Dearest Family,
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SARAH ON SATURDAY,
MAY 21!!! Sarah will be 20 years old - it's easy for me to remember how
old she is because we came home from our Montana Billings Mission that
year. I hope you have a WONDERFUL birthday Sarah. I don't know if I
have recorded in my letters that Sarah is learning "sign language" in
college and SHE IS SO GOOD!!! There is such a need for that in the
world today and she will have LOTS of success - it's fun to have her
teach me some of the words in "sign".
CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHAEL AND STACI!!!
Michael has been accepted into a special computer school at Idaho State
University in Pocatello with their full scholarship. I am SO proud of
them (and I know it takes two). I don't have all the facts but I
believe he will study there for two years and then be in employment by
the Government for the next two. Claire said he loves the type of work
he will be trained for so he may decide to make that his career and that
would be WONDERFUL!!! They will be preparing to sell their condo in
Providence (by Logan) and make the move to Pocatello - I don't know
exactly how far that is from Layton but it is probably about 150 miles.
Claire, Michael & Staci came over for a
visit on the evening of Mother's Day and of course, I LOVED that.
Michael mentioned that he had applied for acceptance into this school
but he said he probably wouldn't get in because there were only two
openings and at least 25 applications. I was SO impressed with his
attitude - he said, "It will be okay if I don't get in - I'll try to get
better prepared and apply another time". He has had his heart set on
that school for a long time. I'm SO thrilled for them!!!
While they were here Staci mentioned that
they had a branch of the Zions Bank in Pocatello so maybe she could work
in it if they moved there. A bell rang in my head!!! I have been
trying for at least four years to get an "LC Account" for my Family
Trust and the last time I went to the Zions Bank where I have my account
here in Farmington the bank clerk kept saying over and over again, "I'm
SO sorry Mrs. Mellor". The LC Number I had expired in 2001 so they
wouldn't let me set up an account. I asked Staci if she knew anything
about LC Accounts - she said, "Oh Grandma, I can help you with that".
The next morning I had a letter from her with all the instructions on
how to do it. The next day I spent the afternoon in Salt Lake at the
Commerce Building and I FINALLY HAVE AN LC REGISTERED AND I CAN GET AN
ACCOUNT. I really don't know if it is all that important but when I pay
a tax accountant a huge amount of money and his advice is to have an LC
Account it is stupid to not do it. THANK YOU, THANK YOU STACI.
JOHN - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PHONE CALL
LAST NIGHT. John called me when he got home form Guatemala and when I
asked him how it was he quickly said, "Mom, it was just WONDERFUL". He
said the 12 hour bus ride wasn't alot of fun but he was SO impressed
with everyone involved - he said he didn't hear any complaints and they
all just worked together to make it pleasant for everyone. When I asked
him if they were in a very remote area he said "Oh, Mom!!!" and I knew
what he meant. He said they were able to perform 39 surgeries and the
people were SO appreciative. He was also VERY impressed with Russell
and he enjoyed SO much being with him. He said Bob was worried about
the bus ride and its effect on everyone - Bob has the full
responsibility and that's PLENTY HARD!!! This is an interesting fact -
one of the Doctors who has gone with them before is an ophthamologist
and he lost his wife several years ago and he has 8 children. John said
he took his new wife with him on this trip and they have just recently
married and she has 7 children. SO they have 15 children between them -
WOW!!! He is a fine man and an excellent doctor - he did my eye surgery
and did such a good job.
I know I say this too often - but I'm VERY
proud of my family to be SO generous with your time and your talents.
I'm wondering if Bob will agree to go back again to this area. I asked
John if he saw alot of poverty and he said, "the people are happy and
they don't know any differently" which of course reinforces what we all
know - money doesn't bring happiness. I worried about John's home and
his horses and Tar because we had SO much rain but John said they were
well cared for and everything was fine. John has VERY good neighbors
who would help him if there were problems.
