3
- Buy Suzuki Samauri
6
- Tonks reunion
7
- dentist (I think this is when Roger got dentures)
8
- ball game
9
- visit teach
11
- primary party
13
- Dr. Paulos (Roger's knee)
14
- Lagoon day
July
19, 1987(postcard from Erika)
Dear
Mandy and Zac, Boy, I sure am enjoying myself.
Here is a picture for you. (It's a picture of Jesus holding a little
child in the pageant) We start tour
guiding on Friday, and we get to go to the Sacred Grove on your Daddy's
birthday! I sure wish you were here to
climb the Hill with me. Please write
back! Love, Erika
(Summer 1987 - letter from Linda in Okinawa)
Dear
Rog, Gwen, Mandy and Zac, so how are you all doing? We are all fine, it's good to be home
again. Things are finally back to
normal, jet lag is all gone. I guess
they aren't quite normal, it's really different without Terri. We all really miss her. It's sure hard letting go of our kids. But, I know she'll be happy with Pat. How are Rog's teeth coming along, and also
his knee? He's is trouble! Joni said he played ball. I'll have to work him over when we get
back! Boy, how is it to be rich? Sounds like your new vehicle (Suzuki) is
really nice. Write and tell us about
it. How is your yard coming along? Listen, you can get that pine tree down home
if you ever want it. Jeanne (Bruce's
mom) knows you might come to get it.
It's hard to believe we only have a year left. Unless we extend - money wise we might. If it wasn't for that darn old hunting
business. Well, I know this is short,
but kiss those kids for me. We love and
miss you all! Love, Linda
July
23, 1987
I
leave allot to be desired when it comes to writing faithfully in my
journal. I need 2 books like the Book of
Mormon. One for historical day to day
happenings, and one to express my feelings.
I've finally figured it out. If I
want to be happy, really happy, I need to do what my Heavenly Father wants me
to do. You know it's hard. But if I get up early and exercise and run
and read the Book of Mormon and sincerely pray to my Father in Heaven, I feel
better all day. My body needs spiritual
and physical fitness. Right now I'm
doing all of the above and I feel great.
And at night I can eagerly and confidently kneel and talk to Heavenly
Father. But sometimes I can get in a rut
and be so miserable and not exercise or keep the house clean. I just lay in bed till the absolute last
minute. Watch a bunch of TV, and not
read the scriptures. And at night I
don't like to pray because I feel I have failed and it's no use. I feel so rotten. But do you think I can pull myself out of
this rut easily? NO. It's hard to get back on track again. I keep having these ups and downs. It seems when things get going great, I forget
to keep Heavenly Father a personal part of my life, and that is what lets me
down. I'm kinda like the Nephites, I
forget my Father when things are going great, and I think I can do it all on my
own. And then when things fall apart and
I am brought down to misery, I seek out my Father more humbly and
sincerely. Maybe that's why I've had some
of the trials I've had in my life. To
humble me. I used to blame allot of
things on Heavenly Father because I felt he was punishing me for having to get
married. Such as having to have Ambure
C-section, and her little hips not being right, and then her dying, and any
other thing that didn't work out just right.
But I know I was wrong. The Lord
knows what is best for me, and I need to look beyond this moment at the whole
eternal plan. I hope by writing this
that I can help someone. I'm a weak
person and I need to be stronger and keep on the right path. I want to be a good example for my kids. I love them allot. Amanda is so much like me. Sometimes I don't like myself very much, and
I hate to see her inheriting some of my traits.
Such as giving dirty looks and having no patience. Zachary has a temper like me too. I hope Roger and I can raise them up to be
good people and to love the Lord. We
have family prayer, and they say their prayers at night. But I really think we are too casual about it
all. Oh how I wish my testimony were stronger.
Roger went to a Dr. Lonnie Paulos at Salt Lake City Knee and Sports
Medicine. He was told that 2 of his knee
ligaments are torn, and he needs them replaced and also a new knee cap. (The
anterior cruciate was torn, and he didn't need a new knee cap) This will be
a 4-5 hour operation, and he will be in the L.D.S. hospital for 4 days, and off
work for 6-8 weeks. Surgery is scheduled
for September 16, 1987. We are waiting
to get a second opinion, although we
feel Dr. Paulos knows what he's talking about. (He's one of the best orthopedic
surgeons in the state. He operates on
and advises members of the Jazz team) Rog had to get a brace which cost
$300.00. We bought us a Suzuki Samauri
on July 3, 1987. It is like a little
jeep. It's pretty cute. It cost $9,100.00, and we paid off the car
also, so now our payments are $228.00 a month for 5 years. We really needed something to get up the hill
in the winter. It's 4WD. I have been
back to school shopping already and am going again tomorrow. School starts in 5 weeks. I wrote a letter to the school requesting
that Amanda NOT be placed in a certain class. The teacher I didn't want, isn't the best teacher as far as
motivation and fun, and she's burned out.
We would like to get pregnant in September, but with Roger's leg, we are
still debating. We probably will
though. Roger's birthday is in an few
days. I have something really special
for him. I'm so excited. He will absolutely love it. Everyone's in bed now, but I can't sleep. I
like my job in the primary presidency. I gave two good sharing times this past
month. We finally got rain gutters
installed. We will have to go for wood
all the time now so we will have it all done by September 16th. Mark went through the temple today in Salt
Lake. I'm so proud of him. His farewell
is the 9th of August, and he leaves the 14th for the M.T.C. He will be there two months learning the
language, and then on to Toyko, Japan.
