Four on the fourth.

To most, today is about celebrating Independence Day, but in our home its meaning changed four years ago. It was not planned, as we were at the mercy of our agency's travel timelines; and that is why we will forever celebrate this day with memories of our travel to China. Four years ago, we boarded a plane from San Francisco to Tokyo;  then to Guangzhou, to bring home the part that was missing from our family.  We had plans, they were derailed. If anyone told us then what would transpire in those four years, we would have laughed. Today we are nowhere were we planned to be then. Yet we have no regrets, we made a commitment, and somehow managed to follow through. Keeping that commitment has cost us in ways only we two know. But we still stand by every decision made, even when one of us (P and I) was getting the short end of the stick.

P knew he would be working today, but asked me what I wanted to do. We went to a great fireworks display in San Diego before moving to northern CA.. It was synchronized to the Star Wars sound track. But that meant traffic, before and after P had a full day of work. Nah, maybe when we can spend the night at a hotel. We settled for watching fireworks at the lake practically on our backyard. P's coworker, L, asked us to join her family's July 4th celebration, and stated that they would have real fireworks. 

We decided to go, and it was a good decision. I did not know a single person there, but had heard about them from P. It was busy and loud, something that disorients me to no end. I hung in there, and SS is a great focus/distraction. We had a great time, and when we left (SS was yawning and clearly tired), after an hour of fireworks, there were SO MANY left.  P works tomorrow, so he also needed a decent night's sleep. SS willingly went straight to bed after getting her PJs on.

Our girl ready to roll.

Initially SS was hesitant about going in the pool without us, but she got over it quickly. It's the first time SS was in a pool without one of us.

SS was by far the youngest and smallest in the pool. We were relieved and pleased that the kids were very protective of her. They included her in their games. The young lady in the picture is L's 15 year old daughter, and she was by SS's side, making sure she was OK.

I didn't get my phone out in time to get all the kids before they dispersed. Anyway, I saw SS holding court at the pool, and all the kids seemed to be listening. I could not hear a thing (music and a LOT of people talking), then saw SS point to her chin, and the kids were getting closer to take a look. Talk about milking those four stitches.

At a point SS was the only child in the pool. L informed us that they do a bike parade, they ride around the nearby school yard. SS was in water heaven, and we selfishly wanted to avoid a meltdown, and also wanted to tire her out. We stayed, and just watched SS have a ball when she found a water gun, that coincidentally had green and purple; Buzz Lightyear's color. There was a floating cooler in the pool, and SS stubbornly tried to get inside. We were rather amused by her attempts.

L and J sure know how to party, the food was beyond plentiful, as was the booze. Totally understand this sign hanging from the bar.

SS was not about to leave the pool, until the word fireworks was mentioned. She allowed us to rip her wetsuit off, and quickly get her into her robe.

L gave SS her light up glasses, ad SS was very thankful.

SS's first experience with illegal fireworks, not that she had a clue of the law. She loved it, and had a front row seat.