Happy July 4th! I am so grateful to God that I was born in this country and in the state of Kansas and in the family I'm in and have the husband I have. Too many blessings to count! Vernon and I spent a very pleasant time with some new friends in their home today. I have no pictures to share, though. If we see fireworks tonight, it will be on TV, as I have to work tomorrow and don't want to be stuck in traffic after the show. I enjoy the patriotic concerts that are usually on PBS.

That reminds me of the July 4th concert we enjoyed live two years ago in Gainesville on the campus of U of FL. We sat on blankets in the grass and heard the
community orchestra while fireworks went off around us. Last July 4th we were in Virginia with Vernon's relatives for a reunion. This year the reunion was July 1 and he went without me as I couldn't get off work. It was the first time in our 33 years of marriage that he was there without me. Vernon held the camera for this photo with cousin Brenda.


And now, so I get equal time, here's a photo of me with my niece, Reidan. She came to Florida with her father (my brother, Daniel) a few weeks ago. Though her left arm was in a sling, she enjoyed the Magic Kingdom and swimming with just her right arm. She is holding a black balloon cat that was made for her in the restaurant where we ate. You cannot see the temporary tattoo on her arm and I'm glad. She chose a cobra tattoo and I could not understand why. Can you tell I'm holding the camera?

After eating dinner, the four of us went to see a movie, "Evan Almighty" and we all enjoyed it very much. The audience in the theater applauded when it ended, so we weren't the only ones who liked it. Both the message and the humor were good. If you saw Bruce Almighty a few years ago and liked it, I think you'll like this one, too. In fact, both Vernon and I like this one better!

I don't know were June went. Do you? I've been working seven weeks now, so that is part of it. I hope to do better in writing about our life. Maybe I'll try to tell you more about our May trip through Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon. As I sign off, I hear the pops of fireworks going off in the neighborhood. We have had rain every day for the last five, so we aren't as dry here as we were, thank God!