Celebrating Freedom

July is a month for celebrating freedom and we have done our fair share of feasting and fireworks.

Lots of celebrating.

I am grateful to live in the United States of America.

Grateful that my kids

have a safe place

to live

and play

and go to school.

Grateful that they have opportunities

to chose their education

and career

and to worship freely without persecution.

Grateful that their great-great {and even up to 10 and 12 greats}

grandparents

had the courage to cross an ocean

on a boat

and take a train or a horse or a wagon

across the plains.

Grateful that some fought for freedom even in the Revolutionary war

and for those that endured the Dirty Thirties, dustbowl and depression days.

There were no trees on this prairie.

At times just dirt and grasshoppers.

And yet, because they endured, we live here.

I am grateful.

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These photos below are what Erin thought of the noisy fireworks.

I just had to share them too...because they are part of the reality

of our little celebrating here on the ranch.

Happy Birthday U.S.A.!

Have a great weekend!

Photos & text copyright 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw

P.S.  My daughters green eyes are NOT enhanced with photo shop...that's the real thing.