Freedom...

Fourth of July is my favorite holiday. I love fireworks and I love that Americans come together and show gratitude for the gift of freedom we enjoy.

Ben and Nate got up on the 4th to do the flag ceremony at our church pancake breakfast. I stayed home and slept in. Around 1:30, we drove to Washington-on-the-Brazos, a Texas historical site for a fun-filled day. We started at the Barrington Living Farm and toured it. Ben discovered guineas in one of the barns and helped load firewood into a cart for the Pineywoods team of bulls to pull. After a couple of hours, we hopped on the shuttle bus to the museum, where Nate, Heather & Ben spent a couple more hours (Kim napped on a bench). Then outside to eat supper, and chill out. We returned to the farm where we had parked because it was the best show for fireworks and enjoyed a beautiful display. The evening cooled off and it was just beautiful!

My other celebration this year was that summer school ended on July 3rd, so the 4th was an extra dose of freedom! I have spent the past 3 days sleeping and sleeping. Today I made myself get up because I hired one of our neighbor's boys to help Ben and I begin the summer cleaning. We got the dining room and kitchen done this morning. The whole house should be done by Friday. Which is its own kind of freedom.

Lazy summer days.....this is why I changed careers! The corporate world paid lots of money, but never offered the kind of freedom I needed - to do a job that means something AND be home when Ben is and be a Mom.