July 1988 - from my journal

July

4 - Park celebration

5 - Amniocenteses, 8 a.m.  Water broke

5 - Had Landon at 6 p.m.

5 - Linda and Bruce back home today!!

12 - Dr. Godfrey check infected stitches

18 - All horse parade in S.L.C.

19 - Dr. - Gwen (I overdid at the horse parade)

20 - Check Landon's jaundice  8 pounds 1 1/2 ounces  22 inches

27  Landon's doctor

28 - wedding?

30 - Fair Parade

July 1988  - letter from Mark

Dear Rich Family - How are you all?  I'm still here in Japan.  It's great. I've received all of your letters.  Gwen, I've been slow though in returning them.  I bought these post cards last week, and I thought maybe you would like one so here it is (Pretty, huh!)  (It is a picture of Mt. Fuji)  They say that on a clear day from a tall building, you can see Mt. Fuji from Koiwa, but during the summer it's too smoggy, so I'll have to wait.  It's in the south mission, so I'll have to wait till after I finish to go up close and take my own pictures.  Things couldn't be going any better than they are here in Koiwa.  It's maybe the strongest place in the mission.  I couldn't ask for anything better, everything is just the way you like.  Things have really improved since last month at this time.  Everyday is helping, isn't it?  (He's referring to Tonya's death)  Right now I'm doing really well spiritually, feel good about the way I'm doing.  One thing I am sure of, is that I'm working for something these 2 years that is more important than we can even imagine.  No regrets at all about coming.  I would have missed out big.  Thanks for all you help, I love you all.  I'm gonna send a tape today, so I'll say more on that.  This is short but sweet.  (Ha ha ha)  Take care, see ya next summer.  Love Elder Dickson

July 3-4, 1988

Almost the 4th.  It's 11:23 p.m.  Getting closer!  Lynette and Randy came down today, and are staying up at LuAnn's in a trailer.  Linda and Bruce and kids, and LuAnn will be home from Okinawa at 3:25 p.m. Tuesday the 5th.  We are all excited!  The house is pretty clean and wash done up.  I've started to pack. I'm nervous too.  JoAnne Nelson said that her amniocenteses didn't hurt at all.  So I'll keep that in my mind, and hopefully it won't be as bad as I think.  The kids are really excited.  Hope everything goes okay.  I am worried.  I guess you could call me Grandma Dickson.  I'm excited to see if he (Landon) has brown hair or blonde, and how much he weighs.  I'm guessing 7 pounds and brown hair.  I guess we'll be really surprised if it's a girl!  Zac has really been acting up lately.  I don't know if it's this baby or what.  With Tonya's viewing and funeral he was weird too.  I think he doesn't know how to express his true feelings, and so they come out in his actions.  I must be more patient.

July 7, 1988

Well, surprise!  After my amniocenteses on July 5, 1988, in the morning, I came back home and my water broke!  So instead of having the baby July 6th, I had Landon Lee Rich at 6:07 p.m. on July 5, 1988.  He weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces.  Same as Zac!  We are all really excited.  Landon looks like Ambure I think, and has dark eyes and short dark brown hair all over his head.,  He is so cute and precious.  He isn't nursing too well yet.  I hope he gets better. The baby doctor said yesterday he was doing great, but I haven't heard yet this morning.  He'll probably be circumcised this morning poor thing.  Had allot of visitors yesterday.  Joan Adams and Jan Gailey brought me a cute little light yellow sweat suit.  LuAnn and Linda gave me a peach colored housecoat, Linda (blue Japanese pj's), LuAnn socks, piloucho?, and sailor suit.  Joni gave him a little yellow summer outfit and a blue winter sweater-set.  Annette Prescott made a darling little quilt for him.  Terri and Pat sent a little yellow and black sleep-n-play suit with race cars on it.  Mom and Erika brought me a planter, so did Roger, and the Bakery sent one also.  The C-section went really great.  I'm glad dad was there.  (When I had Ambure, dad's weren't allowed in the delivery room, so Rog didn't come in.  When I had Amanda, he came in, and about threw up all over and passed out.  When I had Zac, he wouldn't even think about going in with me.  When I had Landon, I really wanted someone in there with me.  I asked my dad, and he said he would be glad to.  He sat up by my head, because I didn't want him to watch in case he got sick and had to go out like Rog did.  It was really special, and I'm glad he was there with me.)  It was the best ever.  The kids were really excited, and got to hold him in the recovery room.  Lynette and kids gave him a little N.Y. Yankees outfit, and blue teething T-shirt.  This morning July 7th, I found out we'll go home tomorrow.  Landon nursed really well this morning finally, and he is sleeping now.  He has slept 2 hours.  Susan Rich and her kids, and Cindy Johnson and her kids, just stopped by for a visit.  Susan made Landon a pretty blue crocheted shawl.  She is always personal when it comes to babies.  I remember she gave me a bunny blanket she tied for Ambure, before she and Layne were even married. I picked Landon up for them to see, and laid him back down when they left.  I think he's going back to sleep.

