Happy 4th of July!

I love the 4th of July!! I love America! And I love my freedom. What a great country we live in. I can write about whatever I want, and I don't fear political persecution. In this great country of ours, we can worship how we please, dress how we want, say what we want and live how we please (within reason, do no harm).
I love the history of our country, and thrive to learn more. I bought a book about four months ago about the building of the railroads. Its not a pretty part of our history, but its our history and I should know about it. I also bought a book about pioneer women about a year ago that I need to read.
We live in a beautiful country, with beautiful people. I love the diversity of the people, from the hoity toity to the rednecks. The intellectuals to the fluff heads from sea to shining sea.
God Bless America!!
Do any of you have traditions for the holiday? My family gets together and has a bbq then we sit around talking about silly things, laughing, having a good time until its time to light fireworks, then we go to the front yard, grab a chair and watch the show.
This doesn't have much to do with the holiday, but its fun news, so I thought I would share. I got a tattoo!! I have wanted one since I was about 4 or 5 years old.
My Uncle Terry passed away about 25 years ago or so, and when I was little we would go and visit him. He was a skinny guy with tattoo's, he looked intimidating, but he was the sweetest guy. I loved to sit on his lap, he always treated me like I was the most important person in the room. I remember telling myself, when I get older I want a tattoo. Well I am older, and after all of these years I finally forked out the money and got my tattoo. I got three flowers, one is my dad's birth month flower, the second is my mom's birth month flower, and the third is my Uncle Terry's birth month flower. I had decided to get flowers, and thought I may as well get flowers that mean something. I planned on getting my parents birth month flowers, but I liked the idea of 3 flowers in lieu of 2. So to pay homage to my uncle, I used his birth flower, which happens to be the same as my mom's. I am VERY happy with my decision. It hurt, but it was totally worth it. :) On my 30th birthday I made a list of things that I wanted to accomplish, NYC was one (have I mentioned I have been to NYC? haha!) and a tattoo was another. I need to find the list and start working on it again. I know write a book was on there, so maybe I should stop playing on the computer and go write one. :)