Faith, Family, Friends, FREEDOM

Our city's 4th of July parade was a little bigger this year in honor of it's bicentennial. Several of the city's churches marched in the order they were established, and our church was one of them.

Now, a little explanation of how our church is organized. Our members are divided geographically into smaller congregations called wards. Because church membership is a little smaller out here, my ward is not only comprised of the city I live in, but also several other neighboring towns.  Our building is in my city, however, and so that's the parade we participated in.  But my family is one of a very small handful of Mormons who actually reside here.  And go to school here.  And work here.  And help with the PTA here.  It's not like I go out of my way to NOT talk about my religion, or that I am necessarily embarrassed by it, but I also haven't shouted it from the roof tops of Crocker Park or Holly Lane Elementary School, either.  So, as I said to the missionaries who were also walking with us, I felt like I was being "outed" yesterday.  I was coming out of my self-made Mormon closet.  I donned my bright yellow Mormon Helping Hands t-shirt and marched behind our Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints banner that the city supplied, and waved to PTA presidents, neighbors, teachers, house contractors, and swim coaches.  Yes, I am Mormon.  And proud of it.

After the parade and a picnic with the ward, we came home for some Guitar Hero, naps, and air conditioning.  We were joined by the Chatty's and Grandma and Grandpa Franklin for a little indoor BBQ, yummy salads, and pre-fireworks ice cream cones.

Then is was on to Clague Park to enjoy the fireworks with friends.

The fireworks show was amazing as usual. Here is the grand finale, with repeated sonic booms that shook us over and over again.

It was a great day, with plenty of reminders that we have so much to be grateful for.  And really, it was quite fitting to celebrate not only the birth of our nation, but also those freedoms that we have--and especially for me, today, to worship according to the dictates of our own conscience.  How blessed we are to be FREE.