2. A boy named Charlie, who loved horses, grew up on a ranch in New Mexico.

3. His basketball team won state the year he graduated from high school.

4. Meanwhile, a girl named Bette had been growing up in California.

5. She attended junior college and pledged a sorority.

6. Our country had entered WW2, and both Bette and Charlie enlisted in the US Navy.

7. They were stationed on Bainbridge Island, Washington, where they met, dated, fell in love, and got married in 1945.

8. After the war, they settled in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to raise their family.

9. While Charlie worked at White Sands Missile Range, Bette stayed home, kept house, and

10. took care of their two daughters, Carol and Connie.

11. Years went by, and Connie graduated from high school in 1971, just as Bette had done in the ’40s.

12. That summer, Connie left New Mexico to attend Hardin- Simmons University,

13. where a boy named Ken had been attending school for two years.

14. They met, dated, fell in love, and married in 1974.

15. Ken and Connie had two sons, Matt & Keith.

16. They made their home in Brownwood, Texas. The years flew by...

17. ... and the boys grew up.

18. Both sons graduated from high school. May 1999 May 2005

19. The summer after graduating from high school, Matt left home to attend Texas A&M,

20. while a girl named Rachel was also leaving home to attend A&M.

21. They met, dated, fell in love, and married in 2003.

23. And the cycle continues as we await the birth of Matt & Rachel’s daughter this summer.

24. Other things may change us, but we start and end with family. -- Anthony Brandt