birthday package

I celebrated my birthday was last week and I received the sweetest package in the mail. It made me smile all the day long. In the package was a letter addressed to Mrs. Rachel Crane, Crane Ranch, Heber Valley, Utah Territory. It was wonderfully sealed and imprinted on the back; it almost made me swoon!

The letter was written in the most elegant hand and wished me a happy birthday, and commended me on my efforts with the Christian Ladies Society and the Sewing Circles I am involved with. It also informed me that my canteen was mistakenly taken at our last meeting and that I would find it returned to me in the package, along with a few other tokens of friendship.

One of those tokens was this framed picture of Robert E Lee, with whom I share a birthday. It was inscribed just for me and reads "To Miss Rachel, While we share a birthday please know that you have the fullness of my esteem and admiration, Robert E. Lee, General Commanding" and then something I can't read, a few letters that I can not make out but look like ANV. Isn't that just sublime? It is on my bedside table where I look upon it everyday.

Here are the contents of my birthday package that brought so much joy and jubilation to my heart! Thanks so much Doctor Bowman! You are such a thoughtful man!