........is always a lot of fun for our family. My parents live at the lake and we all gather there for swimming, playing, eating, water balloons, water skiing, tubing, eating, corn hole,Balderdash, eating, fireworks and eating! There are lots of flags, red, white and blue attire, and patriotic attitudes. We are thankful we live in America and have the freedoms we do and the men and women who so bravely fight for our freedom. A few years ago this holiday started to mean even more to me. As we went through the adoption process I imagined our 1st 4th of July with our newest family member and American citizen. I will never forget July 4th 2008. We had Jaida home 11 months and every time I looked at her that weekend I got teary. I thought of how blessed we are to be BORN into this country. I thought of where my daughter might have grown up and where she was now, waving her little American flag. She had no idea what all this really meant, but I did. She was free..... to be whatever God has in store for her. Citizenship, American, or as a part of God's kingdom, is beautiful and a gift.
This year we added another new citizen. Again, I got teary as I watched his little face gazing at the fireworks and waving his flag. He is happy. He is free. He is an American. He has no idea what this means but again, I do and the enormity of it overwhelms me. What will he do with his freedom? Only time will tell what these 2 little American citizens will grow to be and do. I am so thankful the Lord laid upon my heart the desire to adopt. I am so blessed to be an American. I am so blessed to be a citizen in God's kingdom. Happy Birthday America! Thank you to all of you who have served and are serving this country and those of us who call it home!
AMEN!!! I love all the photos.
ReplyDeleteHi Amy, You have a beautiful family! Thanks for stopping by my blog and sharing in my suffering! ;) It is grueling some days. Oh my. Today at our oldest three's taekwondo class, the two littles were fighting over who could sit on my lap and even fighting over who could touch me! AAAAAKKKK!
ReplyDeleteI do believe it will get better as you say … they have to find their new roles. If I find a referee shirt, I may buy it and wear it! A whistle … seriously … might have to try that as I really don't like having to raise my voice, but sometimes it is the only thing to get their attention when they're fighting.
Our others are mostly handling it well, including our other son newly adopted. Our middle child is our most … uh … strong-willed and this adoption has brought that out more however he is doing well.
I will have to check in on you from time to time and see how the referring … I mean … parenting is going with your twins too!
Happy Birthday to your firstborn btw and that was quite the cake! Our oldest will be 12 in a couple of months!