To celebrate the Fourth, I set my maps app for my grandchildren’s north Dallas home and hit the road early for the seven or so hour solo drive. I love driving early mornings in total peace and quiet. No radio, no book on tape; just my thoughts, memories and adventures.
I got to spend about a week in Dallas. While I was swimming with one grandson in Texas, my only great-grandson in Des Moines, Iowa, received his very own pool, and the entire family enjoyed the Fourth including his aunt from Oklahoma.
Back home in Sumner, the longstanding Fourth of July parade did founder Martha Ann Clark proud as Jenny McCullough stepped into the organizer role. Martha Ann first started the parade in Webb in 1995, then it moved to Sumner in 2006. This year, Jenny recruited her golfing friends, a fire truck, bicycles, motor bikes, walkers and military trucks, all decked out to bring much joy to the front porch sitters as well as the participants. Danny Cox and Billy King won first place and Charlie Robinette won second place. See photos from the parade on Page 15 of this week’s Sun-Sentinel. Jenny McCullough snapped them.
Other proud grandparents, Cindy and Jim Pennington, shared news of their grandson, Houston Powers of Cleveland, winning baseball’s MVP award.
Cindy explains the backstory on Houston’s World Series: “His performance and his achieving the MVP award was truly unexpected and unusual for him. He has been playing baseball on the Cleveland Park Commission teams since he was 4 years old. He is a very humble, respectful young man, always willing to do anything his coaches ask him to do.
“His dad has taught him the game as well as how to show good sportsmanship in everything he does. He has played travel ball and on many all-star teams. They have won tournaments and champion-ships over many years. He has sat on the bench more than his share and struck out more times than he would like to remember. Through it all, he has done it without ever complaining or throwing his helmet or showing any emotion other than complete willingness to help his team.
“This was the first time his team has played in the All Star World Series. Houston pitched 3-1/3 innings in the first game to help them win. In the second game, with the bases loaded and down 4-1, he hit a triple and seeing that the catcher couldn’t find the ball when they threw it home, he was also able to score! They won that game also. Next game, he hit another triple to help them win and make it to the championship, which they won in 3½ innings!
“Being awarded the MVP was very much deserved, but being the sportsman that he is he gave full credit to his teammates as well. We are very proud of this award but most of all the kind of young man he is. Houston will be in seventh grade at Bayou Academy.”
Cindy also shared that Houston’s sister, Mollie Cynclair, plays first base and her team won their first game of the All Star World Series. They went on to finish third, but Mollie was named to the All Tournament team.
It’s so good to be able to celebrate and honor family.
With much sadness, the Jenkins Cemetery took a hard storm hit, with trees falling on the decorative fence. It’s an act of love to tend to the grounds and monuments and there is enough love in that family to clear the trees and mend all the damage.
With GPS, we can find our way home, even in a storm.
