December 2005

On 12/11/05,

Dear Loved Ones,

Just a note to let you know that everything is fine.  Dad hasn't been improving like we hoped he would so we made another trip to Bangkok.  This time he ended up having two MRI's - one on his lower back and one on his neck.  As expected they found nothing wrong but it did relieve us to know there was nothing serious wrong like a tumor or something.  He still continues to have burning pain in his groin and legs but has put up with that for just about a year now.  Some days are better than others but he plans on just enduring it for six more months until we get home.  I know he would enjoy our mission more if he felt better.  Take good care of each other and have a wonderful and exciting holiday season.  We love you all and miss you terribly.  

Love, Mom and Dad (Grandma and Grandpa)

12/12/05

 Letter written from Mark to mom and dad

Dad & Mom:

For some reason, I've suspected there was still a problem all along, and I've stated such to Gwen frequently.  That was the very first thought that I had when you mentioned in Carrie's Happy Birthday email that you had been in Bangkok without letting us know about it previously.  Anyway, I felt the same way months ago and I feel the same way now.  May I please be honest and direct with you about how I feel?  I really am quite concerned that you are making a huge mistake not doing whatever it takes to solve Dad's health problem.  If he has some issues that are unknown, you need to deal with them head on and not cut any corners due to your circumstances.

Your eternal salvation does not depend on you finishing your mission.  Period.  Yes, it may show determination.  Yes, in some way you may think it shows obedience.  Yes, you would be finishing what you started.  But is it worth it and does it pass the common sense test?  There is nothing wrong with dealing with a health problem during your mission.  I hope you're not using flawed reasoning by not dealing with it completely, just because you are on a mission and on the Lord's errand.  Think of how silly people think it is for a Jehovah's Witness to not get a blood transfusion, even when it could save their life.  It just doesn't make sense.  I also don't believe that you are being "tested" to see how you react to this trial.  God doesn't work that way in my opinion.  Although some people say that in order to explain trials in their life, I think that we'll eventually find out that God doesn't work that way.  (Just my two cents).

I know it would be expensive, but you are financially secure and able to return home, deal with it completely and thoroughly, and then return to Cambodia and finish.  Another option would be to come home, deal with it, and then go on another mission to another place.  Why not?  To live in constant pain and discomfort, and to be miserable due to circumstances beyond your control (that could potentially be solved if you were in the United States where you could undergo thorough, extensive testing) is a mistake in my opinion.  What if it has a long term effect on your health in the future?  There are a lot of what ifs with an unknown condition like this.  Perhaps it's nothing?  At least you would know and could move forward. 

We would be happy for you to come to our home and stay as long as you like, as I know that you would be concerned about upsetting the current arrangement with Jason and Shelly.  Please don't let that be a concern.  Jason and Shelly would completely understand if you needed and wanted to come home permanently to your own home, and are in a situation that they could move out immediately if needed.  We love you and want you to be happy. 

Love,  Mark

December 12, 2005

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written.  It seems I get behind, and then it’s a pain to catch up, but I’ll try………….  

Roger is still loving (haha) his work.  Seriously the highest point in his life is probably Camryn, who absolutely loves her papa, and watching Landon wrestle.  We (Rog and I) went Christmas shopping last Saturday, and it was a good day.  He is looking forward to going to ASU this weekend for the baseball camp for Landon also.  We leave Thursday, the camp is Friday/Saturday, and we come home Sunday.  Mark and his family will be in Las Vegas to a baseball camp and the BYU bowl game, so we will try and connect for a little bit on Sunday.

I am trying to get a chest cold, but am feeling somewhat better tonight.  I came home from work today and rested.  We got the Christmas tree up, and all of the stuff on there cannot be broken, so Camryn can mess with it all she wants.  YW is going good. I’m on schedule to finish the Book of Mormon, just like the prophet has asked us to.  I haven’t been eating right or exercising, which I know I should, and I feel lousy.  I need to do better.

Manda is enjoying her job, but not all of the drama and social interactions with 15 women at work.  Her boss Carol is demanding, and sometimes onry, but Amanda handles it okay.  It is hard to be a working mom, and come home to a independent and sometimes onry 19 month old daughter.  Her breast reduction went very well, and she looks great.  One of the perks of the job – a $11,000 procedure, absolutely free!! 

