Missed Holidays

You know we didn't forget to celebrate.  See?

Memorial Day


I took the Littles into DC. We walked around looking at memorials and seeing the fanfare before heading to the ceremony at the National Navy Memorial.

As a navy family, it seemed like a good ceremony to choose. 

It was.  Because the Navy Band Played.
Little One.   Little One has music in Her soul.  She feels it.  When She hears it, it possesses Her like a spirit, She just has to dance!  And this music was great. When they first struck up and the horns swelled and the drums rumbled, She planted Her feet and leaned back.  She closed Her eyes.  Her arms slowly, dramatically, swept out, her fingers stretched.  They swept up, reaching for the sky.  Her head fell back, Her arms swooped out wide!  The tune kicked in and the song beat picked up.  She jumped.  And then! There was no stopping those tiny feet.  She danced, pranced, twirled and spun.  She clapped to the beat, She tapped Her feet.  She was in Her element.
We happened to be sitting in one of the only shady spots, right next to where the band was playing. The rest of the audience was in the folding chairs set up a few stairs down.  Little One danced all across Her "stage", right in front of the band, looking for all the world like a part of the show.
When it was all over, people cheered for the band.  And then, they cheered for Her.
People came up by the dozens to clap for Her and tell Her how much they loved Her dancing.  The band members came over to shake Her hand and thank Her! People asked for photos with Her.
Little One was a little shy about Her glimmer of fame, but also beaming with pride and starstruck by meeting the musicians.  Memorial day is a somber time in some ways. One of the people who came up to us was a little girl whose mother had been deployed for years.  Some of the people were there to honor lost loved ones.  But rather than diminish the sincerity of that ceremony by dancing with joy, I think Little One cheered people up a little.  She was sincere.  What better way to honor those we've lost, than to appreciate life? What better antithesis is there to loss and grief and war, than innocence and joy and....dancing? 

 






 


Afterwards She cooled off with a treat and watched the big parade.  We had a talk about what it was for; what it all meant.  We said a prayer.  And Little Miss was there too! She helped by being adorable. 

"I cannot believe I'm getting away with eating this"

As impressed by the parade as She was by the band

This police officer kept cracking up watching LO dance to the parade bands

Buzz Aldrin!!

It was a memorial day that will always be, well, remembered.


Independence Day

DC was also of course THE place to be for the 4th of July.  This year we were lucky enough to have J's sister there to celebrate with us, and we hit the city again.
 

But for the fireworks, we headed back a closer to home, to the county celebration at the fairgrounds near our house. 

Dancing (of course!) to the band

I think this is the first year that Little One really appreciated them.  I tried to get a photo of Her face lighting up when the fireworks did, but it's hard to capture that kind of wonder.

Even though we got drizzled on a bit, Little One rocked out to the concert, Miss enjoyed the lawn, the fireworks were flashy, and we all had a great time.  I've always loved this holiday.  But every year, as I get deeper and deeper into this parent thing, I find more meaning in what it stands for.  There are plenty of messes and problems in this country.  It's true.  But I'm grateful beyond reason that I get to live here and raise my babies here.  Definitely something worth celebrating.

Birthdays
I'm not telling how old we are.  All you really need to know, is that J is OLDER. Than me. Making me younger.  Me = younger.  There you go.

But here we are celebrating his. J is clearly thrilled.
 

On mine, I actually was thrilled.  There was a cupcake.