I wrote up all of June and now I can finally write about the 4th of July!  I'm so glad because this happens to be one of my favorite holidays.

This year I wanted to do something a little more meaningful for the kids to help them celebrate the 4th, so throughout June we worked on a family project. We found a website, give2ourtroops.org, that collects packages and letters to send to troops who are deployed in war zones.  They list items that the soldiers need but have a hard time getting in the countries they are in.  Things like toiletries, snacky items (beef jerky, gum), and supplies that they hand out to kids/families in need in their areas.  The lists they provide give you lots of room to stay in whatever budget you want to.  In fact, they emphasize that the best thing that soldiers can get is a letter of support.  We let the kids pick out a few items that they each wanted to send from a couple of the lists and trudged off to Walmart to pick it up.  A different day we had Ryan and Anna here to play and we all painted pictures to send.  It involved a lot of paint and a lot of glitter.  What could be better?   When my parents were visiting, we all sat down and talked about what it is like to be a soldier and we all wrote letters to express our gratitude.  The kids letters were so sweet that I decided to write them down:

Ethan:

Dear Troops

We thank you for fighting for the U.S.A.  Also I think it might be hard to leave your family and go fight in wars.  I really appreciate it even though others might not really care.  I hope you can make it back to your family safe.

Sincerely,

Ethan       Thanks.


Austin:

Dear Troops,

Thank you for fighting.  I put you in my prayer each night.  It must be really, really, really, really hard to leave your family and home.  I hope you come home safely.

I have a great grandpa Speakman fight in the army.  We are grateful.  I hope that you win.

From Austin

P.S.  I hope your k-9's are O.K.  And that your K-9's have enough food and water.

Alaina:

Dear Troops,

Thanks for fighting for our country.  It must be really hard to leave your families.  The freedom, education, every thing you fight for, I'm very grateful.  Your in all of my prayers and I think of you every day.  We hope that you and your friends get home saftly.  My great-grand-pa fought in the army. His best friend died bravly.  Your family must be very fritend.  You might be able to tell a pretty good story.

NEVER Fear, Hope's HERE!!!

Sincerely, Alaina

P.S. My uncle is a doctor in the air force!

Aren't those sweet letters?  Sometimes it surprises me how empathetic those little kids could be.  My parents were visiting when we wrote the letters and I think it was good for all of us to express our thanks to the brave men and women who serve our country!

By the 4th (a little late for mailing, oh well) we had everything in a box and sent it off.

Ethan had already left for California the week before, so we had to celebrate our day without hime.  (so sad.)  First we had a festive red-white & blue dinner...

and after baby went to bed....

Robert took the twins on their bikes and rode down to the park for the Henderson fireworks.  Even at 9 at night, it was in the 90's and so by the time they got home they were sweating like crazy and gasping for water.  

I watched the same fireworks from my porch, and even I had to go in to the A/C every few minutes to cool down.  We had originally planned a bunch of activities all through the day but since it was in the 110's by 8 in the morning, we had decided that anything outside was scrubbed out of the schedule.  I love me some parades, but even a parade in sweltering heat is not a whole lot of fun...especially with a little baby.

We did enjoy our day, however, and we are always thankful to have at least one day where we can reflect upon the freedoms we enjoy and the men and women who make those freedoms possible.

Happy Fourth of July!