With All Our Love

Dear Boys,

Recently I was thinking about living during the Great Depression. Life was hard. Hard to find and keep employment, hard to have any money, hard to put food on the table, hard to maintain keep of a family. Bent nails were straightened and reused, scraps of anything were saved to be used for everything. There were no extras, no frills, no toys, no luxuries of belongings or play. Being a child of parents who survived such a time undoubtedly were taught how to survive hard things. "Wear it out, use it up, or do without" was their creed. My mother was such a product. I spent summers getting up before dawn to help irrigate and weed the garden, was asked to help can trash cans full of grapes, peel hundreds of pounds of potatoes...the work was never done. So tell me why I am grateful for learning how to work? There were many things we're asked to do today that can be considered hard. You both worked hard in school, and reaped the rewards. The choices available to you would have been less appealing, fewer in number, and limited in scope. Some doors to opportunities would remain closed, and some closed for good. Understanding the importance of knowing how to work is an eternal principle I'm thankful I learned, and hope you to have caught the vision.

It will be work having you home. I will have to re-amp my cooking skills, and pick up my laundry pace, But working hard brings blessings, and you two are all I ask for.

The day of your arrival is soon hear, and the gang is ready! All four of your brothers finished school Friday, for a week or so, and in celebration all camped out on the floor. You have your choice of  beds ;-) Our friends arrived Friday afternoon.

We quickly whisked them off to Porter's first home basketball game. They played Waco University, and lost. But it was a very entertaining game to watch. The team just couldn't break through the first quarter ten point lead. Porter played a strong forward, had great assists, great passes...definitely needs to shoot more and work on the free throws.

Saturday the boys all went to the stake basketball tournament. I think their team never showed, but they played a LONG game by default, even DAD! Porter was especially glad to see him out on the floor. Cooper had a few good shots, Sawyer was on the receiving end of a few floor to floor length passes that were caught without blinking, and then in for the lay up. They all do love to play!

The Dewey family had an old hoop on a pole at their old house to give away, so it was picked up, and plans were made for tomorrow's cementing in of the pole. Consider it Miller's early birthday present. He is missing a hoop desperately!

Last night Cooper spent his evening making a Christmas tree out of Dad's library books. It took quite a long time, and was much larger than I thought it would be - all in honor of Tanner's love of learning, love of books, and his homecoming.

Today, in honor of Hunter's love of sport, games, and competition, all the boys wore golf ties to celebrate his coming home. We are SO ready!

Travel safely, remember our love for you, and stick together!

Love,

Mom