A Special Independence Day
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Celebrating the Spirit of America
By Diane Stark

Who would believe such pleasure from a wee ball o’ fur?
~Irish Saying

My kids cheered as soon as they woke up on the Fourth of July. “It’s Fireworks Day! How soon can we go downtown to watch them?”

“Guys, it’s 7:00 a.m.,” I said. “It has to be dark to watch fireworks.”

“We have to wait all day?” They groaned. “This is going to be the slowest day in history.”

“No, it won’t. We’ll have fun, and it will be time to go before you know it. Let’s start by eating breakfast.”

I made the kids’ favorite breakfast: chocolate-chip pancakes. After we ate, I told each of the kids to pick four things they wanted to do to help pass the time until we could leave to watch the fireworks.

Jordan decided that he wanted to watch his favorite movie, play Battleship, and build with his Legos. “And for my fourth thing, I want to play with the dogs and Tigger,” he said. (Keep reading)