On September 11, 2001. a new generation of Americans learned this lesson, just as our fathers and mothers had learned it fifty years ago, and their fathers and mothers had learned it thirty years before that. This generation experienced this painful lesson when more than 3,000 of our fellow Americans died for their country in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in an airplane intended to attack the White House. It was not their intent to offer up their lives on the altar of freedom, though I am sure that most of them would have done so, had they been given the choice.

Freedom is not free! In every chapter of the history of this country, there have been heroes who have given their lives in service out of love for it, who have given their lives to protect it and the ideals for which it stands. No, America is not perfect, and there will always be those in this world who want to destroy what it stands for, perhaps because it is something they do not have, or maybe because it is a concept that they do not understand. But WE understand it. We know what it is to live in freedom in this country. Granted that there are freedoms that yet need to be gained, and that some of them are more limited or unlimited than they need to be, but we have them. Our forefathers fought and died for them. Some of our contemporaries have died for that freedom. Each and everyone of us, no matter what our complaints about this nation of our might be, should thank our lucky stars each and every day for the freedom we have here in this country. And much more than that, we should honor each and every soul who has lost his or her life in the protection of that freedom. Let us celebrate this day in their names and in the name of freedom!

The Declaration of Independence

Fourth of July Fun and Games!    

US Flag Jigsaw Puzzle     US Symbols Match Game     Name That President

Online Fireworks!

Other Fourth of July Pages

Bonnie's Neighborhood     Butlerweb's Fourth of July Celebration

My Fourth of July Quilt    

    My 911 Memorial Page

     My Fourth of July Gifts page    

Fourth of July cartoon doll from Tina Kay of Tina's Quilts

I am very honored by this award given to me for this page by my dear friend, Toto.

This great Fourth of July firecracker is from my friend ~Shy of Yellow Rose Sisters. Thanks a bunch, ~Shy!

Send a Firecracker! 

This one is from Silkey Kay, also of Quilting Circle of Friends

Send a Firecracker!

This is a special guestbook just for this page. Please feel free to leave your comments about this page and the holiday it celebrates.