July 8, 1988

Going home today.  Landon is so sweet.  I'm kinda nervous with him.  It's been 7 years.  I worry about him spitting up and choking.  Also, the Doctor said he's kinda jaundiced, so we have to bring him back down tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. for him to be checked.  I'm feeling pretty good.  My milk came in and I'm kinda uncomfortable.  Lan is nursing better, hope we can both make this work.  Lori and Elwin Birt and Vicky and Rodney Rose came down and visited last night.  They are surprised that I'm coming home today.  They think I'm crazy.  Maybe I am.  When the kids came down last night they were really excited.  It's hard to keep them from bumping me and my stitches.  I hope I can have enough patience.  I know Rog wants me home, and I want to please him.  He likes having me around.  Lynette has been staying at my house the past 3 days. I don't mind.  I'm sure she's kept it clean. I appreciate all she has done for us.  Linda and Bruce and family are back.  It will be great to have them back.   Well, I'm kinda sleepy.  Maybe I'll lay down for a little bit before they bring me Landon.

July 9, 1988

Today has gone better than yesterday.  It seemed everybody and their dog came here to see us at home.  Landon is so sweet.  He had a good night.  Hope tonight goes as well.  Rog won't be home.  I've got the baby blues.  I don't know why.

July 13, 1988

Well, it's getting better, finally!  Landon has jaundice, and we've had to take him down everyday to the hospital to get his blood checked.  Friday it was 5,  Saturday 11, Monday 14, Tuesday 15.8, so the doctor said to stop breast feeding and give him formula for 2 days.  So today it was down to 14 again.  I need to take him tomorrow and get him stuck one more time.  I hope no more.  He is so sweet.  A good baby.  The kids love him.  Zac is having a hart time adjusting though.  Amanda went to 4-H camp and loved it.  Mom has helped me so much.  I love her allot  My stitches started leaking (infected) so I'm on penicillin.  They didn't dissolve.

*A funny story about Roger and the kids getting stuck in the elevator.  I was going down to see my doctor, and Rog dropped me off out front, and I went it by myself.  He parked the car and brought the kids in.  I know for sure that Zac and Landon (in his carrier) were with him, I'm not sure if Amanda was.  On their way up to the 2nd floor in the elevator, it stopped !  It was stuck, and they had to use the call button, and wait until maintenance came and got them out.  I remember that Roger was wringing wet with sweat when he finally got up to the Dr's office.

July 18, 1988 (postcard) - postcard from Erika 

Dear Mandy and Zac and Landon, How is the weather in Morgan?  It is really warm here at the Hill Cumorah!  I wish you could be here.  I go and talk to people everyday in Joseph Smith's house - it is fun!  Tell Grandma that I will write her a long letter in a couple of days!!!! I love you!  Love, Erika

July 19, 1988

Well, another week.  My stitches finally quit leaking yesterday.  Hope for good.  Amanda was in an All-Horse parade in Salt Lake City, yesterday  She did great.  But I walked TOO far and have suffered today.  Cramps really bad and heavy bleeding.  I'm going to the doctor in an hour.  Landon is great.  We love him.  He's nursing so much better, and longer  and getting fuller.  He slept so good the past two nights.  10 p.m. till 2 a.m. and 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.  I love him so much.

July 23, 1988

Well, might as well finish this up and start in my new journal next time.  Today was Porterville Days.  We went to breakfast and then a little Buckaroo Rodeo and rifle shoot.  It was fun.  Amanda did pole bending, and Zac rode a bucking calf.  Last night we went to a drive-in movie.  Bambi and Return to Snowy River.  I have been depressed tonight.  All Landon has done is cry.  I am tired.  Rog goes to work early, 7-8-9 p.m., and I have to get the kids in bed and then he comes home and sleeps all day and I get to deal with the kids all day.  I love my kids, but I'm tired.  Rog helps with allot of things, but I feel overwhelmed sometimes.  Wash, dishes, house clean.  We are broke, no money for porch, garage doors, lawn, arena, clothes.  So many bills to pay.  Doctor, chair, grill.  Our Suzuki's too little and we owe $8,000 on it and it's only worth $5,000.  Well have I depressed you enough?    I guess I'll got to Sacrament tomorrow,  Amanda's going to sing.  Heidi Carter (Phil's daughter) asked me to play the piano for her in Primary, but I asked Lori Birt and Lacy Russell.  My attitude is the pits.  We've got to start having Family Home Evening, read the Book of Mormon, and have family prayer.  It's so hard.  Rog doesn't seem to care.  He's smoking again.  Has done since March.  I drove him to it I guess. It's back to how it was.  It'll never change again.  I bet he'll never take me to the temple again.  I'm glad we went, but it's sad, so sad.  David Thiel was baptized today.  I visit teach his wife Leslie.  It was great!  I'm happy for them.

