that Brett & Jimmy won't be with us
for the next two years - actually I thought Jimmy wouldn't leave on his
mission for another year but Annie straightened me out and told me he
will leave shortly after Brett leaves. I can't keep everything straight
and I knew Jimmy was younger than Brett. OH WELL!!!
The Weinerts have a large "pool table" in
their downstairs room and it was covered with a cloth and then
completely covered with every kind of small candy you could imagine.
Ann, Jean & Claire have improved their "Gingerbread House" project -
Ha!!! They bought the "pre-molded" gingerbread houses this year and
that made it a "little" easier. It was SO MUCH FUN to watch how serious
all the children were as they decorated their houses. Little Preston
was in "Seventh Heaven" with all that candy and it was SO cute to see
him get handfuls of candy and then try to put them in his pockets - he
was planning for the future. Santa Clause came from Margaret's family's
home and he was SO good but he scared little Jackson. Annie tried to
reconcile Jackson and said "Santa is all gone" after he left. Jackson
was SO cute as he went around the house looking around every corner
saying "Santa Clause All Gone - Santa Clause All Gone" - Ha!!!
The dinner was absolutely WONDERFUL - VERY
GOURMET!!!! They served those special Mexican flour tortilla "things"
with all the trimmings. Annie, Jeannie & Claire HAVE THAT DOWN PAT!!!
They could open a restaurant - WITH JOHN'S HELP. I was SO happy to have
John come to my condo to get a bowl to put his special dip in - he made
ALOT but it was completely gone. Everything I took was still on the
table after everyone had finished eating - that's the story of my
life!!! We also had a delicious chocolate peppermint ice cream dessert.
Claire did a FABULOUS job with her video
program of your trip to Guatemala and I couldn't believe all the
pictures - some of them were very graphic. I tell you all the time how
wonderful I think you are to take the time to do that humanitarian work
and when I see the pictures of people in the lines waiting for help it
makes me every more grateful for such sweet, kind children - THANK
YOU!!!
Saturday - Christmas Day - I went to Provo
for the Woolley's special dinner and to meet Jared's parents sister and
grandmother. They are very lovely people and it was interesting to
learn that their names all begin with "J" so Jessie will fit right in.
John & Jennifer are the parents, Jessica and Jared are their children.
Vera, is their grandmother's name and I can't believe she is 87 years
old - she is a VERY young 87 year old woman and just delightful to visit
with. I sat at the table with her visiting for quite a long time and I
felt bad when I realized we had missed some of the fun things happening
in the Woolley's family room - Jared was opening his Christmas presents
from the Woolleys and I thought they were all having dinner - OH
WELL!!! I learned alot about Jared's family from visiting with her.
She has been a widow for 9 years and lives in the condominiums on the
hill going up to BYU and all her five children live in Utah.
She volunteers for the Utah Symphony Orchestra Events and most of her
children are very musical. Her husband was a patent attorney and they
lived in Dallas, Texas where he served as a Stake President. She said
they cannot connect with the Utah Richards families - she told about a
time when LeGrande Richards visited their Stake and in his talk he
mentioned that the Stake President wouldn't accept him as a relative -
Ha!!! He husband died from Parkinson's disease. She told me that John,
Jared's father is a patent attorney and that Jared plans to go to law
school.
Annie's dinner was unbelievable - SO special
and delicious. She had turkey, ham, cranberry bread, her special
homemade rolls, sweet potatoes that were the best I have ever eaten,
cranberry salad, spinach salad, and WOULD YOU BELIEVE - tamales!!! I
believe she served tamales for Jared who had enjoyed them on his mission
in Mexico. We had LOTS of candy for dessert. Her drink was SO good -
diet sprite with a little bit of peach juice. Their home was SO
beautifully decorated - two Christmas trees, very unique table
decorations and many Christmas mugs on a little shelf - AND a beautiful
new toilet paper holder in Ann's bathroom - Ha!!!
