Life, liberty, and the pursuit of really good coffee

I know, I know...it's supposed to be "the pursuit of happiness," but in my world, really good coffee is happiness, so we're all just gonna have to deal.

Another 4th of July has come and gone. I spent the night before feeling a little weepy, sad over the loss of what began nine years ago. But I had a couple friends who checked in on me, and I made cookies. It's hard to be sad when there are cookies!

Spent the morning of the 4th cleaning. I love my apartment when it's clean! It's really such a little haven. I love my home. Then it was off to Kimberly's house (that's Patrick's youngest sister) for a pool party, an endless supply of food, and illegal fireworks.

There's just something about the water that I love. It feels good to just let my troubles float away, to play with the kids, to be one of the kids. After dinner, my four-year-old nephew Kristofer asked me if I was done swimming. Now, if you're fluent in four, you know this is actually a request to "suit up" and take him back in the pool. So I did what any good auntie would do - I got back in the pool. So what if it was dusk? So what if it was cold? I toughed it out, because the little guy wanted me to. There's nothing like the uninhibitted love of a four-year-old.

And once the sun was gone, it was time to paint the sky.

You name it, they lit it on fire. It's a Farbo family tradition. For as far back as I can remember, the 4th has been Kelly, Patrick and I in a Farbo front yard, crossing our fingers that the cops don't pay us a visit. This was no exception. I give you...the highlights:

• Rick's mojitos
• Chinese New Year (anyone want egg rolls?)
• Cops on bikes! Cops on bikes!
• There is a right way, and a wrong way, to load the damn thing
• Wanna go for a car ride?
• Who made the devilled eggs?
• Patrick! Patrick!
• Kelly! Kelly!
• You should've got stitches
• The kid looks just like a Hummel
• Pool made the ouchie all better
• I like that one, do it again!
• Was I the only one who appreciated the sweaty men playing volleyball?
• Rick loves me, but mostly because he thinks I made the cake
• Children make great shields in a water fight - I'm melting!

It was an amazing, fun-filled day. I went into it a little aprehensively, because...well, there was that whole "anniversary" thing to contend with. But as Kelly reminded me, the 4th has always been us, fireworks have always been us. We cherish our old memories, make new ones, and move forward together to see what the future holds. But one thing's for sure: as tradition demands, next July 4th, it'll be us, once again.