July 25, 1988

Well, today we are celebrating Pioneer Day.  Yesterday I went to church with Landon for the first time.  He was good.  Glad I had the binkie.  He slept 6 hours last night.  11 p.m. to 5 a.m.  I take him to the doctor Wednesday.  I have no desire to go back to work yet, or receive a Primary calling.  I would like a little rest.  Rog is working hard long hours.  Either he's at work or asleep.  I don't like that.  The kids are sitting on stools being punished.  They were fighting (fists).  I'm tired of being a referee and a "bad mean mom", that's what Zac called me.  I grounded them from TV for 1 week, and set them on stools for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.  I don't know if that's right or not.  It's hard being a parent.  I miss Tonya.  I've been sad about her lately.  Jodi Clydesdale visited with mom and dad yesterday.  She finally snapped out of it.(Jodi was in a weird coma-like state after the accident.  She and Wendy were in the car with Tonya.  Wendy was killed also)  I feel sorry for her.  She and Tonya and Wendy were so close.  She kept looking at Tonya's picture on mom's wall.  

Landon is a sweet baby.  He has a temper sometimes and needs to be soothed with a binkie.  Especially in the evening.  I hope he doesn't become too attached to it.  I really enjoyed Sunday School and Relief Society yesterday.  I hope I can continue to go.  They snatched Lori and Susan right back up in the Primary, and I'm afraid they will me too.  I'm tired today.  The kids are still sitting on the stools.  Zac is just about dying.  Amanda can face up to and accept things more.  She is really growing up.  I've been reading the Book of Mormon the past few days.  I wish we could somehow read it together as a family.  Maybe I should go prepare a family home evening lesson now.  It all seems so futile though.  I know how it will turn out.  Bad attitude huh? 

July 25, 1988 - Letter from Amanda's old primary teacher

Dear Mandy,  While you're celebrating "Pioneer Day" today, we will be working at the Hawaii Temple Visitor's Center.  We love it here in Paradise (Hawaii)  We love the little brown Polynesian children that we see attending sacrament meeting and Primary every Sunday like you do.  They have a "fan school" here for the children during the summer.  Last Wednesday the whole school went to the beach for a party.  The girls have names like, Anakela, Kaloka, Malina, Lokana.  They are very beautiful.  Love, Sister Wiscombe.

July 26, 1988 (postcard from Dawna)

Received your thank you card.  We are having a spiritual blast here.  Our faith is being tried, because it has rained quite a bit and last Saturday night we got rained out.  But in our meeting on Sunday, President Hinckley said we could have it on Monday.  Well, Monday it rained also, but we united as a group (which we hadn't done on Saturday night) and had prayers.  The performance went on.  I am Mary (as in Martha and Mary friends of Jesus)  in the pageant, and she is in Nephi's vision, WATER scene.  So far I haven't gotten very wet.  Erika and I talk to each other a lot, even though we aren't in the same study group.  I know the church is true, and I know what we are doing is the Lord's work.  See ya Monday.  Love Dawna

July 28, 1988

We are going to Surf and Swim in Layton today.  Took Landon to the doctor yesterday.  He only weighs 8 pounds 1 1/2 ounces, but grew to 22 inches.  The doctor said not to worry, that breast fed babies gain to their birth weight in 4-5 weeks.  He had lost down to 7 pounds 6 ounces in the hospital, so he has gained 11 1/2 ounces, almost a pound.  He is so sweet.  He has thrush in his mouth.  The doctor gave me some medicine for it, and he's on vitamins now too.  I was called to be Junior Primary Chorister.  They wanted me to start next week.  HA!  I told them August 14th. (it ended up that I didn't do the chorister for some reason, I don't remember why, or what they had me do instead) At least I'll have 2 more weeks to enjoy Relief Society and Sunday School.  Did some school shopping yesterday.  $140.00 worth.  Got Amanda 2 pair of levi's and all her underwear and a jacket and 2 pair shoes.  Zac got 2 pair Levi's, underwear, 1 pair of shoes and I laid him away a coat.  Landon got 2 sleepers and 4 one piece underwear and a little carrier to carry him on  my chest or back.  Maybe I can get some more done today, but it's not likely.  Linda and Bruce went to the temple today to do Bruce's dad's endowment and to seal Chauncey and Jeanne together and Bruce and Leslie to them also.  Went visiting teaching last night.  Leslie Thiel is so nice.  We really enjoy going to her home.  Also, Colleen Carter will be moving in a couple of weeks, so we won't see her again.  We are going to Gwen Hayes in about an hour.

