Independence Day 2013

 

 

Thankful for those who are serving and for those

who have made the ultimate sacrifice in other countries

for our freedom here in this country.

 

They go to distant places and live like this:

 

 

so we can live free, work, and enjoy our families, friends,

and the fruit of our labors. 

 

Just random stuff.

As best I can recall, growing up most years our tradition on the 4th was that my Dad would take us out to the fireworks stand to buy lots of sparklers, fireworks, rockets that he would load into a pop bottle, and other fun items which he would "set off" for our entertainment.

But one year he decided our family would pack up and go to the drive-in movies to celebrate the 4th. Now this was a very unusual occurrence for us as we had NOT been to the movies in probably ten or more years. There were a couple of reasons for that ... Movies were pretty (very) much frowned upon by our legalistic religion and therefore off-limits to us as we were growing up. A secondary reason would have most likely been the expense of it.

But on this particular day, Dad changed the rules and said we would go. Two reasons I can think of why. First of all, there would be fireworks afterwards and, secondly,  the movies playing at the local drive-in were triple westerns: The Comancheros with John Wayne,  The Hanging Tree with Gary Cooper, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance with Jimmy Stewart. (Really, I think the second reason was secretly the first.)

Any other time, it might have been an exciting thing to go see a movie, but at age 14, the idea of going to the drive-in with my whole family crammed into the car to watch nothing but westerns in the heat, and with my hair in curlers and a bonnet covering them was just too much for my immature (somewhat bratty?) mind to handle. (It is still puzzling as to why it was necessary to have my hair in curlers Every. Single. Night. I do not know the answer to that.) Last, but not least, since my friends in school were allowed to attend movies on their own, I confess it was a little embarrassing (extremely mortifying) for me to be seen out like this as though I were a child.

Independence Day does bring back many good memories (which does include the one described above). Camping, water-skiing, swimming in the War Eagle River in Arkansas, fireworks, sparklers, hot dogs, sunburns. I will never forget one day we spent all day playing in the river having so much fun in the sun. That night was misery for two very sunburned sisters who had to share a twin bed with NO AC, and a fan blowing in the room the whole night stirring up nothing but heat. Torture!!!

27 years ago, DH and I took the kids to a night under the stars  in Dallas. We sat outdoors on a blanket watching Reba McIntire perform, and then fireworks afterwards. What a great time and I will never forget it as it was my last night to be with them before my trip to Seattle for my brother's bone marrow transplant.

Over the past few years, we have celebrated with friends watching the fireworks overhead from their party boat on the lake. Other years, we have also enjoyed hosting the fireworks' display across the cove from our own back porch. From there, we can watch it all without any hassle and then just come back into the house and hit the sack!

A couple of years ago.

That is what we will be doing this evening. The kids are coming over to play and it's always fun watching and listening to them in their excitement as they make memories, too.

I think it will get this little guy up and moving!