4th of July

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend this year. Since the 4th fell on a Sunday we decided to spread the holiday out over the whole weekend. But...My Mom ended up being admitted to the hospital for chest pains and subsequent testing, so our Saturday plans changed a bit and began with a visit to her at Thunderbird Hospital. That was terrible for her because she missed out on our Saturday swim plans at her house, but it was fun for us to get together and visit a bit - my sister, Charissa, and some of her kids (she has 11) visited the hospital at the same time, which was a nice surprise. She lives in Tucson so we weren't expecting to see her there.

My girls love their Grandma, and they enjoyed bringing her some flowers and hugs.

Sunday night we had some friends and family over to our house for dessert and then we headed out to watch the fireworks. We found a park right behind Pacana park, where the fireworks were being fired off. It was the perfect location for us because we avoided the crowds and traffic but still had a great view of the show. We were also close enough to hear all of the booms and bangs that really add to the effect. Thankfully my Mom was feeling better and was able to join us, along with my Dad and sister, Bethany, and her family.

Look at these two love birds! My Mom and Dad enjoyed cuddling while we waited for the fireworks show to begin. No wonder they had 9 children! ;)

As much as I loved the fireworks, I think that my favorite part of that night was before the show when we were all just hanging out on the lawn. We had blankets to lay on, family close by to snuggle and talk with, and a beautiful breezy summer night to enjoy a little star gazing.
It was perfect!

Bethany, Payson, Cody and Kaelyn... Kaelyn really wasn't a fan of the scary bright things in the sky or the loud booming that accompanied them, so they had to leave early. But we loved having them there with us!

We continued the fun on Monday with a BBQ and swimming day with our neighbors and good friends, the Wilsons. We were stuffed with good food and felt blessed with good company. We also let the kids play with some little fourth of July "poppers"...nothing too exciting since everything is illegal in the dusty dry state of Arizona. But we had fun just the same. :)

I cannot end this post without mentioning one of my other favorite moments of this 4th of July - a moment that is much more personal to me. On the morning of Sunday, July 4th I found myself in the same place that I am every other Sunday morning at 9 am - at church. We always begin our meeting with hymns but since it was July 4th we began our meeting by standing and singing the Star Spangled Banner. There is just something so powerful about standing together with fellow Americans, and, in this case, also my brothers and sisters in the Gospel, and singing that patriotic song. I felt moved as I looked around at the congregation, all of us standing and expressing our patriotism and beliefs through the words of that song. I was not the only one with tears in my eyes.

"Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"