Happy Birthday USA!

We had two reasons to celebrate last Friday.  It was, of course, the Fourth of July, but it was also the last day of school here in Holland.

It's hard to believe we just completed our first year of school abroad, and we couldn't be more proud of Abigail and Reese who faced a major swim upstream going to French school in Holland.  Their school is officially part of the French schooling system, so unlike immersion programs in the States where a child is nurtured into acquiring a new language, most children in the Lycee have 1-2 native-speaking parents and already know French.  The school is simply an extension of the public school system in France.

Abby and Reese handled it with courage and enthusiasm. They are my champions!

After school, a big crew of us caravan-ed (on our bikes, of course) to our place for a grand fete to kick off the summer.  Life as an ex pat means that even the most of American of holidays is a multicultural event, and we were thrilled to share an American BBQ with our Dutch, French and American friends.

Many people asked us if it's weird to celebrate American Independence Day outside the US, and while maybe not weird, there are definitely things I miss.  Since the kids were born, we've spent every Fourth of July on Bainbridge Island in Washington State.  The festivities on Bainbridge are small town and reminiscent of a by-gone era.  All of the local businesses and organizations take part in a parade, and the roads shut down for a fair and concerts.  Everyone knows everyone, and the neighborliness of the holiday is idyllic.  It's just doggoned sweet to catch candy thrown by the local insurance guy from his car in the parade.

And since fireworks are legal, everyone invests in professional fireworks that can be seen in the various harbors and bays all the way around the island.  You can even see the Seattle fireworks show over the water.  It's spectacular and sweet at the same time. So much so that the Today Show featured BI on one of its Fourth of July segments this year.

Seriously, here's the septic tank guy:

In the end though, it's friends and family who make any holiday special.  Here's Abigail and Reese with their best buddy, Niko, back on July 4, 2010. 

 Little did I notice back then that the name of the giant slide is "The European."

My dear friend, Ali, and me with Niko and Abigail.

Luka and Doug with Niko and Reese.

And so while I miss Bainbridge, and more so our friends back on the Island, this year's 4th of July also had special meaning as we celebrated with new friends in a foreign land.  It was even sweet and special trying to find the ingredients here in Holland for our all-American menu (e.g. graham crackers were nowhere to be found for s'mores).