God Bless the USA. I think this year more than any other I've felt more nostalgic on the 4th. We had our annual gathering at the Murphy's and we ate hamburgers and hot dogs and had chocolate chips cookies and rice crispy treats and even got to taste Skittles, Twizlers, and Tootsie Rolls (all importated by Paul on his recent visit). The kids played in the pool and jumped on the tramp and the adults talked (Enlglish) and ate 'till their tummies burst.
Paul gave his annual speech, and I guess for some reason it really hit me, as we stood there and repeated the national anthem and sang the Star Spangled Banner, I looked around, and noticed that the whole 5 or so Americans that were there all had an automatic hand over their heart and I couldn't help but get all choked up. Most Swedes love Sweden and are proud to be Swedish, but nothing can compare to the patriotism I feel and see from a people who come from a land who has had to fight for their freedom and rights. America really is a great country and I'm not saying Sweden isn't because it definitely has it's beauties or that America is the BEST country because heaven knows it has it's flaws, but I guess yesterday, I just felt both grateful that I am an American and have that heritage and at the same time a bit sad that my children have never seen a parade or eaten cotton-candy or played baseball or know who Big Bird is and it's completely up to me to indoctrinate them with those traditions. The task can seem a bit daunting at times, especially when nobody around me cares about those traditions. But, I am eternally grateful to families like the Murphy's who understand and can help me feel a bit of home in a foreign country.
Anyway, I didn't mean to get all sappy. We had a great celebration yesterday and I just wanted to shout out to cyber-space HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
(ps. somebody wondered if maybe we shouldn't buy fireworks and have our own show, but then we quickly realized, we'd have to wait until nearly midnight since it's so light these days. I thought that was funny)
(Not sure what's up with the Weezer background...sorry about that. Also, we didn't take as many pictures this year for some reason, but here are the few we have)