Well, I will stop for now. Hope I
can keep this up, HAHA
July
25, 1987(postcard from Dawna)
Both
Erika and I are doing fine and really enjoying ourselves. We are in the same study group, and rooming
right next door to each other. We
usually go to breakfast together, because our companions would rather sleep. We are both in the Nephi scene, Lamanite
scene, and Yearning scene. We have one
costume change. We both love our
companions. The pageant is great, our
study group is great. It's a great
experience. Love, Dawna
July
25, 1987
We
got wood today up in the Uinta's at Carter Creek. We took Bruce's trailer. Just me and Rog and the kids went. Then we came home about 3 p.m. and unloaded
and went down to Uncle Don's and the kids rode Rebena, and Rog and Uncle Don
moved some hay. The kids found 2 little kittens. I think Duchess might be their dad. They are so tame. One has long hair and one short. One had a cold in it's eye. LuAnn and Ben, Joni and Kerry and kids, and
Layne and Susan and kids are all up to Jackson Hole this weekend. Mark asked me to talk at his farewell. I'm nervous.
Mom and Tonya and me and the kids went to Ogden yesterday. I got a few more school clothes bought.
Amanda: Zac:
White
shoes Yellow shirt
Yellow
gloves Red, White and Blue shirt
Socks Hawaiian Shirt
Underwear Purple Sweat shirt
Red
pants Grey
toughskins
Lavender
pants Plain toughskins
Pastel
pants Lee's
Yellow
striped shirt Underwear
White
shirt
Dark
Royal blue shirt
Erika
and Dawna are back in Palmyra at the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Erika lost all her dresses, or I should say
the airline did. She is wearing everyone
else's dresses, but she is so hard to fit.
Everyone has gone somewhere over the 24th it seems. Both Wilkinson's and Birt's and Joan and Chet
are gone. Joni and Kerry got a new Dodge
Caravan. It's really nice. I wish we could have something that big with
4WD. Oh well, we love our Samurai. LuAnn got some packages from Okinawa. It seems we are left out. The kids never write us. Darrin wrote LuAnn, and I know Brenda wrote
Joni. Also, Terri finally wrote
LuAnn. I'm gonna copy her address and
get a letter off to her real quick.
July
28, 1987 - Letter from Linda
Dear
Rog and Gwen, What's new with the Rich
gang? How is everyone doing? Rog, how is your teeth? And your knee? I guess you are getting wood already for the
winter. I can't believe it's almost fall
there, and yet it seems like it was ages since we were home. But only 11 more months to go. We all still miss Terri. I guess that just takes time. But I shed tears everyday. 18 years is a long time to have someone, and
then suddenly they are gone. I know how Bruce feels about his dad. Some days, he still gets blue though. So much has happened to us in the last year. It's hard to believe. You must be rolling in the dough with Rog
working 14 hour days. I bet your about
beat doing that and taking care of Uncle Don's place too. We appreciate all you help when we were home,
your support too. Did you get the video yet?
I hope you like it. We have one
like it. Let me know if you want any
videos. We have a pretty good selection
now, about 100. We have been sponsoring
a new family the last couple of weeks.
So we've been busy getting them settled in. All of our kids have become good
friends. I'm glad, because Darrin
doesn't make friends easy. Speaking of
him, he's still growing. I can't believe
it. When we get home, he'll be able to
help you out Rog. I guess you two won't
know what to do when both the kids got to school huh? Guess you better add to the family? We need another new baby in the family, but
not from my daughter yet. I’m not ready
for Grandmother hood! Well, I’ll go for
now! Take care, we love and miss you
guys! Linda
July
28, 1987 - letter from Linda
Hi
Amanda, I
hope you can read my writing, it's kind of sloppy. Are you just about ready for school? Have you got some new clothes yet? We still have to go shopping. The kids had to have a bunch of shots to
start school. Todd got four, and he was
sick. How is your yard coming
along.? You sure have a pretty
house. I'd love to live up there. Good luck in school. Write soon, Love your Aunt Linda
July
28, 1987 - letter from Linda
Dear Zac, I am so glad you wrote to me. I really miss you. And love you too. I guess you are getting ready for school now. Are you excited? How are you all feeling? Did your dad get some more teeth pulled? I hope his knee gets better soon. Did you have fun up to Joni's cabin? Darrin and Todd can't wait to come home and go hunting with you. Write to me soon. Love your Aunt Linda.
Dear Zac, I am so glad you wrote to me. I really miss you. And love you too. I guess you are getting ready for school now. Are you excited? How are you all feeling? Did your dad get some more teeth pulled? I hope his knee gets better soon. Did you have fun up to Joni's cabin? Darrin and Todd can't wait to come home and go hunting with you. Write to me soon. Love your Aunt Linda.
July
29, 1987
Today
is Rog and Dad's birthdays. Last night
we had a family party at LuAnn's for Roger's and Layne's and Kelly's
birthdays. It was really fun. We went and got wood yesterday again, and got
a big nice load. Ben about got hit by a
tree, and it was really scary! We might
go up Friday night and sleep over and get another big load. I gave Roger a guitar for his birthday. He was really excited. I like playing it too. I have to work all day today and tomorrow. Amanda went to a slumber birthday party at
Julia Wiscombe's last night. It's kinda
overcast today. I'd like to stay home
and clean my house. Well, I'd better get
ready for work.
