The Fourth and the Family

"You're a grand old flag".

I am proud to be an American. Despite all the liberals, the attempts to jeopardize our freedom with political correctness, despite all the negatives, I am so fortunate to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

One of my favorite parts of the Independence Day holiday weekend is our big Rogers family campout. For the last several years, my aunt (mom's sister) and uncle have opened their home, and field, to all the family to come and stay for the weekend. Their neatly manicured lawns transform into a busy campground, home to a few campers, and many tents. Most family- grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, babies, friends- converge on Palermo to celebrate our nation's birthday, and have a reunion of sorts.

As I get older, I am realizing how richly blessed I am to have such a big family that is together so often. On my mom's side of the family we have always had big get togethers, and birthday parties, and Christmas, and Thanksgiving, and just big events that we create to get together (see aboveJuly 4th weekend event). Through our growing up years, Mom and her sisters, and brother, kept all us cousins together, and as we grew through the fighting, the cliques, the drama, we suddenly found ourselves looking forward to these times of being together. There are 11 cousins in all; 3 boys, 8 girls, known now as the "Girl Cousins". Each one of us is a strong, independent woman, like our mothers :), but we have been shown how to remain a strong woman and still be a loving and nurturing wife, daughter, mother, friend. We're all adults now, and the Girl Cousins have decided to get together several times a year, just the Girl Cousins- no other family, to continue these relationships. I can't wait for this weekend when we'll be together and soak in the warmth of a loving, Godly family.

Happy Birthday, America. Thank you for my freedom.