The fourth of July! HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA! I love all of the patriotic music, the festive clothing, good food, family gatherings and the fireworks!  My kids and I have been talking about this day for the last week!  Tonchi has been asking oh, about, every hour today how much longer it will be til we get to watch the fireworks.  Since I keep saying we have to wait until it is dark, I think he is afraid he will miss it because it will be bedtime before they are scheduled to start!  Both boys are SO excited.  Brian’s brother usually buys a bunch of fireworks to enjoy in the evening.  The cousins love it, but I think he loves it even more!  We don’t usually go see professional fireworks until next weekend.

Alexandria’s birthday is celebrated the week after the 4th and we usually celebrate Tonchi’s birthday that day.  They have amazing fireowks with the 1812 Overture being played by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and Quantico even supplies the cannons for added enjoyment! It is truly amazing and a GREAT celebration!  It helps to spread out the Patriotic celebration of birthdays including Tonchi’s!

But back to today.  I don’t want to get too long winded or preachy. I know we have all heard a million times to be thankful for the freedom we have in this nation.  The more I read news about what is going on in other counties and how the people are fighting, rioting and standing for their own freedoms, the more I’m gratful for what I have.  So many of these nations leadership is turning against their own people. How amazing it is we can hold peaceful rallies, protests and deomonstrations.  The governement doesn’t agree with what we are protesting usually, but at least we have the freedom to express our opinions and stand for what we believe in without persecution.

All this is thanks to the many valiant men and women who have served our country in the military.  Thank you so much for giving of yourselves so that I can live in peace and enjoy so many amazing freedoms.  So many have died and we don’t want to forget that they have paied the ultimate price.  not only them, but their families as well.  May you feel God’s peace and comfort and our thankfulness.

Have a fantastic Independence Day celebration!

God bless you! and God bless the USA!