Happy 4th of July!!

The 4th of July means different things for different people.

When I was a kid, we always went to the lake on the 4th of July.

We had a fish fry -
(*I don't remember hamburgers and hotdogs) 

but memories of sitting on a screen porch -
ceiling fan blowing -
soda in a glass bottle -
a slice of watermelon
and fish frying -
that's a childhood memory of the 4th for me.

After becoming a Navy wife, I have memories of activities on base. 
I remember a golf contest thing on base in Orlando, Florida -
it was a "hole in one" deal where the green was on a floating square out in the water.
If you got a "hole in one" you won a car.
Mike was an E-3 - and a new car was a big deal to all his friends.
So, golf skills or no - they all tried it.

In hindsight - hot sun, beer, and drunk men with golf clubs was a bad idea.
Yeah, you can figure out that someone went to the ER.  (no one we knew, thankfully)

I'm not sure where we lived when I went to my first 4th of July parade.
But I can tell you, I do love a parade! 
A couple of times, our church in San Diego, Newbreak, participated in the parade.
That's fun too,
but I'd honestly rather watch. 
If you are IN the parade, you don't see everything! 

Plus, doesn't a wad of SUPER BUBBLE taste better if you scrambled into the street for it?

I am sure it does.

So, Friday, as I was driving home with our 4th of July van-full of groceries,

I started thinking about our last 4th. 

We had an awesome weekend with our great friends in San Diego. 

There were some All-American things that we did, and some new things that we tried.

But the bottom line is not what we did that made it a special day,

it was the people we shared it with. 

Whatever you do today - make it special with those you love.

Our freedoms for this day were bought with a price.

Take a moment to stop and say a prayer for our military.

If you are at a parade of any kind - take a moment to thank a vet for their service to our country.

Past or present.

If you live on a military base -

say thank you to those you see in uniform,

working today,

while you have the day off. 

"Every good citizen makes his country's honor his own,

and cherishes it not only as precious,

but as sacred.

He is willing to risk his life in its defense

and is conscious that he gains protection

while he gives it." 

Andrew Jackson

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Photos from last year:

Happy Birthday Eddie!!!!!!!!