Happy Fourth of July!

For Foreign Service Officers, the 4th of July is an extremely busy time. Each post around the world has the biggest party of the entire year to celebrate the country's Independence day. This year, instead of being at post being involved in a party at work, I was able to spend time with Lady Hiva, friends and family. 

It was actually really good for us to have the celebrations this week. We still have our moments of mourning for and missing Aleki, but being around a wonderful support group alleviates the blow just a little bit. 

We went with Heather and her friend around  Washington, DC and then to Gettysburg, PA. It was the farthest Lady Hiva and I have been out of the DC area since moving here in January. Luckily, Lady did alright. I had been to Gettysburg several times but none of them had been there. We happened to be there during the 150 year anniversary of Gettysburg war. That was NOT planned at all. It was FULL of people. The best part was seeing all the people dressed up in Civil War Era clothing and staying in tents. Full families were dressed up. The next day it rained all day and we then felt bad for those tent sleepers...

Heather and Lady Hiva were in wheelchairs for much of the day...

This is our spunky tour guide in the Capitol Building that told joke after joke about politicians

Library of Congress...one of my favorite buildings in the city

Capitol Building on a beautiful day

Getting her bible study in...

Gettysburg, PA

This is a result of letting Heather take pictures...we don't have any photos of Gettysburg...so you will just have to imagine

It makes you appreciate all the lives that were lost to have our country the way it is. 

Yesterday, we started out the day with a breakfast with our congregation. Lady Hiva and I were asked a few weeks ago to do the presentation portion of the program. With our week, last week they asked if we wanted someone else to do it...but we figured we could handle. And we did. We both made it through without crying! HAHA. 

It was fun to see families in their Red, White, and Blue and ready for the holiday. We spent the rest of the day at the pool with friends and visiting family. That too was fun--although my pasty-stay-in-the-office-all-day-white-skin was fried by the end of the day (I even put on sunscreen halfway through...but apparently it was too late!) YIKES! 

We then went and watched the fireworks and listened to the Air Force orchestra at the Air Force Memorial. It was full of people, but the evening was nice and cool and from the hill we could see fireworks all across the valley. I love our Country. I am thankful for all the people that have sacrificed to allow me to be here.