"Land of the FREE and the home of the Brave"

Some of my favorite childhood memories go back to Harrisburg Oregon on the 4th of July.  My daddy was a Volunteer Fire Fighter in this quaint little country town.  He and the rest of the Fire Department would set up on the west side of the Willamette River and literally EVERYONE else on the east bank to watch the Fireworks.

We had greased pig chases, softball games, art displays, lots of food & FIREWORKS!  Somehow I always felt that every burst of color in the sky was meant just for me, with love from my daddy.

I lost my father to colon cancer at age 42.  I was 16 years old.  I remember at the time thinking, well he was FORTY TWO afterall...  He lived a good long life!  Hey, at 16, 42 sounds really old!  HA!  The older I get, the more I realize just how young he really was.  I am 42 years old. 

I sit here today grateful to be living in the GREATEST Country in the world! Grateful for memories of being Daddy's Little Girl.  And feeling blessed to have had a fireworks show put on every year just for me until I was 16 years old! At least, that's the way I remember it.

HAPPY 4th of JULY!