Camryn is such a joy to have around, even when she is a pain…………… kind of an oxymoron I guess.  She enjoys going to Diane’s and playing with the kids.  She is very independent – wonder where she gets that?!??!  She can say quite a few words, and is beginning to talk in small sentences.  Manda said she told her to, “Leave me alone” the other day when she (Camryn) was in the tub, and didn’t want to get out.   And also, “Where’s papa?” is heard about 20 million times a day also.  We are going to miss her when they go to Arizona over the Christmas holiday.  We will be going to Pinedale for a few days, so that is good to take our minds off of her being gone. She and Manda fly out the Friday before Christmas, and Manda comes back the day after Christmas, and Jim will fly back with Camryn on the Friday after Christmas.  Hope all goes well…  Camryn knows who Santa is, and says HOHOHO when you ask her what does Santa say??  She saw him for real in Walmart last Saturday (he came up to her in the cart) and she didn’t cry, but she didn’t know for sure about him.  Then after he left, all we heard was, “Where’s Santa?”  about a million times !!   We are truly glad to have them here with us, and are usually just one big happy family.

Zac is “putting up” with his work.  When you ask him how work is, he just says, “Work”.  He has applied at HAFB, but I can’t imagine he’ll be happy there either.  Wish he could find something he enjoys.  His garage is coming along nicely.  It is  99% framed, with only the framing around the garage door opening left to do.  He is getting the tar paper and shingles delivered this week hopefully.  I think he’s planning on waiting till spring to do the siding.  It is really nice, and I hope to send you a picture of it soon. 

CJ has gone back to work part-time (Monday-Wednesday)  (started last week on the 5^th)  McKenzie is watching Treyson on Mondays, me and Carrie are switching off on Tuesdays and her friend Lindsey Wardell is watching him on Wednesdays.  This will carry on until mid January, when Diane will take him also.  Seems to be working out so far.  Treyson is a cutie, but I don’t get to see him as much as I’d like to.  He’s starting to smile and goo now. 

Last Tuesday, CJ started from home from SLC at 5 pm, and at 8pm she hadn’t even reached Centerville………..  This was the night of the BIG STORM.  We had planned on going to Temple Square with the YM and YW, but had to cancel because of it.  It’s been really really cold lately too – 15 and 20 below zero at nights, and in the teens during the day.  The last couple of days it’s warmed up to 30’s in the day.

Let’s talk about my favorite subject – Landon of course.  My other kids would probably say I love him best, which IS NOT the case, but I do love that boy a lot !!  He finished his first trimester, and pulled all A’s (even his two English college classes) and a C in Chemistry (college).  I was pretty proud of him.  Now he has a college history class and an online college science class.  Hope they work out well for him too.  He will start Math 1050 in mid January.  Kinda worried about that !??!  If he can’t hack it, he’ll have to pull out and take in again in the summer, with you DAD, as tutor.   Landon is such a good kid. He’s ALWAYS pleasant to be around, and hardly gets out of sorts, except when I nag him (which I’m trying not to do) or pick his zits, which he has gotten quite a bad case of.  We are getting him into the dermatologist on the 29^th of this month.  I’m worried about scaring if we don’t get something done.  He is so good to help out when asked to do anything, and is very good to help out Manda and me with Camryn.  The other day (last Tuesday) he had all the driveway and sidewalk shoveled and pushed the road with the 4-wheeler before his dad even got home from work.  His wrestling is going great !!  He placed 2^nd in the Evanston Tournament (wrestled a kid from Union in the championship round and lost).  He’ll wrestled this kid, Cael Cook 4 more times before State.  The second time he wrestled him (last Friday) we went to the Friday Night Duels at Roosevelt.  Landon wrestled 5 times, and went 4 and 1, losing to the same kid again.  This time he was totally screwed by the referee, and Hoopes actually got thrown out of the gym over the controversy.  We KNOW he can beat this kid, and look forward to the Bobcat Brawls, the regular region duel, and REGION where he will meet him again with a different outcome WE HOPE !!!  Landon will miss the Weber Duels this weekend while he goes to the camp at ASU.  Guess what happened on Sunday?  I’m sitting in Sunday School, feeling sick, so I leave, and I’m going to grab Landon and tell him to let’s just go home.  Then I find out the it’s Lawson Bullock’s farewell, and I really want to listen to it, so I decide to tough it out.  Well, I grab a program, and low and behold, there my son is – speaking today in SACRAMENT meeting !!!  I about fell over !!!  I hurried and called Roger, and told him to come up if he wanted to, which he did, and we listed to Landon give an EXCELLENT talk on Service.  Bless his heart, it was fantastic.  I was so proud  I was about to burst !!  Afterward he told me that the reason he didn’t tell me, was………….and get this…………… he didn’t’ want to hear me nag him about it all week, saying, “Don’t you think you better work on that talk” etc. etc. etc……….  so I’m trying to lay off the nagging.