July 30, 1988

Well, Rog was 30 years old yesterday.  Hard to believe.  I used to think that sounded so old, but it's not when you get there.  My dad was 51 also, and Kelly 21.  Today is Mark's birthday.  He's 21 also.  He's doing good on his mission.  He was made Senior companion and District Leader.  He's awesome.  Amanda was in the Morgan County Fair Parade today.  She looks good on Rebena.  Tuesday, August 2nd, is the Fair 4-H Horse Show, and she will perform in that.  The fair is next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  Landon is doing good, although it seems all he wants to do is eat when he's awake.  I've got to call the nurse and see when I can get him weighed.  I hope I can qualify for WIC again. ( We didn't, We made too much money)  I go the 9th of August.  Paul Turner's mom, Clara Turner died the 27th of July.  Her funeral was today.  Pam Turner is trying to talk me into going to the appraisal course the 8-12 of August.  I don't want to.  I'm having such a hard time with leaving Landon to go back to work. I bawled all day (well not ALL day) but was really depressed about it yesterday.  I hope Claudia Nelson will be good with him.  I don't know why I'm so nervous.  He is so sweet.  I couldn't bear it if she didn't give him all the love and care and attention I give him.  But only moms can do that!  Although everyone seems to think she'll be great.   I should go visit Millie Lewis today.  I need to.  We are broke.  Roger complains all the time.  He wants me to go back to work right away.  I don't want to!!  I wish we didn't have the stupid Suzuki payment, then I wouldn't have to.  I would let them repossess it if it didn't ruin our credit for 7 years.  I'm gonna pray about it (work-me).

(This was written by Veloy Dickson (Gwen's mother) in the summer of 1988.  It was presented when Gwen was released from her position as 1st councilor in the Primary)

GWEN DICKSON RICH

It was a beautiful, but cold winter day on January 9, 1961, when Gwen finally made her appearance into the world.  She was expected on the 27th of December (2 weeks earlier) but she decided her birthday needed to be a little further from Christmas.  She was born in the L.D.S. Hospital in Salt Lake City, to Lee and Veloy Dickson, the oldest of five children.  Her brothers and sisters are:  Lance, Erika, Mark and Tonya.  When Gwen was 2 1/2 years old, she and her family moved from Salt Lake City, to Morgan.

Gwen talked at a very early age and was reciting verses and rhymes before she was two years old.  She and her family did many things together and visited many interesting places, such as, Yellowstone, Disneyland, Flaming Gorge, Nauvoo, and Bear Lake.  Gwen was very small when she made her first trip to Yellowstone and her dad said he would never take her again.  She cried all the time they were out on the lake in a boat fishing, and at night she was determined to sleep cross ways on the bed between her mom and dad.

She was an active, energetic child and participated in many things while growing up.  Gwen loved to swim and spent most of her summers in the water.  She started taking piano lessons when she was 7 years old, enrolled in 4-H (both cooking and sewing),  took gymnastics, played the saxophone, and when she reached high school was a cheerleader and a member of the drill team.

Gwen always liked the boys, even when she was small.  Every other week she would come home from school and tell her mom about a new boyfriend.  Each time she was greeted with the same words, "But honey, he's your cousin."

Gwen wasn't always a perfect little angel and liked to act up, even in Primary of all places.  Word about her behavior reached her parents and she was promptly taken to her teacher's house where she had to apologize and promise never to act that way again.

In high school, she met and fell in love with Roger Rich, a handsome upper-class man, who was on the football team and wrestling team.  After Roger graduated they were married and this union was blessed with a darling little girl, Ambure.  Gwen continued her schooling and was able to graduate from Morgan High School with her class.  Little Ambure was just 9 1/2 months old when her Heavenly parents called her home, but Gwen and Roger have since been blessed with three other lovely children; Amanda, Zac and Landon.  They moved into their new home in Richville in August of 1986.

Gwen's prayers were answered last December when they went to the Ogden Temple to be sealed together for time and eternity, and become a "Forever Family".