the 4th

there is much family history where we are up here.  i came here every summer as a kid and swam in these waters.  the same ones where my grandparents met.  the same ones where i now splash with hazel, anders and lena.
as a child, the only place i saw many of my cousins was here on the shores of lake michigan.  and now, when we as adults are able, we congregate up here.  it was that way over the 4th of july.  one generation of cousins and another, under one open sky.  celebrating independence.  we caught up on a lot of life, played in the yard, swam in the waters, ate hamburgers, watched parades, ate s'mores and stayed up late watching fireworks.
it was fun.
wild.
good.