Note: Mom's mother Eva Cowley Willey Hill, married Charles Trump after bing a widow for 9 years. Mama loved Grandpa Trump and I never heard her say anything negative about him. She always said he was so good to her and Uncle David. He was always Grandpa Trump to us and I never thought of him as a step grandpa. In fact it wasn't until I was a teenager that I realized that I had another grandfather, Guy Phillip Hill, Mom's father.
December 14, 1960
Dear Dad,
Happy Birthday! I ask this every year so here goes again. Do you feel a year older? the children are quite disappointed that they can't come to your birthday party. So am I. Maybe on your 73rd birthday or so you will be home. I guess Hawaii is almost like “home” to you by now. How are you feeling? Bruce still can’t get over how good your blood pressure was that day he took it. He says you’ll probably live to be a hundred. I’m glad. What celebrating are you going to do. do you have any poinsettias now like you had on year? They were so beautiful.
We are all well in this part of the country. we have been so blessed with good health. Bruce never feels really well be we are hoping he will “outgrow” this condition he has. He actually feels better than he did a year ago but he still has these attacks. They are not serious and as painful as his few but they still slow him down. Of course he is working awfully hard. He puts in about 12-16 hours a day at the hospital. Some days it isn't as bad and other days are really busy. He is often in surgery for 6 hours or so and that is tiring ‘cause he can’t move around and he has to keep his arms above the waist at all times and generally is holding retractors which holds the skin and muscle apart. He has decided he down’t want to be a surgeon but he doesn’t mind it for just a little bit. Of course they don’t let him do very much so if he has the chance to do more actual surgery he would like it better. I went to the doctor the other day and he said I was “healthy as a horse”. I am feeling good and am getting all the things done that I have to do which is unusual for me. I am making doll clothes and blankets for the childrens’ dolls. Those blankets Mother made for the twins last year are so cute and have been used and enjoyed so much I thought I would make Stacey one similar to them and then the twins dolls are small and I thought I would make small ones like them. Stacey can’t decide if she wants to stay our or in and she is making an old woman out of me. All she does is say uhh uhh and I just can't understand what she is trying to tell me. Actually she is learning to talk a little but she still has a long way to go.
Roark really enjoys kindergarten. They are learning to count to ten in Spanish and he is quite proud of that. He is such a good little boy. Stacey thinks he is just about the only one. She is now hanging up her coat and putting her boots away so I guess she decided to stay in (I hope, we did that a minute ago and then she decided to go out again so I put them on her again.). Roark and the other children are really on a story binge and so I have to read to them every night. If I ask them if they want a story or TV they always answer a story so each of them chooses a story and we read for a while. Roark loves to retell the stories so he goes over to the couples who do not have children and tells them all the stories he knows. Brett is so funny. When he gets upset or mad he’ll say “I’m mad - I’m mad at everybody in the whole world - ‘cept Grandpa Trump”. I can’t figure out how come he’s developed such an attachment to you but he sure has one. He keeps asking me why we can’t get on the airplane and go to Hawaii to see Grandpa Trump. He is really a cute little boy. He is our hardest child to figure out but he is sure smart as a whip. Stacey is trying so hard to be a big part of the family. On family night she has to stand up and sing with the rest of them and she will raise her hand along with the others. We have so enjoyed her. Jeanne and Jayne are getting so mature. Jayne wants to have her hair cut again but Jeanne doesn’t ‘cause she wants me to curl hers so this afternoon Jayne is having her hair cut. I’m making these little skirts and weskits for them for christmas and they both know it but they aren’t sure of the material I tried Jeanne’s on Jayne for fit and the first thing she asked was if I was making one for her and if they were the same. They like things similar now but they would rather they weren't just alike. The[y] are so really good and really try hard to please.
Well, Dad, I wander on and on and still don’t say how much we love you and how much we truly appreciate you. We received the Christmas for the children and thank you very much. We got the twins a blouse and slip which will be from you and we still haven’t finished the rest of the shopping for the others. With Bruce gone so much I do’t have the car but he will be thru Saturday at noon and we will finish up. We feel it was very generous of you and we do appreciate it. We would rather have you here tho so please get things done and hurry home. I am so thankful you wanted to marry Mother and the rest of us. David has been singularly blessed because of your marriage and, of course, so have I and ours. The children can’t wait to go sleigh riding on our big sled. Have a wonderful day and take care of yourself. Tell other to give you a big kiss from all of us. Oh, yes, this book we sent we so hope you’ll enjoy it. It’s the type to pick up and read for a few minutes and then put down and think about it. I think you might enjoy reading it with Mother out loud for a few minutes every once in a while. We have one and are sending David one for Christmas. I can see myself so often in the description Screwtape gives Wormwood of potential “patients”.
We love you and wish you the best in this coming year.
Love,
All of us
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