America, America! I love America!

Last week Jimmy and I attended a free Provo City Freedom Festival event in the Marriott Center where Glenn Beck was speaking. I was so glad we attended.

They had all sorts of Patriotic Tunes by a small band.

Michael Ballam sang some inspirational Americana songs.

A teenage boy read his winning essay which I want a copy of someday. He had some wonderful quotes about America by Ronald Reagan.

We said the pledge of Allegiance (which always makes me cry because I love it! I love America and so I love what we stand for!).

We sang the National Anthem.

And a neat story was told about the song God Bless America by Irving Berlin. I love the lyrics:

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

Maxwell totally and completely wiped me out with spit-up in the middle of it, but I still enjoyed the message.

Glenn Beck talked about his experience having to discuss 9/11 right after it happened. He shared how the hymn Come, Come Ye Saints seemed so applicable and calming during that time:

Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear;
But with joy, wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.
’Tis better far for us to strive
Our useless cares from us to drive;
Do this, and joy your hearts will swell
All is well! All is well! ...

And then he shared something similar to this when talking about the good things about America.

"What's right with America? People are allowed to have the freedom to go and do. Americans invented the cotton gin. The cotton gin replaced the slave. Bifocals were invented by Benjamin Franklin. Meat could be stored all year in a refrigerator after an American inventor, Oliver Evans, drafted the plans for the refrigerator. The sewing machine was American. Safety pin, telephone, incandescent light bulb, cash register, Ferris wheel, crayons, bubble gum, photocopiers, the artificial heart, the automobile, the first flight airplane, Coca-Cola, the Popsicle." Glenn Beck

I liked his reminder of all the simple and useful things that were the product of freedom - being able to use creative and intelligent minds to better other's lives. I love America and the freedoms we are so blessed with.

To celebrate on the 4th, we headed up to Logan (where I haven't been in years) to celebrate with family. The kids had a glorious time playing with cousins, swimming, and eating ice cream popsicles, hot dogs, and star sugar cookies on a stick.

Abe got a hold of the camera and took a few photos. My favorites of his photoshoot were the tennis shoes, Grandpa Price in his hat that Abe loved, and the last one which is one complete blur (perhaps taken while getting whacked by the swing because he wasn't watching). Once he took his turn swining, every time Abe swung towards me, he said so cute, "Mom, I love you!"

I loved having the opportunity to celebrate with family and having the kids get to know Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Grandparents. I loved that Hannah's older cousins were so nice to play dress-up 'Little Women' with her. What a dreamy time for her! I love that Mom swung in the swing with Maxie. Sweetness!

Once we arrived home, we declared we were having another party which delighted the kids. We ate corn on the cob, drank root beer out of the can (a special treat at our house), and lit sparklers (a first for the kiddies). They had a grand time!