I Think I Dread the Holidays

Daniel really enjoyed Independence Day. We would buy a large range of fireworks which are surprisingly legal here. We would spray down a large portion of our yard on the farm to avoid fires and sparks. Then, when it gets truly dark, we would set up each firework properly spaced on a piece of plywood. Then one by one, my husband would light them with a gas torch. (It allows fast ignition and you're out of there !) Daniel and the rest of the family would sit on the porch and watch the show.
Earlier in the day we would have grilled hot dogs, hamburgers and had watermelon. We would have chopped lettuce for salad, sliced onion for burgers,and put out cheese, mustard and ketchup. Sometimes we would make homemade cole slaw or potato salad. I think last year we also made chili for the hotdogs. We also had ice tea, soda, and ice cream.
Normally, we would decorate by placing American flags hung from the house at the front and the back, and by hanging flags and ribbons at our gates of the farm.
I think I could go through the motions as I did at Christmas if I believed that Daniel and my Dad were celebrating this, but I am unsure whether US Independence Day is a large widely celebrated holiday in Heaven. Maybe it is. I just know that without the driving force behind the holidays, I don't feel much like doing any of it.
Somehow I celebrated Christmas as it was the first Christmas in Heaven for Daniel and Dad, and somehow got through Easter, Daniel's birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, but I am running out of steam......or should I say gunpowder as this is employed in fireworks ?
Dan I wish you and Papa L. and beautiful summer day with the warm wind blowing. I hope you know how much we love you both. If you were both here I would hug you both very tightly.

Graduation

Today my husband, our sons Matthew and Adam and I attended my daughter's graduation from college. Stephanie is graduating Magna cum Laude from one of the top art schools in the country as an illustrator and communications artist. She is also a significantly gifted photographer. For many reasons, this was a difficult day. First the travel to the location was difficult and the information as to where the university graduation was as opposed to the one from the art school was located. Stephanie attended both as I had asked, although I think she was frankly too tired and would have ditched it had I not implied that it was important to me. More than three thousand students graduated, some with Pharmacy doctorates, Nursing anesthesia doctorates, DDS, and MD degrees. The art graduates were quiet, whereas no major was as boisterous or as truly joyous as the nursing majors. I was tearful as I listened to the commencement speaker who is a top scientist who not only discussed science and great changes to come within the fields of medicine and bioinformatics, but he spoke of faith and of God, and how the more he learns of DNA and RNA that the more in awe of God he is. I thought this was a brave choice for a public university. Palpably missing from the ceremony for me was my father who has helped to finance some of my children's university educations, and of course Daniel. On looking back in the convention center, I noticed two chairs in back of me that were empty and stayed so throughout the ceremonies, #12 and #13. Perhaps they were both there after all. Congratulations Stephanie, you have been a joy to raise and to homeschool until college. I could not be more proud of you.