It's nice being able to give a little American history to my kids who, more often than not, much to my mother's chagrin, consider themselves more British and French.
The only problem with telling the Fort McHenry story is that I get to the pages where the British start bombing the harbor and Mini-Husband will interrupt me and ask in his more American than British accent,
"But why would we do that?"
I try to explain the differences we had with the British way back when and why the Americans wanted to be free. "No taxation without representation," I sing out!
Mini-Husband and The Princess look at me like I have seven heads.
It's at this point that both kids start reminding me that Grand-dad and Grandma are British and they don't fight with Kitty and Daddio. They even went on vacation together in Florida!
"And Mom," The Princess chimes in, "Grand-dad even read us this book the last time he was here!"
I quickly try and condense the 232 years of relationship building between our countries into 5 minutes as I'm getting them into bed.
As I closed the door, I realized that without England, I wouldn't have these adorable whirling children around me.
I'm going to celebrate this 4th of July by hugging all the Brits I can find. Without them, we wouldn't have been us.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
9 comments:
This has got to be one of your best posts ever!!! Priceless. Hug those little Brits and that big Brit for me today too. Then make them wear their USA t-shirts!!!!
Just don't tell them about the whole British v French thing just yet...
Happy 4th!
It's a very good thing the US doesn't play France or England in rugby or football very often as well!
I' ve already got The Princess singing, "Allez Les Bleus" and Mini-Husband singing, "God Save The Queen!"
Good thing we had three, eh? ;)
Well, let's let Mooster read them more patriotic American books tonight. I have a couple. Without them, we wouldn't have been us. I like that. I guess it's true.
All I have to say about my daugther singing 'allez les bleus' is this : what do girls know about sport anyway? ;-)
Girls know that lacrosse wasn't invented in England...
Mwahhhh!!! I spit out my coffee, Sue! LOL
boys do too sue, but its great winding your sister up!
More about these coward French... they do make pretty good food... Bread, Fries, Salad Dressing... good stuff. Now the British... if you take away that sexy accent, there is not much there. Besides Fish and Chips... Although I do like Gin... They do make good Gin.
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