"And I'm Proud to be an American"

Happy Independence Day!  We had a wonderful celebration yesterday and were gone the entire day!  Being that we weren't at Clear Lake this weekend and in Humboldt yesterday where we would have liked to be, we had a really great day.

I have been so sick this week I thought all our plans might have to be cancelled yesterday...but Brian got up in the morning and got me so Mucinex and that seemed to help a lot.  My throat has never hurt so bad in all my life...and I totally mean that.  Since I have now had the experience of labor pains, I think of pain differently, and whatever I've been dealing with is very painful.  But anyway, the medicine helped and off we went to meet one of my dear friends from college, Jodi, and her husband, John, at EPCOT.  They are both teachers in West Union, IA, and were in Orlando for a conference.  It was so great to see them!  They have a little boy, Silas, who is 8 months old, and this was their first time leaving him for a week, so they enjoyed getting to spend some time with Carly.

EPCOT was certainly a great place to be for the 4th.  Brian and I actually said it was the first time in our lives that we really celebrated the 4th for what it is, and not just a BBQ.  I don't mean that what we normally do is bad, but what we did at EPCOT was educational and actually moving.  You see, we went to the American Pavilion and first watched the Liberty Singers sing a medley of great American songs.  Those of you who have been to EPCOT know that they sing under the dome on the main level.  But this performance was extra special.  For the last song, one of the singers stepped forward and told the story of Francis Scott Key and the morning he wrote our National Anthem.  We all stood as they began to sing.  Then, from the upper level there was an echo, and 8 more singers stepped out and joined them.  It's hard to do it justice in writing, but it was very moving.  Afterward, we watched the American Adventure video that is played daily, but it was extra special watching it on Independence Day.  We took this photo inside by a flag hanging from a pillar.  You will notice we are wearing red, white & blue. (I am grateful I have a husband who is willing to oblige in my memory making) :)

After we left EPCOT, we met up with a group of friends from church in Celebration and grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, played some games and then headed to fireworks.  We actually ducked out as everyone was heading downtown because we wanted to make sure Carly got to bed, but we were able to see them going off all over central Florida on our drive home.

It was a really nice day and it was fun that the 4th happen to fall on the one day we get to spend as a family.  Next year it will probably land on a Thursday and maybe we will be fortunate enough to get that weekend following off so we can celebrate in Iowa!