Dearest Family,
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JESSE ON TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER 2ND!!!! It doesn't seem possible that it has been 12 years
since I went to Little Rock to see my newest little grandson. He was a
beautiful baby and now he is a very handsome young man and very close to
being a teenager - WOW!!! I hope you have a WONDERFUL day on Tuesday
Jesse or before or after whenever you celebrate your birthday. You are
in a new school this year and I think about you SO often and wonder if
you like it as well as you did Forest Park - I HOPE SO!!!
I know most of you are getting ready for
your humanitarian trip to Guatemala and I want you to know how VERY
proud I am of you!!! I will be happy when you get home safe and sound
and will be anxious to hear all about EVERYTHING. I have on my calendar
that you will be gone from Nov. 4th through the 11th - is that right???
Bob tells me it will be a little different this year - he isn't taking
his staff as usual but there are other doctors from Utah who are going
and John's friend, Reid Folsom who is a dentist from Oregon is going.
Reid is one of my most favorite young men - I haven't seen him for a
long time but we knew and loved him and his family when we were in
Billings. You will miss Claire but I surely do understand why she can't
go - this is Katie's last year in High School and she has more
activities than anyone else and she needs her Mom home. Barji and her
friend Rachel who is a dietitian are both going and this will be the
first trip for Ron and he will probably be busier than anyone else -
Ha!!! I hope you will take LOTS of pictures!!! Bob also told me they
are going to use vans this year instead of the buses they usually travel
on - BE CAREFUL!!!! Jeannie has alot "on her plate" and will worry that
Mary Ann may have her baby while she is gone - that won't happen but I
can understand Jeannie's concern.
Claire - thank you for such a fun, fun baby
shower at your home on Thursday. It was given for Mary Ann and I know
she was happy so many of her cousins could come to honor her: Barji,
Sarah, Jessie, Lee Anna, Laura, Katie, Staci, Mary Ann's Mother-in-law
Linda Parker, Ann, Jean and Grandma B. Claire served a delicious
"Tortellini" salad, homemade rolls, grapes and brownies. Mary
Ann received some lovely gifts and made all of us anxious for that
little baby girl to get here. It was WONDERFUL that Staci could be with
us - she traveled back to Pocatello after the shower and that worried me
but I guess it isn't that far. Staci looks GREAT - she won't have her
baby until March so she doesn't really look pregnant yet - she said she
& Michael are very happy with school, work, etc., etc.
I found a package of wedding pictures on my
doorstep this morning so I know Annie came North again yesterday. I
believe one of Ron's nephews got married and she was probably here for
the reception. It really is not that far from Provo to Layton but when
you have to make that trip many times it seems mighty long and twice in
just a couple days is a little much. I love the pictures she left for
me and they are SO good. I worry that some of you may not remember
where my house keys are - there are two keys in that flower pot next to
the door and one is for the glass storm door and the other one is for
the wooden door. Anyway - Annie didn't come in so I am assuming she was
in a big hurry.
I appreciated Jeannie's long visit last
Sunday - we had such a fun time waiting for Bob & Claire to come over
because they usually do. I worried when they didn't come because they
ALWAYS call when they can't come. They had spent the UEA (Utah
Educational Association) holiday in Zions' Park with their family and
had forgotten to tell me which is just fine!!! Bob, Claire, Katie and a
friend, and Laura and her friend/boy Matt had a good time and the
pictures they have of their trip are frightening - they are all such
capable hikers and they climbed on some mighty scary mountains. It was
a BEAUTIFUL weekend and perfect for a little trip to Zions.
Jimmy & Brett - a young man from a VERY
inactive family in our ward spoke this morning at church. He has put
his papers in for a mission and is excited - his entire family was there
and it was a special meeting. He is a twin and he was SO sensitive and
emotional as he spoke to his twin brother and said "just because I am
going on a mission doesn't mean I am any better than you" - I thought
that was good for his family to hear. I love to read about your mission
from your letters and Brett - I think it is WONDERFUL that you are
cooking pancakes. You will probably learn to cook many other things now
that you have a pan. Jimmy - I can relate to your computer problems -
it is VERY difficult to use a computer you're not used to and especially
when others are "hurrying you". I don't know when you get cooler
weather but I know you are anxious for it to come. I wish I could send
you some of our Fall weather - so crisp and cool and beautiful!!!
I went to the Broadway show "Little Women"
at the Capitol Theatre last night with my friend Ellen Mae and her
daughter Susan. Ellen Mae & her husband left last Monday to go on a
trip in their van and before they left she called and asked me to get
tickets for the show. She said "try to get the $35 ones" so when I
called the theatre I ordered them - the other tickets are around $60.
That is the first time I have ever done that and since I didn't know
about the seating I asked the man if they were good seats and of course
he said yes. WELL - we were way up in the balcony and I was embarressed!!!
Ellen Mae and Mel REALLY watch their pennies but I don't believe they
will ever ask me to get tickets for them again - Ha!!! I enjoyed the
show and they did too - Maureen McGovern still has a beautiful voice and
the other performers were equally as good. It is amazing to me how they
can have such elaborate staging on such a small space. I didn't get
home until about midnight and I was SO happy that we could turn our
clocks back and have an extra hour this morning.
Susanna - thank you SO much for your sweet
message. It will be getting cooler in Arizona soon and we will be
envying you as we look out on a foot of snow in our front yards. I dug
up my dahlia bulbs and all my tomato plants last week SO I am ready for
the snow. My dahlias have been absolutely beautiful and they were in
full bloom when I dug them up and it made me sad!!! I also had MANY
green tomatoes.
Roy - thank you SO much for your message too
- it was fun to find it on my computer. I can just see all the
beautiful Fall leaves in your area and I know Timothy & Jesse are
helping you rake your yard. I will NEVER forget being with all of you
for Thanksgiving last year and enjoying sitting in your yard with your
portable fireplace to keep warm. I hope we can plan a family trip to
Little Rock in the Spring to celebrate my birthday - WE'LL WORK ON
THAT!!!!
I just had a phone call from Chris Smith
- their daughter, Linda was with her and I talked to her too. Linda &
Kens' daughter, Jennifer is moving to Salt Lake and has a job and an
apartment already. She will live at the Gateway in those apartments
with a friend who is coming with her. She wants to live in Utah where
she hopes there will be more Single Young Men & Women activities than
there are in Dallas. I believe she is VERY heavy - I told her I would
help her if she wants me to and offered to have her stay with me. Linda
is coming out after Thanksgiving and wants to get together with Claire
and me for lunch. Wayne and Chris are going to Alabama where they will
fish for about a month. Wayne sold his boat to a friend there and it is
stored in Wayne's former boat stall and he can use it whenever he
wants. They really have not moved from Alabama yet have they?
I am going to Wyoming with Margaret on
Tuesday morning and will come home on Friday. I will be available to
help if anyone needs me while my family is in Guatemala - I would love
to help with Barji and Boyds' children if you think they would be happy
with me. We have that little park close by my condo that would be fun.
I LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. GRANDMA B
XXXXXOOOOO