The Fourth

Yesterday was a perfect day. Because the Fourth falls on Sunday this year we here in Utah are celebrating all weekend long, some towns did yesterday and some will do tomorrow. I say it was a perfect day because how often do you get to visit childhood, enjoy the blessings of today and see the future in your children all at once? All while celebrating the birthday of our amazing country.
First we went to the parade. I may not live in K-town anymore (we are in a neighboring town now), but it will always be my hometown. This is the spot were every year from the time I was tiny we would all sit. It is just a few houses down from my grandparent's home and we would all sit in front of their friend's houses. We may be a small town but the parade is the best. My cousins used to arrange their visit to Utah from Minnesota for the week of the Fourth just so they could come. That is the appeal of salt water taffy after it has be chucked from a float made from somebody's trailer which has been decorated with crepe paper. The parade route changed a few years ago and ended before it got to this point. I didn't realize how much I missed it until yesterday. This year they changed it back. Somehow we hooked up with my parents and decided to try our old spot. When we go there the children and grandchildren of my grandparents friends were there! It truly was like visiting childhood! That lady in blue is my mom visiting with the old crowd. These are the neighbors that my dad's family camped with, their daughters babysat me, the father even baptised my mom.

This was our little spot. I love seeing my kids all wrapped up in their grandparents!

There was a bit of time to kill so Josh trained his tiny puppy to climb Grandma.

We painted some faces too.

Then the flag! Accompanied by children and folks dressed as colonists. Gorgeous!

After the parade we stopped at the local grocery store. Would you believe they had a bounce house set up my kids got to play in for free?

The day continued with a barbecue with the grandparents, I think barbecue is mandatory on the Fourth. Then we all headed to the high school William and I attended. Even though the buildings have been replaced the feeling is still the same. The Fourth really does make me nostalgic. I couldn't help thinking back on all the times I have watched the fireworks there. As a girl all squished up on a blanket with my mom, dad and sister, as a teen ager-when the Fourth meant you got a new outfit and wandered around with friends looking for cute boys, on my first date with William where I kept wishing he would hold my hand. All culminating last night when I laid on the blanket resting my head on the shoulder of the man I love most of all with my kids piled around us like puppies and my dad watching over us from his lawn chair. Perfect. Absolutely perfect!