Happy 4th of July!

Wow. It's been a busy weekend! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July. My mother in law took the girls for the weekend and I spent it with friends. We had a blast and, once again, feel so blessed to have such amazing people in my life. It's hard to believe that on July 3, Rob deployed for Afghanistan. If I'd only knew it would have been the last time he hugged and kissed us, I would have held on longer. Through this whole experience, I've learned to cherish the times with the ones that are important to you. You never know when your time with them can be cut short. Although Rob is gone, I still continue to feel his presence among us. Although, it was a tragedy to lose him, I'm recognizing God's blessings surrounding me. I've "slowed down to smell the roses". Even though my days are hectic, I cherish the time with my girls and know that all too quickly they will grow up. I cherish my family and friends and how much they love and support us. And I also reflect more on the meaning behind holidays such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and the 4th of July. Our military men and women fought for our freedom, some making the ultimate sacrifice. It's easy to take that for granted until it smacks you right in the face. I'm proud to be an American and I'm so grateful that I live in the land of the free. I will never take that for granted because as I now know without a doubt: freedom isn't free.