Dear Kids,

I’m looking forward to our Super Sunday potluck at Nora’s this afternoon.  We start at 3 pm, and you can bring whatever you want.  One of these times we might get all desserts!

More medical news:  (I really plan to write a letter sometime with nothing medical.  Just not yet.)  I went to my podiatrist to see what he could do about my little toe hurting so much.  I said, “Whatever it takes!  The pain has to go!  I don’t care if you amputate it!”  Then I laughed.  But he didn’t laugh.  He said, “We could do that.”  He took an x-ray that showed my toe has bone spurs growing out the side. In fact, the bone sort of looks like a salamander.  So it never was the toenail after all.  Long story short: I’m having the amputation this Friday.  Dr. Dickerson will leave a little stub at the base and pull a flap of skin over it.  My feet are ugly anyway, so it doesn’t matter.  He said we don’t even need that 5th toe.  It’s extra.  When we’re at Bear Lake this summer I’ll go barefoot in the sand and you can all see it.  

Bentley’s last letter (almost a week ago) said things were still crazy there in Texas.  They didn’t have water for the most part of a week, because they had a pipe break in their ceiling, but they got water for their toilet from a pool in the back.  He wrote, “Texas was basically taken back to the 1800's for a few days.”  He said it was cool to see people coming together to help each other out.  Naturally their work didn’t slow down.  Missionaries can find the good in any situation!

It’s still cold here; it was below zero last night.  Kitties aren’t liking it much.  Scout usually goes out in the snow, but Sonia sticks her nose towards the door, and then backs off.  She sits with dignity until we close the door again, and then goes off for her day’s activities inside.  I do the same.  When spring comes and my toe doesn’t hurt any more, I’ll think about going out.

I love you all!  Life is good!  Mom