One of my first July 4th memories took place when I was of elementary school age. I was terrified of fireworks and firecrackers because they were so loud, yet I wanted to be part of the celebration and had developed a keen desire to have sparklers. My neighborhood friends had sparklers the year before and I thought they were so pretty. I begged and begged for sparklers. We went to Joe and Evelyn's house for a July 4th cookout, the first of many through the years. We had so much fun and when we went home, Daddy presented me with a box of sparklers! He lit one and tried to hand it to me. I totally freaked out! It scared me to death somehow. I ran into the house and locked myself in my bedroom, complete with sliding the dresser in front of my bedroom door! I was so ashamed of being afraid. Daddy and Mother stood outside on the front lawn and burned several sparklers for me so I could watch the beauty from my window. (Were they great parents or what?) The next year I overcame my fear and played with the sparklers myself and was so proud! We used that little box of sparklers for probably 5 years.
As the years passed it became tradition for the family to go to Joe and Evelyn's for a cookout on Independence Day. Joe became a master griller and, after they moved to the country, we'd finish the day with fireworks and firecrackers after dark. So much fun! After Craig and I married, we continued to join in that tradition. The second summer we were married (1983) was excessively hot, much like this summer. We lived in a house with no air conditioning and locked it up tight before we went to Joe's. We came home to melted candles everywhere! Even our big fat unity candle from our wedding was melting. It was bent over double over the edge of the table it was sitting on and was almost comical, but I cried nonetheless.
The 4th of July in 1987 we took the boys to a parade downtown. They each received little U.S. flags and were playing with them. We were at home, starting our own cookout tradition as Joe had passed away the year before. I was in the kitchen when I heard crying and wailing of epic proportions coming from the boys' playroom. Craig and I rushed in and found Nat impailed in the head by the tip of one of those little flags! We took him to the ER, which was super busy with other July 4th casualties. The doctor had to carefully remove the flag tip and then repair Nat's wound. I'm not sure who cried more, Nat or Josh. Actually, I think Josh did because he was so upset and worried that he had hurt Nat.
One of my very favorite July 4th memories comes from 2006. Daddy was living in the nursing home. The home had their own form of celebration. They hosted a cookout on their patio and the residents ate hotdogs, hamburgers, watermelon, and, if they wanted, bottles of near-beer. We went to see Daddy and his eyes were shining like sparklers themselves because he and some of the other men had sat on the patio and drank beer! He was like a little boy who had gotten away with something and was relishing every bit of it. He was so cute! At first I didn't realize it was near-beer and kind of flipped out, but a nurse hastily assured me it was non-alcoholic beer. Daddy didn't know that, however, and we never told him. It was probably one of the happiest 4ths he had enjoyed in a long time, hangin' with the guys and drinkin' beer!
My most recent special 4th of July memory comes from five years ago today. I moved to Colorado Springs to join Alan and start an entirely new and different life. I was excited about moving, but deeply grieved to be leaving my boys behind in Lubbock. Ok, they weren't exactly boys any longer. They were grown men who were fully able to live without their mother's constant presence. I, on the other hand, wasn't sure I could live without theirs. It was the true cutting of the apron strings and I felt like my heart was being physically removed from my chest.
Early early that morning Alan, the boys and I loaded up the U-Haul truck. I loaded up my pretty Buick with all the fragile things which included our two elderly cats, Sonic and Colette, and Buddy, my happy Chihuahua. That 500 mile trip from Lubbock, Texas to Colorado Springs, Colorado was the longest 500 miles of my life! I cried all the way to Plainview at least while the cats meowed loudly and Buddy looked like he would prefer to hide under the seat. Sonic and Colette were NOT happy about being in carriers in the back seat of a speeding car. I tried everything to quiet them. Eventually I blasted on my music, thinking at least I could drown out the cats' noise. They continued to yowl until...my Elvis Presley CD came on. Miraculously, they both hushed! As long as Elvis was singing, they were fine. I must have heard that CD 15 times on that trip. I love Elvis, but frankly I was sick of him by the time we arrived in the Springs! I think I've only listened to that CD once in the intervening five years.
When we arrived at our apartment in the Springs and I got out of the car, I completely fell in love with the entire area. It had rained just before we arrived and the smells of wet pine and earth were the best welcome committee anyone could ever want. We only unloaded the animals and a few essentials that evening. We ate something and then, from our open second floor bedroom window, we watched the fireworks from Pikes Peak. It was one of the most lovely things I'd ever experienced in my life. I was enchanted.
Moving to Colorado has been a grand adventure. I was terrified to move here because I had lived in the flatlands of West Texas or Eastern New Mexico my entire life. I knew Lubbock inside and out. I had worked at Texas Tech for 22 years. I had friends and family there, including my sons. Would I be able to adjust? Would I find new friends? Would my sons forget me or would they need me and I'd be too far away to help them? Would I find a boss as wonderful and great as Dr. Haragan? I truly was awash with worries.
Over the last five years Alan and I have bought a house and made a home we love. I have friends all over the Springs. I also still have my friends from Texas! My sons not only didn't forget me, but we seem to have grown closer which defies logic. They survived without me and have even flourished. Both are in college now. Nat met and married a lovely young lady and gave me the daughter I always wanted. Josh has been dating a great girl for two years whom I also love. I worked in several different places here before finding my niche at Bold Technologies. I love my work and my coworkers. Work is a joy to me. Of course, no one can replace Dr. Haragan. He's still the best boss I ever had and I miss working with him dearly. (More than just being my boss, he became my second dad in many ways and was so, so good to me when Daddy became ill and passed away.)
So, on this 4th of July in Colorado Springs, I am happier than I've ever been. I love our home. I love the city. I love the beauty of the mountains. I adore my husband and enjoy him so much it's a little scary sometimes. I'm proud of our city that underwent so much stress and fear last week, but pulled together and will grow back together. Life is good! Happy 4th everybody! Let's make some more great memories today!
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