4th of July, Part 2

Another Independence Day has come and gone, and now , unfortunately, it is time to get back into the work routine, after 5 days off. Saturday morning we got up and left for IL, stopping first to have breakfast at the Stephen Foster Restaurant, here in Bardstown. With our bellies full, we headed up north to the land of corn. We made our best time ever, with only one stop, in Urbana for gas. Our trip was safe and uneventful, thankfully. That is more than I can say for my brother's trip from Kansas. A flat tire on the trailer used to haul the motorcycle, set them back several hours. Eventually they did make it safely to Kirkland. They missed out on the good dinner Mom had cooked by coming in so late.

Sunday was a busy day. The morning was spent in worship. Immediately after church was over we met for lunch at the local restaurant in Kirkland, for a hurried lunch, before Denise's baby shower. The shower was fun, and I was able to see family members I hadn't seen since last year. Denise got a lot of good gifts for the baby. After that we went back to the house and stayed for the rest of the night entertaining Scott's dog, Rudy. Rudy is a very active border collie, who loves to play ball. He will chase a tennis ball for hours if someone will play with him.

Monday, JD and I, headed to the big city of Rockford. We spent some time in Barnes and Noble. I purchased a paperback copy of Jane Eyre, which by the way, I am loving! What a good book. I still have a long way to go, but really got into the story from the very beginning. I can't say that for most books. After the bookstore visit, we went to lunch and then went to visit my grandmother. Later that evening, I had dinner at Olive Garden with my siblings, and my aunt.

Tuesday was the 4th of July. The parade began at 11 and lasted about an hour. Some of my cousins stopped by, and it was good to see them. My brother , Dan,brought his grill over and we had a feast of burgers, hotdogs, deviled eggs, and several other things. As the day wore on people came and went. Some of Dan's friends came over that evening and we played the game Apple to Apples. I had heard a lot of good things about that game, and it really was fun. After that the fireworks began, and then the mad rush out of town.

Wednesday, we returned home. It is always good to visit with family, but it is even better to get home to my own bed.

All of these activities, were fun, but trivial. It is important to remember the importance of this holiday, which is to celebrate our independence. We are free. We can worship God, or not worship Him. It's our choice. We have the opportunity for great education. It is up to us to take advantage of it, and make our lives what we will. Even the poorest people in our country have more than the poor of many other countries. When the national anthem was sung before the parade Tuesday, I teared up a bit, as I always do when I hear it. This is a great country, and I for one am proud to be an American!! I believe we shouldn't take it for granted.