I LOVED being there with the Reeves -
Caroline was completely worn out but Jackson had LOTS of fun with
Russell who was probably completely worn out - Ha!!! Jackson loves it
when Russell throws him in the air.
Let me tell you who was there: Grandpa Russ
and he looks SO good, the Reeves family; Steve, Susanna, Jackson &
Caroline; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Sarah & Greg; Jared and his family, and
John had come from Highland, and all of Ann & Rons' family besides the
Reeves, Jessie, Russell, Lee Anna & Jimmy. The Bob Mellors spent
Christmas Day with Claire's family - they had spent Christmas Eve with
Bob's family. There is a young man in Ron's ward at BYU from Japan and
he was there also - his name is Fukou (I think). It was very
interesting to talk to him and you could tell he comes from a "priviliged"
family - he speaks very good English. He is a Freshman at BYU and will
soon be going on his mission but he hasn't received his mission call
yet. He has two brothers who are on missions now. He told us he was
born in the church and that his parents are converts. I was impressed
at how much he enjoyed the food - Annie says he would try anything and
that's unusual I think.
I talked to Roy & Patrice yesterday morning
(Christmas Day) and they had a WONDERFUL Christmas too. They had a
WHITE CHRISTMAS - and we all know how unusual that is. He said they had
gone for a walk in the park to enjoy the snow and that it was cold so it
would stay around awhile. I feel SO bad because my Christmas gift to
them hasn't arrived yet. I mailed it on December 14 with a promise it
would be delivered to them on the 20th. Patrice was SO sweet and said
their weather was SO bad that noone was receiving their packages - I
don't quite understand why mine didn't get there though because the bad
weather didn't happen until after the 20th. There are SO many people
who spent three days and even more waiting in airports so I shouldn't
complain - AND many won't have their luggage until next week. Something
went wrong with the computer system and some of the airlines had to
cancel all their flights. I know their Christmas was VERY special - I
remember how special ours were when we lived in Little Rock BUT WE
MISSED THEM HERE!!!
After I left the Woolleys home last night I
drove by UVSC to see our former home there - I was thrilled to see how
pretty it still is and I know Lynn would be happy. They were having
some kind of a party and they had two Christmas trees and I believe
every light was on. The backyard is just beautiful and I'm sure they
have done away with alot of the yard work. Then I went to Lehi and to
the cemetery and I was SO happy that Lynn's wreath was still there and
it is beautiful. Then I went to Highland - I wanted to see John's house
because he had told me he had put Christmas lights on his roof - IT WAS
BEAUTIFUL. He has a large tree in his front yard and it was completely
filled with lights - I AM SO PROUD OF YOU JOHN!!!
I have just turned on the news and they are
reporting about the earthquake and tidal wave in Southeastern Asia and
there must be alot of damage in Thailand - the reporter was from
Bangkok. I AM SO SAD!!! I used to watch them build those high rise
buildings across from one of the apartments I lived in and I worried
then about an earthquake because they didn't have the kind of building
materials we have in the United States. I'm sure the Bob Mellor family
will remember Phuket where they visited when they came to see me - that
has been hit very hard with many dead.
This is MUCH TOO LONG - I wanted to report
on every single thing and I'm sure I have forgotten many important
things and I'll put them in my letter next week. I'm going to Sacrament
meeting and then I am going to take a poinsettia to Don in Salt Lake. I
have talked to Cheryl several times this week and she said she brings
him home and he doesn't say ONE word and then when she takes him back to
the resthome he says VERY loud "I'M NOT GOIING TO STAY IN THIS PLACE".
She is a saint - I feel SO bad for Don though!!!
What do they say - "Old Age Isn't For
Sissies"!!!!
THANK YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH FOR MAKING
MY HOLIDAYS SO WONDERFUL IN EVERY WAY. I LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU SO VERY,
VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.
Grandma B XXXXXOOOOO