Happy Independence Day!!!!!!

I love the 4th of July!!!! For years now the 4th has been hands down my favorite holiday. I love the surety of it.
I love knowing that we will get up early to go to the park to sit in the very same area watch the lamest of parades ever. I love knowing that there will be a small yet significant altercation with a stranger about whose chairs and blankets were there first.

I love knowing that we will see Ruban, he will flex his muscles and everyone will clap and cheer for him. I love waiting in line for 45 minutes to pay $8 for $2 worth of food that will surely give me the trots later. I love seeing the faces of old friends that we will stop and exchange pleasantries with saying "call me, we should hang out". Each of us knowing we won't see each other for another 365 days. Same time same place.

I love the people watching. Grabbing Burk to see if he saw the twins that were so disgustingly on display or the muffin top that really should not have been wearing that shirt. I love the excitement from the kids in the all star games.

I love the 24 hour Twilight Zone marathon that plays in the background while we drift in and out of consciousness between activities. I love the BBQ'ing and the washer playing.

I love going to Grandpa Greats for fireworks, all the while listening to Burk whine that the traffic when leaving here will be a nightmare. I love how we all say "I like those ones" to clarify which fireworks are our favorite. even though we know Burk likes the loud ones. I like the ones that look like willow trees and Sheryl likes the ones that look as if they are coming at you. I love how we all "ooh" and "ahh" and try to take pictures with our cell phones even though they are just fireworks and we have seen them a gazillion times.

On a more sappy note, I love that on the 4th people all over our nation are somehow obligated, at least morally, to consider and be thankful for the millions of sacrifices that have been made in our behalf so we can have our silly traditions.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA. I LOVE YOU!!!!