The Fourth of July

It was the best Fourth of July we've had in a long time. Everyone, except for Scott, who's in the Air Force and stationed in England, was in town. We even had our great-niece and great-nephew with us.

A family friend, Kazue Yonekawa, who owns Tokyo Restaurant with her husband, came. So did my friend V.J. Roberts and her daughter, Jessica. Oz was in Dallas judging the Miss Teen Texas pageant.

Fred grilled. Everyone brought food.

And we ate and ate until we were all lying around stuffed.

My diet begins Monday. For real.

Everything was wonderful until the fireworks display.

Fred lives in a housing development way out Macon Road. It's probably as far as you go and still be in Muscogee County.

Every year, they have a big Fourth of July picnic and fireworks.

I had taken our mother home so we weren't there when it happened. I had to let the dogs out of the house where they'd been since about 2 p.m.

Fred and Patty and her husband stayed at the house.

Everyone else headed for the fireworks.

Cheryl put comforters on the ground so they could sit and watch.

Jessica was lying on her back when she got hit by debris. And then Adam was hit.

Jess was very, very lucky. Patty said the debris was rock-hard and about the size of a ping pong ball.

Jess got hit on her cheekbone right below her left eye. She was lucky that it didn't hit her eye.

Adam is one of Cheryl's brother's twins. He got hit on his leg.

They didn't stay for the rest of the show.

I haven't seen Jess, but Patty said she didn't quit crying until they put her to bed. And this is a child who never cries.

So I guess even if you're not playing with fireworks, you can get hurt. I'm also guessing they let people too close to where they were being launched.

I'm sure that next year, my family will be farther away. Like maybe at home!