Thoughts on Independence

Happy Late Independence Day! It's so hard to believe that we're already just past the 4th of July ... El is 6 months old this week & DJ will be 5 later this month. Amazing. This afternoon he asked, "Mommy, what does the American Flag mean?" Amazed, again, at his knack for asking just the question, I thought for a minute before answering, trying to encompass all that the American Flag stands for in a nugget or two for an-almost-5-year old and boiled it all down to this: The American Flag stands for Freedom ... Freedom to talk about anything you want, anywhere; Freedom to go to church whereever you want; Freedom to live where you want ... I was on a roll before DJ interrupted me to say, "Mommy, I think the American Flag stands for America. That's why it says the American Flag." I guess there's not much more to say on thay subject, is there? The Flag is just a symbol of the nation, the nation a uniting of the people who believe in the same ideals. And while there are many different opinions, dreams, desires, hopes, goals ... they still come together, united under a flag that tells the world, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed ..."

So, tomorrow I'll kiss my little boy good-bye as he goes with his Boppy & Gam & cousin to the beach ... his first such trip. Say a prayer & wish me luck as El & I are truly "home alone" ... Mike will be home in seven days ... yeah!! Oh, and go read Mike's blog, Raising Two Americans - he just started blogging last week, but his posts are great ... Signing off ...