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Flag Day was this past Monday and Independence Day is in a few weeks so I’ve been reflecting on our symbolic flag. Have you ever taken the time to look around the homes and businesses that display a little patriotism, especially those in our area? There is something about the Stars and Stripes that fires a little sense of pride within me, and I find my eyes quickly drawn to any flag display. It’s probably the fact that my children have become obsessed with the American Flag.

For over 2 years my daughter has been proving to us how sharp her eyesight is when it comes to finding flags. It’s not the elaborate displays that catch her eye. It’s the smaller, non-descript ones, like a small flag pole on someone’s front porch. She can look at the tiniest picture and find a flag waving in the distance. She can see us reading a newspaper and from across the room tell us there’s a flag somewhere on a page–even though the page is completely in black and white. We don’t know how or why she suddenly became focused on the American flag. It’s just something that happened 2 years ago before the 4th of July holiday. (Here’s a shout out to Big G for supplying hand-sized flags for my daughter. She carried one of those flags around with her wherever we went.) And somehow without even trying, my daughter has taught her brother to have a love for flags. Although he isn’t as obsessed as she was, he can also spot one in the blink of an eye as well. We are amazed that this is something they focus on. So with that being said, it’s time for me to mention one of the neatest kid events Hastings has to offer.

Last year was the first time we attended the 4th of July celebration at Fisher Fountain. What a great event, and a big Thank You goes out to the YWCA for all the work they put into this. I could kick myself for not attending it in previous years. We participated in the kiddie parade and I was amazed at the number of participants as well as how fast it all went.  It was cute to see all the ways the wagons, strollers, bikes, trikes, and scooters were decorated. There were some very craft displays of patriotism that day!

Last year we arrived just in time to line up for the parade. This year we will make it a point to arrive early enough to check out the various games, raffles, and entertainment. If you haven’t ever made it to this event with your children, make a point to check it out. Your family will have a great way to celebrate our country’s Independence, and my family will have enough flag sightings to last the rest of the summer!

About the author: Jill Kimle

Jill is a farm wife from the Kenesaw area with two BUSY children under the age of 5. She will admit to being in her upper 30's, and if you ask her specific age, she won't shy away from telling it. ("My kids will look at me in ten years and think I'm pretty old!")