4th of July in Washington D.C.

Fourth of July this year was pretty spectacular. There is just something magical about celebrating independence in this city, our countries capital. 

Jordan and Becca drove down from Delaware early Wednesday morning to spend the day with us.

So we all took the metro downtown to watch the National Independence Day Parade. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to downtown DC every year to watch this...and this year we were a part of the mass! And it was as crazy as we were expecting! But seriously, how many opportunities are we gonna have to celebrate Independence Day in our nations capital?! This may be our only time, and I wasn't about to let a little crowd slow us down, so, crazy here we come! Whoo hoo!

We parked ourselves right on Constitution Ave and 7th at the very beginning of the parade route on the steps of the National Archives building. We had a great view overlooking the street.

We lasted for an hour and then had to high tale it outta there. We were melting. It was 100 degrees outside and I was so hot the inside of my ears were sweating! Marvelly and Becca stayed a smidget  less sweaty thanks to her fantastic umbrella hat. I think I see one of those in my future. :~)

But we had a great time hootin' and hollerin' while we lasted! If I had a bucket list that had "go to 4th of July parade in DC" on it, I would totally check that off my list!

For lunch I convinced everyone that we should go to Busboys and Poets. Jordan and Becca are so easy going though it didn't take much convincing. And this actually was on my "to do before you leave DC" list. And I'm so happy I got to go there! I had a general idea of where it was located, and we got there, eventually. We were a tad sweatier though. But it was worth the extra walking because the food was superb, cool funky atmosphere, great artwork, and I got a new fairly traded purse out of the deal. Isaak was the biggest skeptic-and he loved it more than all of us I think!

After a long lunch we headed back home for some quickie down town. And just when we were all finally getting less hot-Jake, Holly and their girls and Amanda, Aaron and their girls came over and we all headed down to the river!

Probably one of my favorite things about living on this base, is that this base sits right next to the Potomac. As in, exactly right next to it. My house is all of a two minute walk to the water.

That close. So, we didn't exactly have to go far to watch the fireworks. We staked a little spot down the river a bit, closer to the monuments, earlier in the day, just in case it got crowded.

And we ended up with some prime real estate for the evening! Couldn't have asked for a better spot.
We all packed a picnic dinner, passed the time playing Frisbee and badminton, which just added to the sweat factor we had goin' on. By six o' clock it had finally cooled off to like 95 degrees.

 So the girls stayed cool by dropping ice cubes down each others backs.

And flapping their arms up and down to air out. Both ways do the trick. And both ways are quite funny to watch. :~) I cannot stress just how sticky, and shiney, and wet we all were! Gah! It was SO hot!

But, great company and a great view make little things like a heat stroke an afterthought. :~)

We had a blast. Feel like God done blessed my socks off with all the family and friends we're getting to visit with and all the memories we're making.

It was a great day. And night. Full of laughter and joy and thankfulness and beauty.

"My country, 'tis of Thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountain side
Let Freedom ring."

"My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills,
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above."

"Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet Freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong."

"Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To thee we sing,
Long may our land be bright
With Freedom's holy light,
Protect us by thy might
Great God, our King."