Independence Day

It's our family tradition to spend the 4th of July at the cabin. I have been going there ever since I can remember. A lot has changed since 1988. Fast forward to 2013 and only six people show up. Three of which were my family, two were my parents, and one brother. What happened? It's sad to see the numbers drop so drastically when memories of waiting in line to use the bathroom flood back to me. I guess life happens. People get old. People get busy. People move far away. People make more people and soon enough not everybody will fit under one roof. I guess that's what happened.

Despite another "weird" year the tradition remains the same. We went to the parade, we celebrated my dad's birthday, we swam at the lake, we watched the fireworks, and we ate lots of muddy buddies. It was fun taking my own little one to the parade for the first time. Sometimes I still can't believe I'm a mom. He looked so cute dressed in patriotic colors and waving his little flag.

In the end it didn't matter how many people were able to make it to the reunion this year. All that really matters is that we were there together, continuing the tradition our grandparents started over 30 years ago.