May 1988 - from my journal

May

1 - Park picnic

3 - Dr. appt.

3 - C-section meeting at hospital

3 - Zac school program at 2:40

5 - Rabbits born

5 - Primary party

Soccer practice and games all this month for Zac

10- Amanda school program

11 - Amanda field trip

11 - Zac goes to a birthday party

12 - I eat with Zac at school

13 - WIC

14 - Soccer party

15 - Regional Conf. at Dee Event's center

16 - Farm field trip - Zac, Kindergarten?

17,18 Appraisal course for Gwen

21 - Shower?

22 - Baccalaureate - Tonya

26 - Tonya's graduation

27 - Amanda to Erika's

29 - Elder Chappel's homecoming

31 - Doctor's appt.

May 12, 1988

Allot has happened. Amanda got baptized April 30th.  It was special and exciting.  She is getting so grownup.  Sometimes I think we are too hard on her because she's the oldest.  She does so many good things.  She's sensitive about others feelings.  She had a nice birthday party.  About 14-15 friends came up, played a few games, and had a scavenger hunt.  Our rabbit had babies May 5th.  Seven, 3 white and 4 brown.  I had an ultrasound May 4th to see if my dates were correct because my stomach (baby-wise) is not too big.  Everything's okay.  I'm right on schedule, and the technician said it was a little baby boy!!  We are so excited!  It didn't matter at all, but just knowing makes it so much more exciting.  Only 46 more days (hopefully)  That's 2 weeks early exactly.  I'm going to the doctor every 2 weeks now, so next Tuesday I will ask him more details.  Gaylene Kimbal had a baby boy April 7, (Chase) Kaley Peterson had a girl, April 6th, (Paige)  Annette Waller is due anytime(Hillarie), also Cindy London and Marni Christensen are expecting.  

Amanda is still loving horse 4-H. (Nancy Ford was her leader.  Mandy rode Rebena.  It was a really great, experience for her.  Unfortunately Rebena died (the vet said maybe it was something to do with her liver) and Mandy was only able to do horse 4-H 1-2 years) We are working on building her an arena down by where the trailer's used to sit.  We sold our camp trailer  1960 Aljo to Todd Morgan for $200.00 (Boy we took a loss on that!  We paid $1,200 (I think) and that was too much.)  and our horse trailer for $350.00. (We had purchased an old homemade horse trailer to haul the horses around it.  I  can't remember writing about this earlier, but we got a mare (Rebena- or Reb for short) and her colt (Round-Up) from a friend of Roger's at the Bakery.  I think we must have gotten them the summer of 1987?, don't know for sure)   We are using Uncle Don's horse trailer now.  Round-up cut his foot up bad, but it's getting better now.  Still don't know for sure on the water situation for grass (sprinkling system)  It's scary (dry)  Probably won't be able to get it put in.  The kids have only 11 more days of school before summer vacation.  They both have had darling programs.  

Zac is the "Who Am I" person this week at school.  He is really excited.  He got to take some things to hang up on a board so the kids could guess who he was.  He took his baby picture, and a little t-shirt they gave him in the hospital, and his blue ribbon he won at the fair for his rabbit, and his swimming lesson certificate, and some more pictures and some spaghetti sauce and play dough.  Amanda had a field day yesterday.  They went to  Roger's Foods for a tour, and then had a picnic lunch at the park and ran through obstacle courses.  Then they went back to school and watched "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"  

Mandy was "Maisie Bird" in her 2nd grade program the 10th.  That character is from the story "Horten the Elephant"  She is quite the little actress.  Mrs. Little says she carries the program!  I got lilacs to plant Saturday, and hopefully we will be pouring cement also.  Zac only has 3 more soccer games.  His team has done pretty good this year.  He really likes playing.  We will be going down to the Dee Events Center Sunday for a Regional Conference.  President Benson will be there.  Monday I go on a farm field trip with Zac's class to J. Golden's milk barns.  Lori Birt is going to be released as Primary President sometime in the next 2 months.  I hope they don't put me in.  I guess that's a rotten attitude, but they don't need somebody in there with a rotten attitude.  I think they need ALL new blood.  Well, better go get going.

May 16, 1988 - Letter from Mark

Dear Rich family,  How are you all?  From your letters you all sound fine.  All excited for the new arrival which is pretty quick I guess.  I don't have much time today, so this will be a short letter, but I just wanted to thank you and tell you all that you're a special family to me.  Things are going great, better all of the time.  I'm learning so much and having a new and exciting experiences each day.  Sometimes it is rough, but it's well worth what I'm getting out of it.  Lately I've really been thinking a lot about how important his life is, and how short it is.  It's so important to perfect ourselves and do our best, cause when we're done here we get an eternal reward that depends on our everyday efforts, which have determined our final state when we die.  The church helps us to that, it's great to be a member.  How is work Rog?  The knee?  How are you two kids?  I'm sorry Amanda, but I was hoping for a BOY!  (I'm sure you're excited though)  Thanks for writing Gwen, I appreciate it.  I"m looking forward to hear what happens, I'm sure having a baby isn't too fun!  Well, I gotta go!  Take care, write again soon.  Elder Dickson

