It was such a treat to be able to celebrate our nation's birthday in our nation's capital. Usually, I try to run the Peachtree Roadrace in Atlanta, but this is the second year in a row I have missed it. We walked down to the national mall to take in the parade. Finn was really impressed by the bands and loud cars. However, he was significantly MORE interested in all of the emergency vehicles parked on the side of the road in case there was a parade accident--ambulances, police cars, etc. Next time we will forgo the crowds, waiting in lines, and hot sun and instead, park our lounge chairs in front of a fire station. We only made it through about 30 minutes of the actual parade. Then we came back and grilled out. Finn busied himself flirting with the neighbors and talking them into giving him ice pops.
Our friends John and John Crowley were in town doing some sightseeing and they stopped by for a visit. John brought Finn a teddy bear that he is still dragging around. Finn was a trooper and was able to stay up to watch the fireworks. Of course, the ridiculous amounts of sugar he had consumed earlier that day didn't hurt. We went to the Kennedy Center to watch the fireworks, which were unbelievable. Finn was mesmerized, for about 2 minutes. He would scream out WOW with every firework that went off. Then he became more interested in the planes flying overhead.
I guess it is easy to get caught up in the actual celebrating and forget what it is that we are celebrating, how lucky we are to live in a country where independence is something that IS celebrated. That our friends and family members and neighbors are fighting to keep us free. Because in other parts of the world freedom isn't a guarantee or even a right. We are truly blessed.
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