Planning just the right outfit to stay cool during the 4 or 5 hour wait until the show of all shows began but cute enough to get noticed by friends and strangers.
The sticky heat, kept at bay with strawberry smoothies and cold pop. Coolers stocked with fruit, water, soda, chips, cookies, anything your heart could desire and more.
A sea of blankets on the banks of the Cedar River, bumps of lawn chairs for the adults. Church friends waiting, reserving space.
Weaving in and out of the crowds only worrying about how to find our way back to the right blankets. Meeting new friends, reconnecting with old ones, the chaos of a city of 120,000 coming together to celebrate the freedom of our country.
The show begins. The music triumphs. Tears well up in pride and gratefulness. Ashes rain down on us from the blown up fireworks.
The journey home, satisfied and tired. Already looking forward to next year.
God Bless America.
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My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Cedar Rapids, IA the city that I celebrated many Fourths. I can only imagine what the river banks look like today, no blankets spread out, no lawn chairs, no coolers, no seas of people, no food stands, no festivities.
Karoline & I were just on 3rd Ave. Nothing reminiscent of the 4th of July celebrations you described:( Clean-up crews,large trucks,some bldgs boarded up, cross streets hardly passable due to debri etc.
ReplyDeleteDidn't see any girls checking which guys were there either:)
Love, Nanny
I miss celebrating in CR too, even though I haven't for the past few years. Just knowing I couldn't if I wanted to is sad. Hope you found a smoothie. :)
ReplyDeleteYou captured it so well.
ReplyDeleteIs it a boy or girl????????????????????????????????????
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited!!