Dear Kids,
         Yay, I can breathe again! Well, sort of. Almost. Way better than last week, or the week before that, or the week before that. I can sleep in bed at night, instead of propped up in the recliner. Tina is rewarding me by sleeping on my legs again. It’s all so much better! And Dad has almost stopped coughing. Thank you all for your prayers for us!
         But we’re not done with doctors yet, of course. Tomorrow I’m having the cancer cut out of my arm. I hope it doesn’t go very deep, but I’m prepared for anything. On Wednesday I’m seeing my hand doctor, Dr. Raemisch, about my middle right finger locking up. It bugs me, because I already had the trigger finger surgery on that one, four years ago. I didn’t think it could come back. Also on Wednesday, Dad and I have dental appointments with Dr. Condie, and there’s a tooth I’ll want to get crowned for sure. It has suddenly turned dark, and it’s right next to my nice white crowns in the middle. By then, I will have seen five doctors in the last month: Newbold (family doc), Engen (my forehead doc), Raemisch (for my hand), Panko (ordinary dermatologist) and Condie (dentist). I hope I never compile a record like this again. Thank goodness we have insurance.
         I checked with Nora for sure about the dates for our Ackerson reunion, and it’s August 2-5 at Pineview. We’ll be there three nights, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I’m so excited for the fun we’re going to have! And of course the Saturday before that, July 28, will be the big Allen reunion at Riverwoods Park, where we’ve always had it before. Lucy’s baptism will probably be that evening, since everybody will be in town. Sharon had asked me about reserving our stake center, since it would be close for both our family and the Thackers, but I suggested the Provo River. There’s a place over in Woodland where the locals have been baptized for generations. Mark and Tamri Allen’s son was baptized there, not very long ago. We need to find out more.
         I was hoping the blonde neighbor cat would become part of our household, but yesterday I saw her sauntering down the street toward Hilltop Road. She crossed Hilltop, jumped the barrier, and was gone down over the hill, probably to hunt. That’s how Oreo met his end, two years ago–it was February, and the snow had just melted, and he took off down there hunting. I’m sure the blonde cat has no clue.
         I hope you’re all doing well! Lots of love, Mom