Independence Day 2016

July 5, 2016
Every year, Andrew's grandparents host a BBQ in their backyard the day before July 4th. After that, we all walk up the road to the gold course nearby and watch a big fireworks show!


Good company and good food. That's what America's all about, right? ;)

I've been thinking about what makes America great. Is it because we're wealthy? Have a huge military force? Chick-Fil-A? Compelling reasons (especially Chick-Fil-A), but I don't think so. What makes America great is the ideals and values that our founding fathers set forth as a standard for this country and its people. Values like purity and innocence, hardiness and valor, and vigilance, perseverance, and justice. I recently learned that these values are what the colors of our flag represent.

Our founding fathers believed in creating a government that would protect the people while allowing them the freedoms to "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," freedoms that are given to all men by God, but denied at that time, by a tyrannical king and country.

These men knew that no people and no government was perfect, but they set their sights and their standards high in the hopes that the people of this country would rise to it.

I am so grateful to live in a truly great country where I can pursue those rights of Life, Liberty, and Happiness. I am so grateful that I live in a country where I can choose who I will worship and what dreams I will pursue. I am so grateful I live in a country where I can believe what I believe and express it without fear of imprisonment, oppression, or someone forcing me to conform to theirs.

Most of all, I'm grateful to live someplace my husband and I can raise and provide for our family the best way we know possible. God bless America!


Our 4th of July celebration was smaller and more intimate. We invited Andrew's siblings over, made a salt firework craft (I'll post on instagram! @suesnews_cl) watched my latest netflix craze, TURN, ate some dang good tacos (Andrew and his brother's idea), I took some pics of me, the shirt I decided to make that morning :') the little man - because he's the easiest to convince to take pictures with - and lit off some fireworks at home. It was a good way to celebrate, together as a family!

couldn't get him to take his fingers out! haha!

 love that little hand on my face!
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Let me tell you why I love this picture. First of all, Alexa discovered that she's not a huge fan of fireworks. Second, the teddy bear's name is Butterball, and I have many memories of holding her exactly the same way while watching fireworks from the back of Grandma's car, sitting on a blanket in the front yard watching my brother's light off fireworks, and taking her basically wherever else I went. This picture is basically Toy Story III.

Hope you all had an amazing Independence Day!

Susan is a birth photographer/videographer serving Mesa, Arizona and surrounding cities including Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Considering a photographer for your birth? Contact Susan for EDD availability.

1 comment

  1. We might be soul sisters! Literally everything you said about why you love this country is exactly what I was thinking!! Also, TURN!!! SO GOOD. ALL CAPS GOOD.

    Can't wait to meet you in a couple weeks!! :)

    ReplyDelete

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