ANNIE - THANK YOU FOR YOUR PHONE CALL. It
was fun to get "caught up" on your family news. Jessie & Jared will be
going to Seattle this next week (I believe that's right) to look into
the law school there. Jared has been accepted into that school and it
is rated as one of the best in the nation. This is such an exciting
time for them. Lee Anna is still living in her apartment but may move
back home for the Summer. She has been dating a young man from
California and his parents were guests of Ann & Ron for dinner one night
last week. AND Jimmy is getting ready to graduate from Timpview. That
beautiful little Caroline is such a happy and healthy baby and I LOVE
the pictures they send to me - they are going to Florida soon to visit
Steve's family.
MARY ANN - THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT
AND ALSO THE ULTRA SOUND PICTURE OF YOUR BABY. I'm SO excited for you &
David - December seems like an eternity away but it will come soon. You
will go through a hot Summer with your pregnancy but there is never a
good time for that - Ha!!! It's a VERY fun and exciting time though and
you will get feeling better soon.
I think about Jesse & Timothy as they leave
their schools to go to different ones for the next few years. I don't
know too much about Timothy's school but I have REALLY loved Forest Park
where Emily, Timothy & Jesse have gone for their first through
sixth grades. One thing is for sure - each one of them has "made the
way" for their siblings to follow them. They are such OUTSTANDING
students.
One of my former Utah State college friends
passed away after many years of struggling with Altzheimer's (sp.?)
disease. She was such an outstanding woman and it's hard to think of
her disabled. I'm going to her graveside services tomorrow with Ellen
Mae and Mel. Ellen Mae's 80th birthday is on Thursday - can't believe
we're that old!!!
Margaret & I went to two wedding receptions
last night at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. They served delicious
food and of course I loved that - Ha!!! The last reception was for a
young woman whose parents are members of the L.D.S. church but they're
not active. I was proud of them for arranging such a lovely
reception. The bride's colors were bright pink and she had bright pink
flowers all over her white wedding dress which of course she had to put
on after going to the temple. She had bright pink flamingos ALL OVER
the reception hall and gorgeous floral arrangements. IT WAS FUN. The
first reception was far more traditional and very nice too.
I have taken down all my blinds, curtains
and draperies in preparation for my new windows. They said it would
take from 4 to 6 weeks and this is the 4th week so I wanted to get
ready. THEN they called and said it would probably be another 6 weeks -
I'm kinda' in a mess - OH WELL!!!
I'll have to tell you what happened while I
was in Salt Lake on Tuesday afternoon. I locked my keys in my car - I
got out and as soon as I locked it I noticed the keys on the seat. I do
have an extra key under the hood of my car but there was SO much water
running down the street - I got down on my hands & knees but I couldn't
find it. I was SO frustrated and I had to stand in many lines and when
I finally got to the man I needed to talk to, he said "You'll have to go
upstairs (another long line) and get your "articles of organization" and
then go to the city library and type it again and then bring it back for
registration. I remember saying "I have just locked my keys in my car,
I don't have any more quarters for the meter and now you tell me I have
to do all those other things". He looked at me as if to say
"SO!!!!!!". I was fortunate because there was a Firestone tire company
close by and they were SO kind to me and came and unlocked my car, I got
to the library where they have MANY computers and I was able to GET IT
ALL DONE. When I went back to the Commerce building I went to a
different person and she was very kind and that helped. There
is definitely a lesson from all that "BE KIND TO LITTLE OLD LADIES" -
Ha!!!!
Some of you remember our friends, Cissy &
Charles Beyers. Cissy called me the other day to tell me that Shawna
(their daughter and a friend of Anns) is going to move to Salt Lake.
Her husband works for Wells Fargo Bank in Arizona and he has received a
big promotion so they're moving here. Cissy doesn't want to move here
but I think she is dumb to not be by her only children Steve & Shawna
who are both in Utah.
That's all the news, I think. I LOVE EACH
ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN
EVERYTHING YOU DO. Grandma B XXXXXOOOOO