Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue

Last night was the 4th of July in America.

While my family and I have moved closer to the country we call home, we are still a long way away from America.

But last night, on a tiny Base in the middle of the ocean, an onlooker would have had trouble not thinking that they were in the land of the free.

Jumpy castles (all the rage on the Base in both Turkey and now here on Lajes) entertained the boys until 10:30pm -- when the fireworks began. There were booths will good ol' American 4th of July food. Fried candy bars and oreos. Pork sandwhiches. Hot dogs. Burgers. Glow sticks.

I even splurged, (my cheap Dutch self), and spent $5 each on a light-up toy for the boys. They were thrilled.

And as it finally got dark, right around 10pm, and the sound of celebrations ensued overhead, I was so glad that we made the decision to keep the kids up so late -- even with Abigail feeling lousy. JB and I felt like we needed to remember why we were here. Why we are living so far from the people we love most.

It's been so long since we've been part of America that sometimes, it's easy to forget why we are where we are.

Saying good bye is painful. Waiting on your belongings for three months is frustrating. Not having a vehicle is annoying. Leaving those you love hurts.

But our country needs us. Last night, we felt that. People were wearing red, white, and blue. Music like God Bless the U-S-A and Toby Keith's Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue correographed with the booming overhead. I felt encouraged. I felt proud to be an American citizen.

I hope that this holiday helped you remember that despite all the political and economical frustrations we are all feeling ... despite the fact that we are still at war ... despite the fact that our country is far from perfect ... we are all Americans.

I have spent time in other countries. In Nigeria where the law enforcement was completely untrustworthy ... in Turkey where the red tape was miles thick ... in South Africa where they are decades behind the USA in racial freedoms.

We live in a great country. And I am proud of my husband for dedicating years to take care of the people who support her.

God Bless America!