UnSocial and the 4th

I am well aware that the word anti-social should've been used at the bottom of my last blog...or so according to others; HOWEVER, I associate the word anti-social with being against socializing, and that's not what I was referring to. It's one thing to be against it and another to not do it because...because. *roll eyes*

So we hadn't really planned to watch fireworks anywhere because from where the camper is located, you can see fireworks displays in just about every direction. Ah, that's one cool thing about Kansas - fireworks are allowed within city limits, unlike anyplace in Texas I've ever lived. So people go crazy with them. Kinda nice out in the country, but I'm sure if I lived in any city here, I'd be calling the cops on all the drunk people setting fires in the streets. Anyway, I was kinda in the dumps because it had (and still has) been raining almost completely non-stop since we got here on Friday...which means being stuck inside most of the time...which makes for a fussy Xander. Kids love the outdoors. Kids NEED the outdoors even at this age.

So I'd given the kid his bath after a late nap and mentioned to Nathan I really wanted to have a white people 4th just one year complete with fireworks. Well, it was too late for the other stuff, but he grabbed his wallet and within 27 seconds we were on our way to a local fireworks show. It was past 930...way past Xander's bedtime, especially cinsidering he had stayed up the night before as we did our own fireworks stuff AND the kid can't sleep past 630 a.m. because the camper let's in SOOOOO much light in the mornings. I didn't care. There was a break in the clouds, and I was so going to take advantage.

I'm glad we did. It was so nice to be out that late (lol - wow, how things change with baybays) with both my Nathan and my son even though we caught only the last 15 minutes or so of the whole thing. It was a nice break from all the traveling, from the rain, and from all our movement. I was sad that my mom couldn't be with us, but next year...yes, I think next year I will change how we do some stuff.

Thanks, husband, for driving like a maniac on those old, Kansas dirt roads to get me some fireworks. You're the best.

Funky Town

On one side of our family, we have lots of kids of all kinds and ages. On the other side, there are few and mainly boys...well the ones who are around. Recently one family member from the all boys side was saying to me,"Xander's great, but we're still waiting for our girl." This is said to me maybe every month or two, and by this time I'm just really annoyed with it. So rather than gracefully and tactfully shrug it off or respond with, "well, maybe next time," I snap back with, "Well, isn't that just how we all are - ungrateful and dissatisfied with what God gives us?" And I walked away.

And right away I had to point the finger right back at myself.

How often have I wanted more when I have everything I could need and then some? I notice that gratitude has been a recurring theme in my latest blogs. Hmmm. I always thoght I was a pretty grateful person, but it seems the older I get, the easier it is to complain. Not good.

I'll be honest people - it's easy to complain when I'm in Kansas. I just sent someone a text earlier that said "I hate Kansas." Why all this hate? There's good here. Really, there is. And if I really think about it, could it be that I am here for "such a time as this?" I'm not trying to be deep here but maybe just have a little more perspective and appreciation for the situation.

So...with that, thanks, Jesus, for a land of nothing (Kansas) that you can make something out of for us.

Ok, but are all country people this unsociable? Really?