Summer 2018: Fourth of July Fun

Our Fourth of July fun continued with a Memphis Redbirds game! There's just something so American about baseball. And I so appreciated the honor the game gave to our military. It was refreshing!

Here Big Ben is with Rocky, who happens to be the son of a friend of ours!

It's moments like these that make me so very proud of my kids. First of all, Big Ben just knew he would get a baseball. The only other time he came to a baseball game, he wanted a baseball. They were out in the grassy field without even a seat. And believe it or not, he got one. So he decided he wanted to try to get another one on the 4th of July. I kept telling him it was rare and not to get his hopes up, but his big sister has the biggest heart. She ended up diving in front of a group to snag it for him. She pretty much can't tell him no.

We were so happy to get to do this with our cousins and our Singaporean guests. They got the FULL experience. Dance cams, the 7th inning stretch, a fight on the field...and then when the game was over, we witnessed the most beautiful fireworks I have seen in a long time. They played "Amazing Grace" with Scottish bagpipes. Firstborn and I kept looking at each other and saying, "Can this even be happening?" I was so proud to be there and for my friends to experience the America I love.

This buddy of mine was my best high school photographer when I was editor-in-chief for the yearbook. He is now the official photographer for the team. He told me to find him when I got to the game. I was really happy to hug his neck and find out that he was impressed that I used to drive a stick shift in high school.

He took a panorama of the entire fan crowd. Then he found us, and sent me this little piece!

We also enjoyed several meals with our friends. This was a country Southern-cooking place near us.

And of course we had to take them to the Rendezvous!

Downtown Memphis was fun and bright and loud!

We ended our time with a walk down to the river. Soon it was time for them to go to the next stop of their journey, but we were proud they got to come to our hometown, Memphis, Tennessee.