May 1988 - letter from Linda

Dear Rog, Gwen and kids, We were so excited to hear the latest news from you!!!  A baby boy, how special!!  And to know that everything is all right with it. I wish they had all those advanced things when I was having my brood.  Tell Mandy her life will go on.  She will be the only girl and be spoiled.  I bet Zac thinks that's great huh?  The kids are really growing up?  They will be a big help to you when they baby comes.  I hope you have him before we come, my arms are ready to hold a new baby.  Even big ones too!!  Well, we got back from Korea on Wednesday night at 9:00  We really went crazy shopping.  I can't wait for you to see the things we got.  Korean people are very talented.  They can sew anything that you can draw a picture of.  The boys picked out the leather and style of shoes they wanted, and they made them to fit perfect.  Same way with their suits.  It's too bad everything we saw we wanted to get for you guys at home.  But customs are really strict now.  They went through about 1/2 of our boxes here in the P.O. to make sure we didn't bring anything we weren't supposed to.  Brenda had a really nice black leather coat made, and she looks cute in it.  We have our moves all set up now, and will be moving in the motel on the 22nd of June.  I will be through work on the 3rd of June (Yah)  so what has everyone been up to these days?  I guess soon you will be playing nursemaid to baby rabbits.  I remember doing that when we had them.  A lot of the babies die though.  I hope yours turn out okay.  How is the weather now?  I heard that it snowed a little.  It's been nice here.  A lot of rain though.  But the temperature is real warm.  And the humidity is high now.  Oh, to be in the states again.  We can hardly wait to see everyone again.  It will be so good to see Terri and Pat.  We have really missed her.  It's so hard to let one go.  Seems like they are never able to handle their own life and boy do they ever fool us!!!  It's hard to believe they have been married almost a year now.  I guess time flies, huh?  So how is the knee doing Rog?  Are you getting back in shape?  And Gwen, how are you doing?  You know, we never did get a picture of the expecting one!!!  Have you been doing much work on your yard yet?  Or do the deer eat it as soon as you plant it?  Speaking of deer, I don't know if these guys can wait till October to hunt or not.  That's all they talk about.  That and fishing.  You guys sold your trailer house, huh?  Are you going to get another one?   I guess that will have to be one of the things on our list to do when we get home.  You know me, I don't go camping without my own toilet.  Are you going to plant a garden this year?   I guess Buck is going to plant one at our place.  Hurray!!  I can't tell how awful the veggies are over here.  Even potatoes.  In Korea it was so good to eat, and I am looking towards drinking milk again.  (real)  Well, we only have 45 days on the island left and counting.  So we'll plan on seeing you in July  We love and miss you..  Love, Linda.

May 22, 1988

I found out last Tuesday that our baby boy (Landon) will be born on July 6th, one day after Linda and Bruce get home from Okinawa.  Only 6 more weeks YAH!  I weigh 183 pounds now.  I scrubbed Zac's and Amanda's walls, room, etc. last Friday.  I also got things changed around, dressers, etc, and got the crib set up.  There are so many things we need, and not enough money.  I would really like a recliner rocker. ( We eventually went to U and I furniture and got one 90 days same as cash) I got a carrier seat with some money Grandma Dickson gave me.  Also, I made the kids a bunch of summer shorts and got tank tops 2 for $5.00 to go with them.  I really don't need that much for the baby.  A diaper bag, I guess, and if anyone asks me what I want, I'm telling them disposable diapers!  I called Claudia Nelson and she's going to watch Landon for me when I go back to work.  I've decided I'm not going to the #4 appraisal course in August.  Landon will only be 4 weeks old, and I'll be nursing and it will be too hard.  I will miss #3 also on July 11-16.  But I am planning on going to #2 which is June 6-11. Yuck!  (I took the 1st course last October 1987, and I ended up not going to the 2nd course either, because of Tonya's death)  I'm not looking forward to it at all.  Our baby rabbits are growing so cute each day.  They will be 3 weeks old on Thursday the 2nd of June.  There are 3 white, 2 brown and 2 black ones.  Their mom is so good, and has gotten allot tamer since she has had them.  We took the front off the nest box, and I cleaned and scrubbed it yesterday.  We let Amanda's white doe go because she was so onry and mean and sick, I think.  She is still hanging around our house and sleeps in the garage.  The kids only have 4 more days of school, and I just remembered I should be to Baccalaureate in 15 minutes, so I guess I won't go. (This was for Tonya's graduation.  Tonya graduated one week, and the next week she was killed)  Hope mom's not mad.  Lori Birt said today that the Primary Presidency is supposed to give the program June 26th in Sacrament meeting. YAH!!  You know what that means?!?  We are going to be released!!  And she says that they aren't going to ask me!  YAH!!  What a relief!!! Wonder what they'll want me for next though!!!  Grandma Dickson got new glasses that help her see allot better.  Thank goodness.

May 29, 1988

Don't know why I'm writing.  It's 10:30, and I can't sleep as usual.  My head aches allot tonight.  Went to West Valley City for Elder Chappell's homecoming.  (He was a companion of Mark's)  Came home through Emigration Canyon.  It's rained today.