Hickory's Box of Awesomeness

The Fourth of July. As holidays go, I actually like it, which is more than I can say for some. I abhor Halloween for instance.

Outside of the heat, the bugs, the noise, the smell...the fourth is pretty cool. You just have to be in the right mood. Having excited little kids makes it easier, especially when the infectiously happy personality of Apple is one of them. Even the slightest bit of fun makes any given day "the best day ever." To say she was looking forward to fireworks would be selling very short.

So Sunday evening we pile the kids in the van along with some chairs, a towel, some water...and drive off to a neighborhood close to Maple's grandmother. The area has a reputation for shooting off a lot of fireworks. We find a spot with a vacant lot between the houses, on the corner, with a lawn that is in beautiful shape. Set up the chairs. Plop the little ones in the lap. And it turns out, that at least this year, we've chosen a great spot. Despite there being a lot of mature trees in the area, we can see in every direction really well, and we're close to three or four homes that are shooting off a lot of stuff.

Many oohs and aaahs followed as well as a frightened little girl, at least for a bit. Mostly we have a lot of excitement and big smiles and some good family bonding time. Then a few minutes before we pack up, someone just two houses down on the opposite side of the road plops a box out in the street. He's backlit by someone's flashlight, so I can see him lighting the fuse. Eventually, he steps away as the light lowers to the ground. All of us are riveted on this very large box.

And then it starts. A little hiss, and then foom...foom...foom...foom. Four white streamers fire off, one at a time about a second apart. Four big boomers fire off in quick sequence - red, green, white, gold. Then streamers again. Boomers again. Streamers again, boomers again.

When it's finally done, all the kids are squealing and clapping, with little calls of "yay! more!" In the midst of the din, we hear Hickory...our most excitable little one, call out with a huge smile on his face.

"That...was like a box of AWESOMENESS!"

15 Years!

Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of Maple and Persimmon. :)

It's all gone by so quickly. I am grateful we are in a happy place, many years later. It's a place related to the place we started...just more wise. I am thankful for all she has given me over the years, and the times I have been able to give of myself to help her. I pray for many more fulfilling and joyful days together, many more fifteens of years.

One neat thing I've noticed about my wife lately is this: she's hot. She's spent a lot of time the last couple of years getting herself back into shape. And while every little step along the way has mattered, and made her more attractive...she's getting past the rough reshaping and resizing. She's polishing now. She is looking beautiful and fit. I like that.