Sunday, January 20, 2019

Dear Kids,
         My brother Charley is still in the hospital from his surgery two weeks ago, and there’s no end in sight.  Dad and I went to visit him Wednesday, and I would hardly have recognized him.  His head is shaved and he had a little bit of a beard, and he looked exactly like my brother Mark.  His personality is different, too–pretty quiet, for Charley.  Whitney and Suzy came by while we were there, and Andy, too.  Whitney said that after the surgery, Charley was really crazy.  He kept trying to escape from the hospital, but he never even made it out of the bed.  She said one doctor was talking to him, and he said, “I’m an attorney.  I know when people are lying to me!”  He volunteered to tend Whitney’s kids when she and Steve go to Germany.  I’m sorry we missed all that.  Charley couldn’t believe he’d been there two weeks. He’s developed blood clots again, in his lungs and his legs, after two weeks on blood thinners.  Nobody can figure out what’s going on.  I know dozens of people are praying for him, but I know he could always use more prayers.
         You can keep praying for me, too.  I really appreciate it.  Although my condition hasn’t improved at all, I feel really peaceful about it.  I’m learning to accept the Lord’s timetable.
        We had a great snowstorm on Thursday, 8 or 10 inches, and Dad’s been out having fun with the snow blower.  Our cats acted like they wanted to go out, so Dad opened the door for them,  but when Sonia put her dainty little paw into the snow for the first time, she changed her mind and trotted back in.   They’re glad to be inside cats for now.  Tina, too.  Last night in bed I had all three of them snuggled next to my legs.  Their purring puts me to sleep. 
         My piano classes in Heber are going fabulously well.   I’ve never had so many good students.  I’ve started three new people since the first of the year, so all my slots are filled up.  One of my new people is a retired Air Force guy,  and he treats piano lessons like a military assignment. His attitude is: “Tell me what to do, and how to do it, and I’ll get it done.”  He will, too.  I love teaching them all, and my three hours there on Thursday morning goes by really fast.
         Love to all of you!  With the holidays so far in the past, we don’t see enough of you now.
         Mom