Happy 4th of July!

Today is the 4th of July. It is the celebration of America's independence. 4th of July is possibly, after Christmas, my favorite holiday. I know, it's odd- because I am not a summer person. But I love 4th of July. I like band music- trumpets, trombones, all the brass. Yet I played a woodwind. haha! But I just think the brass instruments are sexy, and nothing sets the tone for a good time like marching music (althoough I detested being in marching band!).

Berlin has a parade every year (now it is the only 4th of July parade in Rensselaer County). It was always longer than the Memorial Day parade, and included floats. Different churches and organizations would create a float that went with the theme for that year's parade. One of the older citizens would be the 'grand marshall'. One guy in town has a lot of old cars, from a 1921 Model T to cars from the 1960s. They would all be in the parade, driven by different family members. People on the floats threw candy to the kids standing on the road. The Seagroatt's float threw roses because they grew roses. The Memorial Day parade just goes down Main Street and up to one Cemetery; but the 4th of July parade makes a loop through town. After the parade, people would come back to mom's for a party. It may have only been hot dogs & hamburgers, but mom would have the tables done up with red, white, or blue tablecloths. The paper plates, cups, napkins, and even the plastic silverware all color coordinated. Flags of different sizes decorated the yard, the house, the garage. Some times it was a small gathering, other years, such as in 2006; it was a huge blowout party. In 2006, Berlin was celebrating its 200th anniversary. The 4th of July weekend held most of the events for the year long celebration. This sleepy little hamlet came alive. The hills were rocking! The parade was the biggest one anyone could ever remember. There were picnics, trolley rides through town as you listened to the history, and fireworks. It was a bit of a homecoming; so many people came back to Berlin to see it. I was there. My sister was 7 months pregnant with Sydney, and we had her baby shower the same weekend. We had Laura's baby shower on Sunday, and on Tuesday, we had a huge 4th of July party, which was also a celebration of my 30th birthday. Mom & Dad had rented a tent and tables and chairs. Mom told everyone to come- I have no idea how many people came; but all day long we had family, friends, and townspeople coming in and out. It was glorious. My mother has always thrown the best parties, and this was no exception. People who were there for both parties were amazed at how we transformed things. On Sunday, the tables were covered in lilac & pale green; everything had a Winnie the Pooh theme, and it was cute and sweet. Two days later, everything was red, white, & blue. Everything had a lively feel to it. It was amazing.

I, like every other child born in the USA in 1976, am a bicentennial baby. The year we were born, America celebrated 200 years. For something that was an experiment in democracy, 200 years is quite an achievement! So maybe I was destined to love the 4th of July. Mom's due date was Memorial Day, but I kept everyone waiting for another week or so, making my entrance on June 6. She said my first public outing was the July 4th parade in Berlin. And I am quite sure she had me in a red,white, & blue outfit. Blue may be mom's favorite color, but she likes red too. She really likes red, white & blue. I do not like red; but I love red, white, & blue. It is my favorite color combination.

There is something so majestic about red, white, & blue. So regal. The more I study history, the more the red, white, & blue means to me. It used to mean summer. No homework, staying up a little later, having water balloon fights in the yard, and sitting on my bedroom floor, my head propped on my hands, watching the fireflies dance in the back yard through my screen window. Now, it means freedom. I see the generations of men and women who have fought for us and that freedom. I think of the struggles of the pilgrims, of the pioneers, and even of people today. I think what the country must have been like when my ancestors came here.

My great-great grandfather, Peter Budesheim came to the US from Germany in 1883. His sister, Kate, had already come to the states and was married to an American. Peter came with $30 in his pocket. By today's standards, it would not be very much. It seems like a pittance, even for 1883, to embark with to a new world.

Some of the ancestors on mom's side had been here for 200 or more years when Peter Budesheim set foot on Ellis Island. I really can't imagine what life was like when they arrived. A vast wilderness that had to be cleared. I can't imagine leaving your family, and everything that you knew, to forge a new life. Well, I can imagine it; but I can't imagine doing it knowing you likely will never see them again.

When I decided to go to college in Indiana, I knew no one there. It was my own 'new world'. I met lots of great people, and made friends. But it was hard. Sometimes, it seemed like a foreign land. Indiana at that time, did not observe daylight savings time. So in the summer months, we were an hour behind my family in the East. Hoosiers referred to it as 'Slow Time'. Anytime my family called, they would ask 'what time is it there?' I remember when I was working, and they said we were having a 'pitch-in'. A what?? When it was explained to me that everyone would bring a dish to share, I translated it to a 'covered dish supper'. The first time someone offered me a 'pop', I thought perhaps I was about to get into a fist-fight. Imagine my surprise when they handed me a Coke. Of all my adventures in this new world, the scariest were the sirens that sounded in the spring. Tornado sirens! The first time, I followed my friends to the dorm basement. I was frantic. My only knowledge of tornadoes were The Wizard of Oz, and what I had seen on the news, where whole towns were wiped out.

Like generations of family before me, over the years I have assimilated into my new world. Maybe not completely. I try not to end sentences with prepositions. Sometimes I might fail. I still refer to that drink in a red can as soda, not pop. But I do say ya'll, so I should get some credit for that. However, no matter how strange my new world was, my family back east was just a phone call or a plane ride away. And now, in the age of the internet, mom & dad are an email away. My sister is on Facebook. My mom, sister, & I email each other through the day at work. So it doesn't feel like I'm in this foreign world. I have an even greater appreciation for my ancestors who gave up everything to come to America for a better life. I am thankful for those ancestors who fought to preserve that better life, for themselves and for future generations.

Happy 4th of July!!