July 4, 2011

It's been a hard one, friends. For the past five or six July 4ths I've been in Sterling, KS. You really can't beat small town celebrations...you can't...it's not possible. There is a fullness and anticipation that cannot be replicated by large, impersonal crowds. Whether it was the turtle races or the people races, there has always been something for me to look forward to and usually at least pieces of my family would be together.

The first memory I have of the Sterling celebration began when I lived in Istanbul, Turkey. Strange, huh? Betsy and Roxie wanted to run the 15K from Lyons to Sterling (I think it was originally Betsy's idea). Regardless, I was finishing up my first year overseas and the thought of 9 miles of uninterrupted conversation with my sisters-in-law was very appealing. So...I began training. For those of you not familiar with Istanbul...there really isn't a great place to train for longer distances. It was up and down extremely steep hills that were daunting for me walking, let alone running. Not to mention, runners aren't really common...so running down the main sidewalk along the Bosphorus was like...well, it reminded me of how I imagine animals in the zoo feel when people just stand and stare at them, waiting for them to do something interesting. All the while smiling and talking to the person beside them about where the animal is from, what its habitat is like, or whether it feels lonely or whether it even knows it is alone. I didn't do that very often. So where did I train for this 15K? Around and around and around and around and around and around...the track at the sports club. But I didn't mind because the anticipation of spending the fourth with my family and running the race with great friends was worth every bit of every lap completed.

I must admit, that the second fourth was full of anticipation as well. I came home from Istanbul without a job, living on faith that God would provide in some way. Even in all the uncertainty, as I flew in just in time for the fourth activities, the anticipation was more about meeting a certain assistant football coach that my family could not stop talking about. I think that might have been the one and only year a Lambert had a turtle in the races as well. Year three brought my first fourth as a married woman and hosting the get-together for my family.

Year four was right after our trip to China and I hadn't trained for the 5K, but Dad wanted me to run with him, so I did...and just about died in the process. The BEST part and probably one of my most favorite memories was that Chuck had been secretly training to run. The day Brian and I got back from China we were quite jet-lagged so we walked to Paddy's for breakfast fairly early in the morning. As we were sitting there sipping our coffee I noticed a man run by...and incredibly shocked...realized it was Chuck. WHAT WAS HE DOING??? When we confronted Chuck he tried to deny it...but he couldn't pull that one over on us...so we were in on the secret and it was priceless...absolutely priceless to see the looks on my other brothers' faces. Priceless.

Year five was my first fourth with a baby...and I believe I even played in a three on three basketball tournament. Year six was a 5K pushing both my kiddos...one in the stroller and the other in my tummy.

Year seven...well, this is it. There is no year seven and I am very sad. I miss it and I miss the jokes, the fun, the living life together. I'm sure it will come here. We will find new traditions and new celebrations...but today I am enjoying the memories of yesterfourths. I am an American...believe me...but the Fourth of July has always just been a celebration of freedom...but a celebration of family as well. I guess for now my anticipation will be for the years to come...what will our new fourths look like? I wait to eagerly experience what God has for us.

Happy Fourth of July!