My crazy obsession...(well, one of them...)

This coming Friday marks the 232nd birthday of our good ol' U.S. of A. That's right, ladies and gents...Independence Day is upon us! Get ready for parades and fireworks because we Americans put on a big celebration.

I'd have to say that the 4th of July really is my favorite holiday. Sure, I love Christmas and Thanksgiving and all those other fun holidays, but for some reason, the 4th just holds some sort of extra magic for me. I can't quite put my finger on it. I mean, it's crowds and heat and busyness--it just doesn't add up for my personality--but I get giddy just thinking about the festivities.

Every year, my family holds a huge shindig for the 4th of July. We wake up early and go fight the masses of Kaysville for a seat to watch the mediocre (at best) parade. After surviving the heat and crowds, we go to my grandma's house and have one of my favorite meals ever: waffles and ice cream. I may have mentioned this before, but if you've never tried it, you're missing out. Afterwards, we find some indoor activity (watching a movie, taking a nap, playing games...) to entertain us until the evening when our family BBQ takes place. After that, we go fight more crowds and find a spot for firework watching.

It's not only the actual day that I enjoy. You should see my house right now. I've got decorations up: wall hangings, fun blocks with phrases like "stars and stripes," candy dishes in the shape of stars. I even looked for 4th of July M&Ms at Wal-Mart...but they didn't have any! I was a tad disappointed. Yes, I'm insane, I know. For weeks before the 4th, I look for a fun red, white and blue outfit I can don. My sisters and I always paint our toenails in patriotic themes (see the picture!). Last year, I even designed and created a quilt patterned after the American flag. Most have you have seen it in person, but I'll post a picture nonetheless.






This year, I get to take Ben to the craziness of the 4th of July with my family. I've been trying to explain to him that it will be like nothing he's ever seen and that I'm a bit neurotic about it all... He will probably be blown away by all the madness that's sure to ensue, but he's such a good sport, I'm guessing he'll have fun no matter what.

By the end of this holiday, I'm usually so exhausted. But it's worth it. That warm fuzziness is either my patriotism or my love of all things red, white and blue, or just having fun with my family...so great.

I'm reluctant to admit it, but when I see the men in uniform carrying that flag at the beginning of the parade, I get a little choked up. It gives me time to really reflect on the freedoms our country's citizens enjoy. In my limited traveling and studies, I've come to realize that while America isn't perfect by any means, it lends so many opportunities to each inhabitant. And that's something to celebrate with pride.