A Great Birthday

This past Monday, July 4^th, I celebrated my 54^th birthday!  Yes, over the years I have shared the same birthday as our GREAT United States of America!  And I have loved it! 

I received cards in the mail, email cards, email letters, text messages, facebook gifts, and facebook Happy Birthday Wishes!  These wishes were from high school classmates, college classmates, former students from when I taught high school, homeschool friends and children, friends from places I worked, church family, cousins, parents, my children, and my husband!  It was almost overwhelming to me when I realized just how many people remembered me on my birthday!  I felt so special!  God has certainly blessed me with many great friends and relatives!!!

I thank God for the family I grew up in and for Steve’s family, and for giving me a wonderful husband and three wonderful children.  I was showered with such gifts as money, a shirt, a necklace, a nativity scene Christmas Ornament from Peru, and a keychain that says “Number 1 Mom”!  I could not find the words to express how much I love and appreciate each family member and friend.     

I loved the fireworks on my birthday!  The blasting, whistling, popping, beautiful colors, parachutes, fountains, sparklers, and many other firework paraphernalia excited me!  At 9 years old my brother and I shot off fireworks works by ourselves for the first time! Wow!  Several years later during the summers I worked for Mid-America Fireworks in the Springfield, MO area selling fireworks.  I loved talking to the customers about each firework.  I had fun! 

Over the years we have celebrated the birth of our nation with family; we have barbequed, made homemade ice cream, ate watermelon, and shot off fireworks.  And at the same time we celebrated the birthday of my brother in law and me!  One year I nearly convinced my three young children that everyone celebrated my birthday by shooting off fire works!  They were awed for a short time, but they are smart kids and did not buy into that idea for long.  I taught them to cherish the USA, respect our American Flag, and appreciate that they live in the greatest country in the world.  And it was my goal to set an example for them in thanking our soldiers for serving our country.  They have sacrificed family time, personal time, and their lives.  The soldiers cared enough to keep America free!  God Bless the USA.