A Regular Ozarks Fourth of July

Holiday's are great, especially the Fourth. The College was kind enough to let all staff off today in observance of the Fourth of July weekend. I'm sure most of us will do pretty much the same thing--eat hamburgers, hot dogs, and homemade ice cream, corral the children in a circle and light their sparklers for them, listen to aunts and uncles, sisters and cousins gab, watch the fireflies light up yard. While most of my family lives close enough to get together. One member will be absent for the celebration. My cousin, Justin, serves in the Army and is stationed in Fort Drum, NY. He'll leave for his second tour--this time to Afghanistan--this fall. His wife will give birth to their second child while he's gone. I wonder how she will feel not having him next to her during that time, and how we he feel not knowing the exact moment his baby girl arrived? It's difficult for me to comprehend the levels of sacrifice that a service man or woman gives. Their lives are on the line. They leave their family for months, missing the most momentous times. Thank God for the men and women willing to make these sacrifices.