Today's the Fourth of July. 

(What a creative name. America became a nation on July fourth, and they decided  to name the holiday...wait for it...the Fourth of July! Could they really not find anything better?! Well, I know there's Independence Day, but it's not used as often as Fourth of July...moving right along.) 

It means barbequeing (BBQing? I have no idea how to spell it), swimming, time with friends and family, maybe going to a lake to relax for the long weekend. 

It means parades, fireworks, laughter, and relaxing. It means hot dogs, singing patriotic songs, and wearing red, white, and blue. It means freedom.

In the hustle and bustle of all the preparation and all the fun, it's easy to forget what this holiday is actually all about. 234 years ago today, some men signed the famous Deceleration of Independence, a document - written mainly by Thomas Jefferson - that stated the USA was now its own country.

Since then, so many, many men and women have fought and died to keep this country free. So many, many people have sacrificed everything they had to fight for our nation. 

So in the midst of eating, laughing, and spending time with loved ones this weekend, forget not what this holiday is actually all about. 

Happy birthday, America!

What are you doing this Fourth? 

-carlotta