I also wanted to thank you very much for the Christmas money !  Landon will write later to thank you, we haven’t given it to him yet.  It is very much appreciated and will help out very much.  Also, I’m living in my own oblivious world, and I’m sorry that I didn’t know or sense that Dad was still having problems.  You are too private and too much of a trooper Dad.  I worry about you. As soon as  Mark got your birthday letter to Carrie and heard you were in Bangkok, he called me immediately and was worried, and I told him to chill out – it was probably his imagination………….. but I stand corrected.  Please don’t suffer needlessly.  If you would feel better (more confident) with a doctor here in the states, please come home and get checked out.  I just don’t want this to end up being something that will affect you in years to come because you didn’t get it taken care of. I thought this mission thing would get easier (missing you both) but it is getting harder.  I hope it goes by quickly now.  I’m sorry to complain – I should be cheering you up !!  Take care, let us know how you are feeling.   We love you very much !!

Love Gwen and family 

December 13, 2005

Dear Family,

Please do not concern yourself about my health.  As you probably know, I am the world’s worst worrier.  If I thought something serious was wrong I would be home in a heartbeat.  I am well and have a good appetite, too good in fact.  The doctors all agree that I look healthy and appear to be younger than my sixty-eight years. All tests they have done show nothing.  They all assure me that nothing malignant or life threatening is going on.  The doctors I have seen, especially those in Bangkok are very well qualified, receiving their training in America and England and the hospital itself is very modern with all of the latest test equipment.

The latest test (an MRI) on my spine shows some points where the spinal cord is having pressure put on it by the vertebrae.  They think that this may be causing the pain I am experiencing.  One solution is surgery, which I would consider only as a last resort and certainly only back in the USA.  They suggest that I try massage therapy which I plan to begin this week.  They have also prescribed some anti-inflammatory medication that seems to be helping. 

If you are interested, search on "chronic pelvic pain syndrome" or cpps on the internet and you will see that many people have pain problems similar to what I am experiencing.  Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a wonder cure out there.  The fact that I might have to put up with it for the rest of my life is discouraging, other than that I am fine.

It seems that the closer we get to coming home, the more we miss all of you.  You all know the love you have for your children and how you feel when they do well.  When we hear from you about you and your children’s successes we are extremely happy and almost burst with pride.  Thanks for living the kinds of lives that we can be proud of.

See you soon.  Love Dad

December 13, 2005

Dear Family and Friends,

As you can see we are still here and trying to catch up on everything.  Letter or Email writing is just like paying your tithing.  If you ever get behind it is very very hard to catch up.  Don't get me wrong, we are experiencing this with our writing not our tithing.  It's so good to hear from all of you back home.  Keep the home fires burning bright and always remember to do what our Heavenly Father would want you to do.

We love you all and remember you in our prayers.  Elder and Sister Dickson 

These are some pictures we received from Elder Loomis, one of our favorite missionaries from Weizer (spelling), Idaho - near Boise.  

IMG_0066A (29) - Now you can see why we don't eat at any of the little food stands along the streets.
IMG_0066A (45) - 6th Branch members - 3rd from left is our little lady movie star, 4th is the Branch Pres. wife, 5th is Elder Boui (Booee), lady in gold top is the old Relief Society Pres., Elder Loomis is the tallllll one on the end.
IMG_0066A (47) - 6th Branch members - (left) Emma is an outstanding young lady who plays piano, was the Primary Pres and is now YW Pres (she is in high school); Elder Loomis; Sister and Elder Miller; old RS Pres and two daughters; sister missionaries- Sis Huynh (Win) and Sis Vo
IMG_0066A (57) - How would you like to sit down to eat and have this staring you in the face?
IMG_0812 - Sister Miller carefully walking along boards over the dirty water to a members house (shack).  This is harder in the dark.

December 17, 2005

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everything and everybody back in America.  Thanksgiving has passed and we are all now looking forward to Christmas.  What a wonderful time of the year.  A time to think about why we truly celebrate Christmas.  For us who are away from all the frantic hustle and bustle that usually surround this time of the year,  we find our time taken up with giving service to others and thinking of our Saviour and all that he has done for us.  We are so blessed to live in America with all its freedoms and opportunities.  May each of you feel the true spirit of Christmas as you celebrate this Holiday Season.  We love you all and wish the very best to each and everyone of you.  May the Lord be with you and continue to pour out His blessings on you. 

