This year the 4th of July was just that – the 4th of July – what made this particular day  VERY special,  was an unplanned visit with my grandson Grayson, son Richard, and daughter-in-law Kelly drove up to the mountains from Raleigh .  My husband Steve and I celebrated with them in the evening by attending the Fireworks festivities and singing and dancing that led up to the the night skies! My grandson Grayson danced, jumped, ran around – pointing his finger at something or someone exclaiming aloud  Oh!!! – Wow!!! when the something struck him as AMAZING! I also held him in my arms and covered his precious ears as he gazed at his first fireworks! This made this 4th of July a Celebration!

In years past, my family celebrated our Family Renunion at Homewood Park in Birmingham Alabama – it was hot, sticky, full of hugs, love, tales of the year, welcoming of new family members, Lebanese food mixed with the traditional Barbecue Chicken and Pork cooked in the pits and served with sides of Deviled Eggs, Souf-Souf, Baked Beans, and Baked Brownies and other delicious desserts, oh! and of course, Sweet Tea and Watermelon! I haven’t attended our Reunion now that it’s moved away from the 4th or out of this Park! There was so much to do there when I was little. Play with my cousins! Swim in the Park’s Pool! At the end we would attend the Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church across the Street and participate in the Cake Walk, listen to my Aunt Grace sing ‘My Way’ by Frank Sinatra with the karaoke microphone and she sounded amazing! Then at the end of the festivities, the church had a HUGE gymnasium filled with amazing bargains from sofas to scarves and everything in between. The last hour they would hand out paper grocery bags and suggest you fill it up for $5! I still wear clothing from these $5 bargain bags purchased 10 years ago!

Two memories of very different celebrations! Both include: love and family – for this I am grateful!