Happy Birthday America!

So it's belated...but Happy Birthday America! I am proud to live in this country, although I do not always agree with the direction we take or decisions that are made, I am a proud citizen. And one of the many things I would like to teach my children is to become proud, productive citizens of this great nation. So of course no better time than the 4th of July to explain this to them! So as we are talking about fireworks and cookouts, I ask Cortlyn if she knows why we do all these fun things...and I am so proud when she answers "because it is America's Birthday"! I beam with joy thinking I have done something right! And then Collier breaks through my inner positive reinforcement session, with his version of Happy Birthday America! It's so cute, even Cortlyn gets in on the action...I feel all warm inside! Of course we all clap...but the singing continues, and continues, and continues! Collier has now sung "happy birthday" about a bazillion times, so as to not crush his patriotic spirit, we listen until he too has had enough of his singing! Then the history lesson continues with Cortlyn until I start to see her eyes glaze over with boredom, so I wrap it up and hope that a little stayed with her. To my surprise, the next night as we are watching fireworks with the family...I hear Cortlyn asking her cousins, "Do you know why we shoot off fireworks?" and then her rendition of my history lesson repeated! These are the days when being a parent really pays off! So Happy Birthday America! Yesterday, today, tomorrow and Forever!