Love, Elder and Sister Dickson

000_0008 (4) - One of the many fancy buildings at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand
000_0011 (3) - Elder and Sister Miller and Elder and Sister Dickson at Grand Palace
000_0017 - The beautiful grounds at the Grand Palace
100_2570 - Wheelchair distribution
100_2574 - Wheelchair distribution

December 19, 2005

Dad, I'm sending this from work, but you can

reply to me at home.

Your drain in the basement is acting up again.

When they do a load of wash it comes up.  This

has been going on for the last little while, and

has been getting worse.  They have been able to

keep it away from any carpet damage.

The other night, they sucked 24 gallons (2 wet vacs)

full out.  What should they do, or who do you want

me to call?  They are heading to Vegas for a few days

and so won't have to wash for a week.  They took their

last few loads to the laundromat.

Let me know...... who to call - Roto rooter???

Also, do you think the cold has anything to do with it?

They have had no problems at all, just the past few weeks

when it has been so cold.

Let me know at home on my home email

Love Gwen

Gwen, our memories are shot as to who to call but it seems like we put that information on the sheet of paper we left with you and Mark on things you needed to be aware of while we are gone.  Roto Rooter is very expensive compared to the person we used so if you can't find the sheet Mom left with his name there is probably a way to look it up.  When we get over to the District Center will be able to look into our checking account and see if we can look it up on our returned checks.  If not, Dad thinks he would recognize the name if he saw it so we will try looking it up on the Internet.

You should probably turn off the water softener so it won't regenerate and empty water into the basement drain.  Dad doesn't remember just how that is done.  If you can't figure it out just unplug the power to it. 

Glad you are back safe from Arizona and that the camp went well.

We love you, Mom and Dad

I could not determine who we had clean it out before.  It may be Browne under sewer and drain service in the yellow pages.  Whoever it was, they were considerably less than roto-rooter (under $100).  In any case, it needs to be done so get someone whatever the cost (a standing joke here is that we are "Rich Americans".) 

If the clog is where it was before, it is downstream from the downstairs shower and basin.  This can be checked by running water into the basin.  If the clog is downstream, water will come up in the shower and in the furnace room floor drain.   It takes a minute or so to fill up the drain line.

The easiest access into the drain line is under the basin.  The line can be taken apart and the snake put in there.  It cannot be put in the shower drain because there is a pop-up ball in that drain to prevent backflow into the shower.  The next access point is the floor drain in the furnace room.  There is a built-in trap in that drain which makes getting the snake in more difficult. The next access point is in the fruit room.  The drain line can be taken apart and the snake put in there.

Hopefully the clog will be downstream from the basin which will make things easier.

Sorry to impose on you.

Love Dad

December 19, 2005

Dear Family,

You have probably already heard but this is the Email that Aunt Dawna sent to us, so thought I would pass it along.

Ray Smith called me Tuesday 12/13 to say that they had put Jolene in the hospital.  She went to the doctor to have her knee looked at for knee surgery, and he took one look at her and said you are yellow and put her in the hospital in Bountiful.  They ran all kinds of tests, and to make a long story short, moved her to the LDS Hospital for more tests.  Today Kimberly called me and through a liver biopsy discovered that Jolene has cancer of the liver, and also a collapsed lung.  Right now she is in ICU at the LDS Hospital with a feeding tube, they are trying to build her strength up before they do more tests to see the size & etc that it is.  Since she has been there, and with all the tests, she hasn't been eating like she should and also her electrolytes are down.  They don't know what size the tumor/cancer is because they don't want to do any more tests until they can build her strength back up.  I called Gwen, Erika, Pat, Sharon & Aunt Jane to let them know.  I will keep you updated, as I get it, on her condition.  Last Wednesday I put Ray & Jolene Smith & family names in the Salt Lake & Bountiful Temples. Jordan River is closed. 

Remember her in your prayers.  We will send her name to the Hong Kong Temple also.

We love and appreciate all of you.  Have a Merry Christmas.

Love, Mom and Dad (Grandma and Grandpa)

Dec 23

Just a quick not to let you know that your drain issues are fixed.  It WAS Browne, he remembered you from last time.  This time it was below the drain in the furnace room. The charge was $85.00.  I paid him with your checks.

