Small Town Happiness

I learned the National Anthem, God Bless America, You're a Grand Old Flag, God Bless the USA, and the pledge of allegiance by the age of 6 and watched my Mom cry and kiss the ground every time we flew back into the States from the Middle East. I have two grandpas that are veterans, one of which loved history and taught me a lot about this amazing country and it's history. With this history I had been debating how to teach my kids about Veteran's Day. We were planning on writing letters to soldiers, which why cool and important I didn't think would make a huge impact on them. I was planning on going shopping with my Mom in the morning, when she called and said, "There's a parade this morning, it will be small, but would you want to go?" She must have forgotten I love parades. It was magical.

Times I had my eyes well up with tears:

On the way to my Mom's when almost every house had a flag waving.

When I explained to Josh who the Pearl Harbor survivors were

When I saw the Vietnam Vet standing by himself watching the parade

When one soldier broke ranks and came over to shake my son's hand.

When the wounded Veteran's came by.

When Josh put his hand over his heart the instant he saw the flag with no prompting.

When the vans full of the residents from the retirement home drove by, they were so thrilled to be in the parade, one old lady was singing and waving her flag for all she was worth

When both my kids, following their Gram's example, started yelling Thank you to the soldiers - they may have thought they were thanking them for the candy they were chucking at them, but whatever:) - did you know it's still legal to throw candy in parades? I had no idea.

On the way home listening to the country station - there is not better station to listen to on a Patriotic Holiday.

When we tried to go shopping after and both my kids threw individual fits in the store.

Times I laughed:

When Anna was terrified of the marching bands - and I mean terrified. She loved the firetrucks and honking horns though.

The amazement on my kids faces when the soldiers started throwing them candy - Halloween all over again.

When they started dancing and marching along with the band.

When I found the perfect boots for my Mom to buy me for Christmas:)


I love that there is a Patrioticness in this smallish town. That nearly everyone has a flag up, that it was easy to go to the parade, and that they still throw candy:)