Happy 4th of JULY

I have to admit that I never really stopped to think about WHY I was celebrating the 4th of July until I read a friend's blog today (one whole day later). Yesterday, the REAL 4th of July, was a fuzzy day filled with housework, dinner in the mountains, and ended with watching illegal fireworks that my brother and his father-in-law thought would be COOL until 10pm. Way passed Emma Grace's bed time. Today, was filled with even more housework, dinner with friends, and ended with another display of an illegal fireworks show given, once again, by my crazy brother until 10pm. YES, again I kept Emma Grace out that late. (BAD MOTHER)! But, as I lay in bed, yes in bed, laptop in hand, reading my favorite blogs, I came across one of my favorites, whose husband is going for a year in Iraq, and like a slap on the face I remembered that while yesterday may have been the 4th of July, it was really Independence Day! The day that many men and women fought for just so I would be able to live freely in a country that I love, in the way that I want to live, what a gift! Yes, it's a day late, but to those of you who fight for our country, no matter how you fight, THANK YOU! Thank you for the sacrifice you make from your own FREE lives, from your family, from your homes, from all of the things you love. THANK YOU and may God bless you for your sacrifice.