We had a Christmas party at our house last night and I fixed turkey and ham (can you believe it mom??)  It was really good.  Just our kids, their kids, and Ben and Lu.

It has been raining raining raining the past evening.  It is 40-50 and really warm for this time of year.  Landon wrestled at N.S. Wednesday, and won. Zac is hoping it doesn't snow this weekend so he can get his roof on the garage started shingling.   Manda and Camryn leave for AZ tonight.

Haven't heard anything else about Aunt Jolene.

Take care, and watch for a Christmas Email !!!

December 25, 2005

Dear Friends and Family,

The faster we go the farther behind we seem to get.  It is Christmas night and we have had a full day.  Some of you early birds are just waking up to Christmas in America and I can just picture the children all excited over what Santa brought and busily opening their presents.  Once again we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Successful New Year.  Always remember the true meaning of Christmas not only today but throughout the coming year.  We love you all and wish we could be together during the holiday season. 

Love, Elder and Sister Dickson.

000_0003 --- Some of the relatives watching us eat.  Notice the bamboo floor, you don't have to worry about sweeping the dirt under the rug.
000_0014_0001 --- 81 year old in baseball cap, wife is white haired lady standing behing Brother Som.
000_0020 --- These are the little birds that were still alive just hanging there.
100_2743 --- A ferry like we crossed on.
100_2772 --- Lady stomping the rice in her bare feet.
100_2782 --- Students cutting rice.
100_2788 --- Brother Som holding the cycle they cut rice with.  They are made from animal horns or a tree limb.

December 25, 2005

We celebrated our Christmas last Thursday (22^nd) because Manda and Camryn left for Phoenix on Friday night.  I cooked a turkey and ham and dressing (mom’s recipe) and potatoes and gravy (from a packet) and rolls (store bought) and pumpkin pie (homemade the Dickson way) but it did not turn out.  Manda made it, and it may have been the cheap Western Family pumpkin? Or else she did something wrong, because it was way runny………….Ben and LuAnn came down, and Zac and CJ and Treyson.  Landon had to referee Junior High wrestling, and was late, but that’s okay.  We opened all of our present.  We got the kids each a portable DVD player, which they were very happy with, and Camryn and Treyson some little toys.  Of course Treyson was too little to understand, but Camryn really really got into opening presents, and she was pretty happy with a baby doll from her mom, and Zac and CJ got her a Care Bear, and we got her a little farm animal set, and she got a little chair to sit in that she really liked.  It was a really nice evening, kind of nice to stay at our home for a family Christmas party.  

I would have liked Mark and Erika and families to come, but Mark was in Phoenix for baseball camps, and BYU games, and Erika was busy busy busy as usual.  I had to work on Friday, but then we took Manda and Camryn down to the airport about 5 pm.  Her flight left at 8 p.m.  We heard later that Camryn was a total “pill” at the airport, screaming and throwing a fit, etc. etc. etc.  When they finally got on the plane she settled down and they both slept all the way to Phoenix.  Manda called us the next morning and said that she got her settled at Jim’s apartment before going to Therese’s to stay.  When she called Jim Saturday morning, he said they had had breakfast, and he gave her a bath, and they were watching cartoons, and he was reading her a book.  Manda also called today, Christmas Day, and said she (Camryn) was having a really good time with her Arizona family.  Manda was invited to Jim’s mom’s for the party and dinner and it was going well.  I’m glad they are able to get along and be civil for Camryn’s sake. 

Last night on Christmas Eve we went out to eat with the Kimbal family.  We at Sizzler on 12^th street.  It was okay.  Then we went to King Kong……….. WOW   It was way nerve wracking, especially when Kong was fighting the three tyrannosaurus rex………. GROSS !!!>!>!>!>!>………….

We came home, went to bed, and were awakened by a much appreciated phone call from Mom and Dad from Cambodia.  The connection was really good, and it was good to hear their voices.  I will be sooooooooo glad when June comes.  I miss them……   Erika called also, and it was good to talk to her.  I had spoken with Mark and Carrie the day before and he told me that Jason and Shelly are moving to St. George!!   That was a surprise.  I guess mom and dad’s house will set vacant, and that’s okay, we’ll check on it.    

We went to church (me and Landon) at 11 a.m. for sacrament meeting.  I was really surprised at the turnout.  A lot of families and extended families were there.  It was really really nice.  They released Teresa Rhodes (one of my Laurel advisors) and sustained Lisa Streadbeck in her place.  Teresa and her girls (tear tear) and family will be moving to Peterson in their new home within the month.  

