Because fireworks always make me cry (but that's not important right now)...

We're taking the day off, of course.
We'll swim today. It's hot here in Southern California.
Later we're meeting some other families to share food and a picnic at our local lake.
We'll wait until the sun has set and we'll all watch the fireworks together.
Just a typical family celebrating a typical 4th of July.

With one small exception.
When I typically watch 4th of July fireworks, I pray. And I cry.
I know. That sounds so odd doesn't it?

I am grateful to God. Oh, so grateful.
I'm grateful that this country took us in when we were wide-eyed, traumatized Cuban refugees.
I'm grateful and proud to call America my home.
I'm grateful for the freedom we've been afforded here. Something I will never take for granted.
I am grateful for my big, fat, Cuban family and my English husband and my Cuban-American kids, and my wonderful friends.

Those things will run through my mind as I'm watching fireworks.
And so I will pray to God and thank Him for it all.
And I will know I've connected with Him when the tears sting my eyes.

I am grateful to a living God who has a plan for my life and for this country.

So this 4th of July, I will be the uber-geeky, proud and happy Cuban-American celebrating my independence, who weeps while watching the fireworks. (sigh)

And, okay, I might be embarrassed for a moment, but I'll get over it right away. ;-)

Happy Independence Day from the Darby clan!