Children from left to right (youngest to oldest)
Steve, Tony, Neva, Randy, Larry, Charlie, Johnnie, Patsy, Audrey, Bruce

Heber Martin Family

Virginia Nell and Heber Bruce Martin at home.

10-14-12

Dearest Family, I hope that you have enjoyed sharing this year in Grandma Martin's life as much as I have. I have enjoyed many laughs, many tears and many memories as I have typed through her journal. Her love for her Savior, her faith, her husband, her family, and hard work uplift and inspire me to be a better person. Love you Grandma... til we meet again....Rachael

12-31-84

Dear Diary, Well since this is the last day of 84, we decided to go to the New Year's Eve party tonight. Steve, Jeanette, Audrey, Heber and I. We all picked up lots of leaves out front. Jeanette is sure a lot of help in everything we do. We sure think Steve got a choice mate. We love her. She is so quiet and composed. We went to the Stake Center in Montgomery to the party the youth had a great time with the far out dancing. We enjoyed visiting with old friends. We left before midnight.

12-30-84

Dear Diary, We had a good day at church. Not too many people bothered to come out it was a lovely warm day in the 70s. It's been unusually warm for over a month now. Steve and Jeanette came back form Fla. today they spent the night with Charlie's one night and one night with her Uncle. They got here earlier than we thought they would. We are sure glad they had a safe trip. They also went to Disney World.

12-29-84

Dear Diary, I talked with Anitra and Patsy today. Patsy, Richard and Chris went to Bruce's. Patsy's bday so I wished her a happy b'day. She was telling me about a house she had looked at in Centerville and about how much she had to pay for Richard's clothes for his mission. I sure hope he is a good missionary. I hate to see him go to such a cold country. He's going to Calgary, Canada in March.

12-28-84

Dar Diary, Audrey has really worked hard today washing up bed linens and cleaning the house. We have gotten several more Christmas cards from friends long distances away, that's one of the nice things about the holidays is hearing from old friends. We have really enjoyed raking leaves and cleaning the yard. only thing we've gotten so involved with work we've neglected the scriptures.

12-27-84

Dear Diary, I feel really good. I and Audrey have cleaned house some. Steve and Jeanette went to Fla this morning to see her Uncle who is Stake Patriarch in Orlando and they will visit with Charlie, Dolores and Chuckie. I sent them some white fruitcake also some coconut cake that pa really likes. Heber has hauled two more loads of chicken manure and I raked some leaves. Johnnie's family stopped back by from Dora's on the way home.

12-26-84

Dear Diary, I am sure grateful I can see still after the laser on my left eye even tho not as well as before. The vision is blurred. Johnnie's family went over to Dora's this morning. We all made pictures of everyone. Tony and Marsha were here yesterday only. Steve and Jeanette and all of us enjoyed pizzas tonight for supper then Steve and Jeanette went bowling tonight with David Stewart and his wife. I hope they have fun.

12-25-84

Dear Diary, We, Johnnie's family, Steve and Jeanette, Heber, Audrey and I and Tony's family have all had a really good day. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the children open their gifts. We were all very happy and pleased things went so well. I talked with Patsy tonight and she's going to Salt Lake tomorrow to see about work and moving. We were sure happy to see Joshua again. I got to enjoy the Lawrence Whelk Christmas program on TV.

12-24-84

Dear Diary, It's been a very busy day. We or I got up at 5:30 am I put the ham on and made two salads, one cherry congealed and one frog eye salad that Anitra usually makes when she's here. We had baked ham for supper. Mama always let us eat ham on Christmas Eve. We all got together, Steve, Jeanette, Heber, Audrey and I, also Johnnie's family. We sang carols and I read the Christmas story and Amanda played the clarinet. Jeanette and Steve took turns playing the piano.

12-23-84

Dear Diary, We have had a really good spiritual day at church. I really good Relief So. lesson. Ann Brown taught it, it was on being consecrated. We had a nice Christmas program and Sac Meeting. We came home and ate lunch, took a nap which we needed. Then we dressed and went back to the chapel and enjoyed a Christmas fireside from SL City by satellite. It was really wonderful. We talked with Charlie, Steve and I.

12-22-84

Dear Diary, We sure hated to get out of bed after getting back so late. We have done lots today. We have washed, cooked, and wrapped gifts. I made sausage balls and gum drop cookies to take to our Christmas party. It had started when we got there. We were late because Henry from Tacoma called and talked for an hour or longer. The program was really so sweet. All the children were so sweet as angels and wise men. We had a real live baby. Grey isn't well so we visited her tonight.

12-21-84

Dear Diary, We Heber, Audrey, Jeanette, Steve and I went to Tuscaloosa today to see Tony, Marsha and the baby Joshua. He has grown to 8lbs now. We visited a while and then we went to McFarland mall and shopped some then we ate at Piccadilly's restaurant. We enjoyed then back to Tony's. Marsha cooked a good supper. We ate, in the meantime Josh had the colic so she called the doctor and Tony went for medicine. We watched BYU play football and got home at 1:30am.

12-20-84

Dear Diary, We have had a good day. I was up at 2am. I studied our Relief So. lesson and wrote a few more cards. Heber hauled some chickens fertilizer and it smells awful. Steve, Jeanette, Audrey and I went to town. Merle cut my hair and we shopped some at Salnicks he is going out of business. I got some good buys. We have had supper. I saw a few of our neighbors , Sis Neely.

12-19-84

Dear Diary, I woke up again about 4am so I had lots more cards to get off so I got up and wrote lots of them. I just love getting cards and sending them. I got breakfast then went back to bed. When I got up I went to town and mailed them and bought more to send! We had lunch then Sis Derrito and Sis Gilbert came visiting teaching, the message was about living celestial laws in our homes. It was special and so good. Jeanette played Christmas cradle song. I just love it.

12-18-84

Dear Diary, Sue called today to get Patsy's address. She said Henry and the kids from Ricks got home safely today. Steve and Jeanette went to Montgomery to Maxwell to tell them to pick up some house hold things to ship to England. They got back, I had a napped because I got up at 4am to address more cards. I do enjoy sending them. We got several today. I really love to hear from friends at this holiday season.

12-17-84

Dear Diary, I took Steve's temperature today it was over 100 degrees. He went to Dr Stallworth here in Marion after I made an appt. He gave him some medicine and he's taking it but he is sure sick. His mouth is sore so is his throat. Jeanette and I have written lots of Christmas cards, the beautiful music and getting cards from old and new friends is the best part of the holidays.

12-16-84

Dear Diary, We were so very grateful Steve, Jeanette and Audrey were able to go to church with us today. It was my turn to teach Social Relations in Relief So. It was on starting our own Christmas traditions. I sure hope we can have a special Christmas this year. We will have two Daughter in laws to play the piano so I hope we all sing some Christmas Hymns and read the story of the birth of Jesus. We are all happy even though Steve had to go to the Dr. today.

12-15-84

Dear Diary, We are sure relieved Steve, Jeanette and Audrey got here after 11pm tonight. Heber and I are really tired. We have worked hard all day cleaning and putting up decorations. We are having the missionaries eat with us. Steve and them are really tired they have had a long hard drive through all the snow and icy roads from Idaho home. We are sure happy to have them here, safe and sound.