1776: Happy Fourth of July

My sister gave me permission to introduce you to my beautiful new niece Caroline.  She was dressed in her best for fireworks last night!

Happy Independence Day!

This year the Fourth of July means much more to me than it ever has.  I have spent the last 8 weeks deeply involved in the lives of John and Abigail Adams, Ben Franklin and the rest of the people who sacrificed their time, fortune and families to create this amazing country.

Plato said “Democracy… is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder; and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.”   Just the idea that this revolutionary form of government has managed to survive for 236 years is incredible.  No one had ever tried to get rid of the nation that helped create them and been successful. The idea that America could defeat England made no sense.

John Adams wrote to Abigail in a letter his vision for how Americans would celebrate Independence:

“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty; it ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

I feel like he had a pretty good vision of how it would turn out.

I hope you have a fantastic day today celebrating with friends and family.  Tonight my friends and I open our run of 1776 and I am sure I will be celebrating as well!