Dear Kids,
      My brother Charley sent out an e-mail announcing the birth of Bekah and Dave’s new daughter, Amelia Grace, born on Valentines day. It’s only remarkable because she’s #200 in Grandma and Grandpa Allen’s family. (I think there are almost 100 great-grandchildren, too.) It would have been nice to have #200 come from our family, but Sharon wouldn’t have wanted to wait three more weeks to have Lucy, not matter what the honor.
      Last Thursday I tended Meg and Macie while Vanessa went skiing with her friends (plus Tom and Donna and Bevan.) The girls were really cute. Since I’m now into jewelry making (thanks to Donna and Sharon,) I took orders from Meg and together we made her a bracelet, necklace, and earrings. The earrings were my first, and they turned out great. Meg wore them all day, along with the necklace and bracelet. That girl is devoted to glamor!! Macie climbs on everything, and she usually falls off. The poor thing had several new bruises by the end of the day. It reminded me of the poem I used to recite about Vanessa, when she was a toddler: “She climbed before she walked, and she sang before she talked.” I haven’t heard Macie sing, but Vanessa says she loves music. Sarah and Sterling stayed home in Idaho because of school.
      I’m still having fun leading the Primary music in the Lighthouse Branch. I keep trying new gimmicks. I’ve used the primary lamp and the house puzzle, and we’ve done fishing (with real water in a fish bowl,) bowling, and the treasure bag with polished rocks. I’m going do a rhythm band next week, with borrowed instruments from Nora’s preschool. Anything for variety! I’m starting to know some of the kids by name now, and they don’t all look alike any more. I’m enjoying Relief Society, too, and it looks like I’m the chorister in there, too. They call on me every week. I’m “the tall lady with the unpronounceable name,” since they can’t say “Ackerson.” I found out I’m not supposed to have any callings at all, since my records aren’t there, so I’ve been trying to get my records transferred. You’d think I was trying to rob Fort Knox! I finally had to talk to President Bassett about it. He said they want couples to go to church together. I said, “So, if we get divorced, there’s no problem? You’ll transfer my records?” He said this is one of the strangest cases he’s ever handled.
      Dad and I are in the middle of printing more Murphy-Ure ancestor books. There are the usual problems with toner and drum cartridges and recalcitrant printers. We’re moving ahead, though. Life is good!
      Lots of love, Mom