FRIENDSHIP, TEXAN STYLE
Today we should wish Happy Birthday to the State of Texas, for it was on this day, in 1845, that Texas 
became the 28th State of the United States.
As this Wikipedia entry notes:
"With an area of 268,581 square miles (695,622 km²) and a population of 22.8 million in 254 counties, the state is second-largest in both area and population—behind Alaska and California, respectively."
Some more perspective on this day comes from this entry in The Handbook of Texas Online:
"The word Friendship was adopted as the Texas state motto by the Forty-first Texas Legislature in February 1930.
The word was probably chosen because the name Texas or Tejas was the Spanish pronunciation of a Caddo Indian word sometimes translated to mean "friends" or "allies."
It's also important to keep in mind the historical circumstances that resulted in this outcome. As this article in History.com explains:
"Six months after the congress of the Republic of Texas accepts U.S. annexation of the territory, Texas is admitted into the United States as the 28th state.
After gaining independence from Spain in the 1820s, Mexico welcomed foreign settlers to sparsely populated Texas, and a large group of Americans led by Stephen F. Austin settled along the Brazos River.
The Americans soon outnumbered the resident Mexicans, and by the 1830s attempts by the Mexican government to regulate these semi-autonomous American communities led to rebellion. In March 1836, in the midst of armed conflict with the Mexican government, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.
The Texas volunteers initially suffered defeat against the forces of Mexican General Santa Anna--the Alamo fell and Sam Houston's troops were forced into an eastward retreat. However, in late April, Houston's troops surprised a Mexican force at San Jacinto, and Santa Anna was captured, bringing an end to Mexico's efforts to subdue Texas."
Fascinating how the histories of Mexico and the United States are so intertwined over the issue of immigration.
Happy Birthday, Texas! We're so glad you're our friend for life.
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