Dear Kids,
      I put off writing my letter all last week, waiting to see how Missy was doing, so I could report on her condition. As most of you know, they finally discovered she had a bacterial infection in her stomach (sounded like “difficult clostridium colitis”) and now that they’re treating it, she’s doing a lot better! Thank goodness! So I was finally sitting down this afternoon to write my letter, when John called and said Jacob was on the way to Primary Children’s Medical Center. Seems like he keeps passing out. It had been “only” once a day or so, but then this morning he passed out about five times, and two more times in the car, as Heather got ready to take him to Salt Lake. So she took him to the Heber hospital instead, and they transported him by ambulance. Here in Salt Lake, they tested absolutely everything, and couldn’t find anything wrong. His heart is plenty healthy. So he has an appointment with a neurologist. As of this evening, John was on his way to Salt Lake to pick up Heather and Jacob and bring them home. At least at home Jacob has a little watchdog–Aaron–who follows him around and reports to Heather when he passes out. I hope somebody can get to the root of his problem. It really helps to know that! (Ask Allen and Missy!)
      Does anybody want a couple of useless cats, who won’t even go after a live mouse a couple of feet away? The other morning, Dad was getting dressed to go to work, and when he picked up his pants, a mouse fell out of the leg. It ran into our closet and sat by the dresser, looking scared. I went into the kitty room and got Oreo, and then set him down right next to the mouse. He looked at it and walked away. So I went and got Xena, and showed her the mouse, and she did the same thing–looked disinterested and walked away. Finally I had to catch the mouse myself and take it outside (I didn’t have the heart to kill it.) What use are cats, if they won’t go for a mouse? But this morning there was a dead mouse on the back deck, belly ripped open, and guts spread all over. Very messy. I left it there, and after I got home from my bike ride, it had disappeared. Maybe our magpies ate it. Maybe they got tired of the cat food they steal from the cat dish.
      It seems like Easter and Conference were such a long time ago! It was fun to see so many of you at the cabin. They Easter Bunny didn’t forget us there, either–in spite of six inches of new snow, he delivered some chocolate rabbits and eggs in the living room. We saw his tracks–or maybe it was that nice orange cat that hangs around there now. Whatever.
      I hope you’re all doin’ great and lovin’ it. How about everybody cuttin’ back on those trips to the hospital?
      Lots of love, Mom