We also went over and saw Zac and CJ and Treyson’s Christmas today.  I took some pictures of their garage.  Rog and Zac have gotten all of the tar paper and drip edge and ice block on it, so it’s ready to shingle !!   Too bad Zac is going to Pinedale with us tomorrow………..  I know he’s torn – snowmobile – shingle – snowmobile – shingle……………… oh well, it will get done.  

CJ and the baby are going to stay home.  Roger and Zac are getting the sleds ready and loaded, etc. etc.  We are leaving at 6 am tomorrow morning (Monday 26^th) and will ride Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, coming home Wednesday night after we are done riding.  

Landon has wrestling practice Thursday morning and a Dermatologist appointment on Thursday afternoon.  His face has developed quite a bad case of acne – don’t know WHY it has come on him so badly.  It started during football, and has increased, and I’m afraid of scaring if we don’t do something.  Neither Roger or myself or Manda or Zac has had it this bad or at all…………….  

Now I’m just sitting down writing this journal entry, which I need to do better about.  In my patriarchal blessing I was told that my journal would be the means of bringing my kids back to the gospel – so I need to do better.  I finished reading the Book of Mormon yesterday.   When I read it I feel so much happier and content.  I do a pretty good job of reading it regularly – but I could improve…  I’m glad I took upon me the prophets challenge.  I had already read it one this year (Jan-March) and now a second time, and if I take my Bishop’s challenge, I will read it ONE MORE TIME before January 1^st – only 70 pages a day (about 2 ½ hours) Can I do it??   We’ll see.     

Now I’m going to put together a slideshow presentation for mom and dad so when they get up in the morning (day after Christmas) it will be there for them !!

December 29, 2005

Well we are back from Pinedale............... all went well.  The snow was great, The temperature was great, The weather WAS NOT cooperative.  It snowed on us (up in the hills) everyday......... it could have been better, but we had a good time, considering.  All that went were Roger, Gwen, Zac & Landon, Bret & Gaylene Kimbal and boys, Kyle and Chase (Kolby is on a mission) and also Bret's brother (Jeff) 's boy Trevor (his mom just died about a week before Christmas) and Mark and Janene Walker and Shawn and Shersti (Landon is on a mission) and Camille and her husband couldn't come.

Tonight we went over to Mark and Carries for Jason and Shelly's farewell party.  Carrie was upstairs in bed though, still recuperating from her gall bladder operation (I hope you already knew about this, and I'm not letting the cat out of the bag). 

Landon has a double date tonight with Chase Kimbal and Paige Peterson and Chesey Martin......... apparently he knows this Chelsey because she used to live in Morgan, and is still friends with Paige.

We took Landon to the dermatologist this afternoon, and he prescribed an antibiotic, and some cream to open up his pores.  Hopefully this will help.  Tomorrow afternoon I'll be watching Treyson.  Camryn gets home tomorrow morning (Jim is flying her home).  Everything seems to be going well down there in Arizona - Manda calls Jim daily to get the report. 

Dad, we got the gas bill for the shop, and WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaa !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!iiiiiiiiiiehhhhhhhhhhhhhh gag gag gag.  Two months ago, our home bill was 64.00 then last month it went to 84.00, and now this month 104.00 AND WE ARE ON EQUAL PAYMENT PLAN!!!  Zac's home bill last month was $89 - this month - $260 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1  Shelly said she called the gas company and was told that they implemented a 14% increase and then another 30% increase.  Mark hasn't opened his bill yet...........  I told him I wanted him to open it while I was there so I could see his face..............  Well, anyway - last month the bill for the shop was $18.00 - this month........................  $124.89 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I asked Zac if he had been using it any more, or if he had forgotten to shut off the heat, and he assured me that he has not.   He doesn't use it a whole lot, but will heat it up to 50 for an hour or two here and there.   It was extra cold for a week or week and a half in the early part of December.  I guess all this, coupled with the rising rates accounts for the bill.  Zac said he would work in the cold, without turning up the heat, but I told him you wouldn't want him to do that.  He has offered to pay the bill.  What would you like me to have him do?

Well, better go for now.  Did you get the slideshow????  Write back soon

LOVE YOU !!!  Do good, and take care.  Do you think you'll be back by the end of May??  Landon graduates on June 2nd !!

See you later :)

Gwen