July 4th 2008 I married my ex-AH - lost my independence, just about lost my mind. I remember when he asked me to marry him, I knew what he was up to and what he was going to do and in my mind I'm screaming NO! but I said yes - why? I think because I didn't want to lose him, he would have ended the relationship (lucky me??) and I didn't want that so I said yes. Fast forward three years, we're headed towards divorce and I'm faced with another Independence Day, without him and I don't really remember my frame of mind back then, was just plodding through each day. Fast forward four more years to today - I got up early and worked outside, came in and took a shower, laid down to watch Godzilla (Mathew Broderick style) and slept through the first half. Getting ready to cook some pretty good sized steaks and we'll eat in front of tv but may choose the table, who knows. Later we'll mozy down to where I think we'll be able to watch the fireworks display in town - past years we've gone to light the big boomers in the neighboring state that allows em, this year I just don't wanna so I'm opting for something different.

I don't think of today as an anniversary of a mistake I made; I choose to think of it as Independence Day - both for the nation and for myself. The first years after, I had to consciously choose to reclaim the day for me and not let a past mistake ruin the day for the rest of my life. I love fireworks and the simple experience July 4th CAN be.

Happy Independence Day MIP Family!