With All My Love

Dear Tanner,

Just a few more days and you'll arrive! How excited we are. We'll be spending the next few days getting the house up to snuff, menu planning, and refrigerator stuffing. All is well on your home front. We even cleaned the van and garage for you! Saw your picture of you at the ball game...the Royals' stadium looks beautiful!

I've been thinking a lot of your great something grandfather, Rufus Porter Glass, being the patriotic weekend it was. Because of your father, I understand more of all that Rufus experienced a little bit better: The story's even better beginning with the grandfather of Rufus, James Glass, a soldier in the Revolutionary War. What made him unique is the fact that he enlisted for the entire war, 1777-1783, when most enlistments were for six months. And he lived. His grandson Rufus enlisted in the Civil War and lived through the Battle of Fredericksburg, slept on the hill that led to Mary's Heights and the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought in the Copse of trees at Gettysburg, the focal point of Pickett's charge. Rufus was captured by Mosby's Ranger's in Virginia and then sent south to Andersonville prison, where he refused to be released, instead offering his place to men married with children, When he was finally going him, he missed the steamboat Sultana explosion, worst maritime disaster ever (1800 out of 2400 died, while Titanic had 1500 out of 2200 die), by one day. Why were these men both protected, for indeed they were watched over? Your grandmother, of course. As soon as she is born, the Glass line ends. They fulfilled their ultimate purpose, ensuring your grandmother could lead generations yet to come to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Fourth of July celebrations in Granbury are pretty spectacular, although it was to much pomp and circumstance for me. I'll be thinking of a good service project we can initiate for next year. I woke early that morning, and decided to have Dad drop me off, after hitting our local Sonny's donuts, and I read a book for almost three hours, holding our spot to view the parade. The parade needs to add a little diversity, meaning there was no military, no scouts, no pageantry, only one band. But it was still fun. Cooper told your sister that if she stood, smiled and waved, she'd have candy thrown to her, so she was very diligent about her princess candy duties. One of our favorite floats was the local air conditioning company, who shared their cold air with us as they walked by.

Dad and a contingency of boys walked around the downtown square for a couple of hours to see the vendors, and came away with their favorite: the root beer man who dispensed it in a frosty metal meg for $15.

The fireworks were touted as one of the best little town displays in the nation, and we weren't disappointed. What really surprised us what how enthusiastic the community is in supporting the local firework businesses. We felt like we were in a war zone! Pictures of this fun day are forthcoming, but here is a sample:

Your wing man Hunter is still golfing everyday, or almost so. He usually takes Sawyer and Miller, sometimes for just nine holes, even Porter is going. He was invited to tag along with the golf PGA pro for their weekly tournament, and although they didn't win, he was invited back for extra coaching.

Dad and Hunter drove to the Dallas temple on Friday, just for fun! They enjoyed their time together, and stopped off for lunch and Hunter's hobby, vinyl records. More on that later this week as well.

I suppose I'm finished. Dad and the boys watched Jaws and Jaws II for shark week. He reminded me that the main character, Quinn, hunted sharks because he had been aboard the USS Indianapolis. That was a great book, and we have the flag from one of the soldiers who didn't survive. Something else I've been reflecting on this weekend.

Travel safely, and see you two soon!

Love,

Mom