Dear Diary,
It has been nearly ten years since Almonzo and I left Walnut Grove. I still miss the town dearly. I had hoped that Jenny and our children could have spent their childhood in that lovely town, but God had a better plan. Walnut Grove will always be special to me. It is where Nellie and I had our battles. It is where I had my own window. It is where I taught school and sent Willie Olson to the corner. I have so many wonderful memories in that little town. I have now moved on, but the memories of Walnut Grove will always be with me. Over the years, God has blessed us with three wonderful children. There is Rose who is now thirteen. We have a son named after my father, Charles. He is nine years old. We also have Belinda who is seven. We live in a small town near Sleepy Eye. Almonzo farms and works at the lumber mill.
Rose is turning into a beautiful young woman. Already, boys are starting to notice her. I am fine with that because I trust Rose, but I think Almozo will have a harder time. Rose is still his little girl. His firstborn. When Rose finds the right man, I am sure Almonzo will approve of her choice.
Charlesis just like his grandfather. He has his grandfather's curly brown hair and his personality. It's hilarious watching thos two play checkers. You'd think that someone's life was depended on it! Just like his Uncle Albert, Charles wants to be a doctor. I will fully support him for that, but I am not sure how he will do it since he screams at the sight of blood. Maybe he will outgrow the phobia in time.
Belinda is the sweetest little girl in the world. (Of coarse, I am saying that because I am bias.) She has just started her second year of school. Her teacher says that she is a very smart student. She says that she never wants to get married. Instead, she wants to travel that world and be a writer. I told her that I was all for that. The world needs women writers, but I hope she will find a husband during her travels.
Jenny is happily married to a cattle rancher named Logan Hanson. They live out west with their baby girl, Rachel. I miss her terribly, but I know she is happy. She met Logan in this town. I guess that's one good thing that came out of moving here. If we didn't, Jenny would have probably never married Logan. At first, I wasn't sure what to think of him. I didn't want him to take Jenny out west to start a ranch. Doubts came in my mind. What if the ranch failed? What if things got bad, and Logan left Jenny? But I now approve of Logan completely. He is a very hard worker. If the ranched failed, he would find another job to do, and he loves Jenny very much.
I better start supper now. Almonzo always comes home with a hearty appetite.
Always,
Laura Ingalls Wilder