Happy 4th of July

I'm a little late with a post, I know. We've been busy relaxing.

I finished my summer class on Thursday, and we spent Thursday afternoon, then all day Friday, at the pool club (joining was a good decision for us). We leave early and return tired, and I don't usually feel like posting. We spent some of today at the pool, too, enjoying the holiday festivities -- until Catherine dropped a five pound bocce ball on her hand and ended up with a purple finger (but no other damage, thankfully). Then Peter and John beat me at bocce, so I demanded we leave.

To take Catherine's mind off of her finger, we took the kids to see Up, which we all loved -- the kids for the dog-related humor, and Isabel and I because it's a very sweet story. We ended the day with hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream.

I could easily spin the day as something quintessentially American (playing bocce and swimming at the pool club are tributes to the immigrant experience and achieving the American Dream, respectively). But mostly it was just a nice day with the family.

To celebrate America's birthday, I'll offer you again the Declaration of Independence, as I did last year. I try to read it every year on July 4th.

Read it yourself here, or hear it read to you here.

I've been reading a book called Through Dark Days and White Nights, by Naomi Collins -- a gift from my mother-in-law. Collins writes about her experiences living in Moscow, first as a graduate student in the 60's, then in the 70's when her husband worked in the U.S. embassy, and finally in the 90's when her husband was ambassador to Russia. It's a fascinating book, partly because Isabel was in Moscow in the late 80's, and Collins' story reminds me of some of Isabel's experiences. I don't want to get all "Cold War" on you, but it's amazing to read about the differences in the way other people live (and are forced to live). I know living in another country for 10 months made me appreciate lots of things that make being an American a great thing, despite our imperfections. We all need to appreciate them more, and not take them for granted, or let anyone take them from us.

(And no, Mom, I'm not talking about Cool Ranch Doritos and Funny Bones snack cakes, though I thank you again for having them waiting for me when I got off the plane.)

So I hope you celebrated America's birthday appropriately today. Not like this guy did. (Creative editing aside, it's still not what I'd call a "fitting tribute.") I hope it was more like this -- celebrating with your peeps.

Happy 4th.