Independence Day

Tomorrow is Independence Day and on my way to work this morning, I was trying to think of my favorite childhood memory for the 4th of July. Funny thing is, I couldn't really think of one. I have always felt like I had a pretty good childhood, though others would think not. My dad is an alcoholic. He is 54, he has 6 grandkids that he never sees, 2 daughters that can't even get him to come over to pick up his Christmas/Father's Day presents. He lives on his own terms, does what he wants and will never, ever grow up. He drank when we were kids and would come home and fight with our mom. Sometimes he would stay gone for 2-3 days and my mom would have to call in sick for him so he wouldn't lose his job. I hated my dad when we were kids and now I just feel sorry for him. I love him and I'd do anything for him, but he makes me so damned mad. How can he not consider himself lucky for what he has. He has two wonderful daughters that love him, that are self-sufficient, raising families and genuinely good people who are willing to give him money or whatever he needs. He has 6 grandkids that think he is something else. They don't get to see him often, but when they do they know it's something special. How can he not want to take part in that?

Oh well, off-topic, but before I move on I want to describe my mom, too. She met my dad when she was 13 and never had another boyfriend or lover. They married when she was 15, he 17 and she had me 5 months later while he was in Germany in the Army. They always told the story that they loved each other so much and wanted to get married but their parents wouldn't let them because they were so young so my dad came up with the perfect plan so that they could get married - they got pregnant!!! Anyway, my mom was the absolute best mother ever. She worked 2 or 3 jobs to make sure my sister and I had what we needed. I don't ever remember going without but I know we were poor. I remember times that our electric or phone was shut off and we moved every single year of my elementary school days (I can only assume it was because we didn't pay the rent,(maybe)) Anyway, she was so loving and so good-hearted, she would do anything for anyone. My mom passed away when she was 38 years old from lung cancer. My first daughter was 2 years old and she was the apple of my mom's eye. Oh, how I wish she was still here to see all of her grandkids. They would love her - oh so much.

OK, back to 4th of July. I can just remember going to this big lake in Flat River, MO and BBQing, my dad drinking Busch and my mom drinking 1 1/2 little bitty beers & having to take the bucket to bed with her:0) Letting off snakes & sparklers & being afraid of firecrackers & bottle rockets because they might "blow your fingers off" or "put your eyes out". I don't remember any specific year on Independence Day or I don't remember any talk of what the holiday meant to our country. I'd like to try to do something with my kids this year that will help them to remember our troops and what they're going through to keep our country free. We'll definitely talk about it tomorrow and maybe we'll go online and adopt a soldier or two to bring home the idea that the soldiers are real and they're fighting for our freedom. I don't agree with this war. I feel like sometimes we stick our noses in where they don't belong, but I 100% support our troops and pray that God keeps them safe.

Happy Independence Day!