2025 marks the 249th birthday of America! Do you remember all the celebrations of the 200th birthday? People planted time capsules filled with memorabilia of the times. I wonder how many of them have been opened in the last 24 years. I wonder when they were supposed to be opened. I wonder what people put in those boxes! It’s so funny, we all came together for the celebrations and there were many. My husband at the time, Tom, was in the National Guard before going back to active duty. The Guard was invited to participate in the celebrations in either Sanford or Orlando. It’s a bit fuzzy where we were, i just remember it was a huge celebration. I was only 20 then. Sigh, how time flies!

Onward through the years, Tom went back to active duty, and we spend all our 4th of July’s at Army Posts and THAT is where you want to see a 4th of July Celebration! There is absolutely nothing like the pomp and circumstance of a military band and all that goes with it; watching and listening to the band playing Stars and Stripes Forever (a favorite of mine) and all those other military songs gives me chills. This U-Tube is from 2011 and it is still beautiful!

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=song+stars+and+stripes+forever&mid=FA2FF040C9ACE5FD3FF5FA2FF040C9ACE5FD3FF5&FORM=VIRE

My favorite one was when we were in Germany and the celebration included the military band and the parade of state flags. It is amazing to see all the state flags walk by and line up but having this in another country is even more spectacular. We were far from home and yet it felt like we were not. Military families give up a lot living overseas so anything that feels like home is always extra special.

Side Note: Did you know the flag should never be allowed to touch the ground and should be illuminated if flown at night. I knew about touching the ground but did not know it needed to be illuminated if flown at night. There are disposal sights also, VFW’s or American Legion’s will take your torn and tattered flags and dispose of them properly.

Tom and I lived in Germany for 6 years, 2 separate tours, one in Kitzengen and the second in Stuttgart. I loved both locations for different reasons. Kitzengen was pretty rural, and it was great for us as Tom’s rank wasn’t very high, and it was affordable. I worked at a German Cookie facture! Stuttgart was a big city and by then Tom had rank, and we could afford living there. We were an hour from the French, Switzerland, Austrian borders and travel was easy. I worked for The Assistant Chief of Staff VII Corp Division (which sounds more impressive than it was haha). So, we had a wonderful life there.

One of the things the Army drilled into our heads when we lived and travelled in foreign countries was that we were ambassadors of the United States everywhere we went. For all of us that are world travelers today, please remember this. Our country allows us freedom of speech and opinions that may not be popular but as we travel, we don’t have to share our dirty laundry! It’s ok if you don’t agree with me, I’m used to it! LOL.

Please remember all the soldiers and their families that gave their lives for our freedom. I celebrate them today!

This is our community’s beautiful Veteran’s Memorial!

(thank you Sissy for the picture of your beautiful arrangement!)