Dear Kids,

Things are pretty dull here.  Every day is exactly the same–blue sky, sunshine, and very cold.  We haven’t had a real serious storm since the end of December, and I’m worried we’re going to have another drought this summer.  And the winter started off so well!  We had five snowstorms in October!  And now nothing.  It’s totally Groundhog Day, but without any celebrating.

Speaking of which, I hope you’ve marked your calendars for Thursday, June 2nd.  We’ll be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary.  We’ve got the pavilion at the Francis park along with the community building, which is sort of an oversized shack.  I’m ordering Bam Bam barbecue.  Now all that is something to look forward to.  And at least, on June 2nd, I won’t be hoping and praying for snow.  (So we might get it that day). 

A few weeks ago I posted some kind of hint in my letter to the effect that everybody should enjoy the cabin now, because eventually we’ll have to sell it.  Since then, at least a couple of Tom’s friends have approached him about wanting to buy it.  Do they read my letter?  How could they possibly know?  Anyway, it looks like it will be easy to sell when the time comes.  But maybe we’ll re-think everything by then.  One friend told Tom there just aren’t any properties like that on the market, so we should hang on to it.  Whatever.  I’m glad our cabin is so popular.

Bentley has passed the 18-month mark in his mission.  Is the time going by fast or what? Sterling is storming around Honduras preaching the gospel.  Addie has a trainer that’s only been out for two months, but Addie says they have everything under control.  Jacob is flying to Alabama tomorrow morning, I think.  What an awesome gang of missionaries we have!  I pray for all of them every day, and also for all the rest of you.  And I appreciate your prayers for me.

Lots of love, Mom