4 March 2018

 Dear people,

   Well, Maddie and I had our birthday's, and next week there are more! The month of March is pretty busy in our family. Spencer, I sent your gifts in the same package with your dad's . . . I hope that's alright! :)  And Bradley, I hope your mom's package arrives in time. 

   One of my favorite gifts this year was a Blog; and it's a gift I can share with all of you! Thank you, Aimee; what wonderful idea. I look forward to looking over it for many years to come. I'd like to find out how hard or expensive it would be to print each year into a book. I had started printing some, but didn't get very far; my plan was to put them in a binder; but maybe a blog book would be a better idea.

   We had a Regional Conference today, at the Stake Center. I was all dressed and ready to go, but then got called into work. It was to finish the adoption discharge process I had helped with when the birth mother was in labor on Friday evening. This is the fourth adoption I've helped with in the 5 years I've been a Case Manager. Each one has been different, and surprisingly emotional for me. One was 2 or 3 years ago, another about a year ago, and then two in the past two weeks. Normally our Social Worker takes care of these, but sometimes the delivery happens on a weekend I'm on call. This weekend I wasn't on call, but when our Director of Nursing came to my office late Friday afternoon, looking for someone to take care of this, I was the only one available, and since I had been in on it from the beginning, it made sense for me to finish it up today, when the baby went home with his new parents. It was pretty sweet to see this couple who have been married 9 years without a baby, holding their new little guy. 

   Dad is in DC for meetings. He has been asked to meet with the Department of Justice . . . I think that's right. I hope he'll tell us all about it later.

    I'll be flying out to meet him there this Wednesday; I get into DC about 4pm. We had planned, and even had tickets, to tour the White House on Thursday morning, but there was a security problem there very recently and Dad got an email saying our tour is cancelled. But we can see other wonderful things and still tour the Capitol Building that afternoon. 

   The other J siblings and I are planning Gran's 85th birthday open house; it will be Sunday, March 18th, from 4-7 at the Egin church. We're just going to have sandwiches, brownies, and Aunt Lynne has volunteered to make a cake. All the family is invited and also a few close friends; although that list of close friends is getting longer. :) It should be a good time; you don't turn 85 every day!  

   Sam, thanks for your email; it's so nice to hear all about everyone's activities. I loved the pictures too, especially the one of all four kids in that tree. That's a keeper. 

   Heidi and Kevin, we look forward to hearing about your moving adventures and seeing pictures of the new house! I got some cards in the mail from your house; thanks so much; they were so nicely decorated and had wonderful art work! 

   Thank you each for the birthday calls; it made turning 60 a lot easier to take. I even got a birthday text from Joseph, thank you!

   Well, there are always things I forget to mention, or questions I forget to answer. Each week is so busy here, and I'm sure, even more busy for you all. I pray for each of you, every day, by name . . . and that takes a while! :) 

   Love you bunches,

   Mom/Johanna/Nana

P.S. I'm including a picture I took of a poster that was up in one of the Wards I visited recently. I thought you all might find it interesting too.