Happy 3rd of July?

Here in Columbus, Ohio they put on a huge event every year called "Red White and Boom" for the 4th of July, but the funny/odd thing is that it is on July 3rd.  Nevertheless, Sienna and I took part in the festivities, July 4th or not.  Matt was out of town, and so again I found myself incredibly grateful to be a part of such an amazing team of baseball players who just happen to have awesome wives!  Even better, most of the other wives have babies!  As it turns out I am not the "old wife with a kid" as I had feared several months ago. : ) 
So on July 3rd, Sienna and I trekked (if not for the energy-sapping heat it would be a leisurely stroll, not a trek) over to Alice Ray's apartment where the 4th of July parade would be coming by.  Sure enough a bit after six o'clock, here they came.  Now "they" consisted of a couple of marching bands, a few beauty queens, an absurd number of semi trucks honking their obnoxious horns, and my personal favorite, a real life bearded Jesus atop a hill overlooking the earth as "God Bless America" played in the background.  Alas, I have frequented better parades, but Sienna especially enjoyed the marching bands, as did I.  We went home before the fireworks started, but definitely heard and even caught a glimpse of them from our downtown apartment. Sienna reacted a bit apprehensively towards the fireworks, but was not terrified either.
So July 4th rolls around, and I thought to myself, "Certainly, there will be some festivities going on downtown.  Afterall, it is ACTUALLY the 4th today."  Nothing, nada, zip.  Downtown was empty.  It strikes me as so funny...even now as I write this.
The 4th of July is my favorite holiday and though the 3rd was fun, how I do crave a good ole' fashioned 4th of July BBQ in Florida with friends and family.  But I do have something to look forward to...Matt told me when he was out of baseball, we would make up for the 4th's I've spent not celebrating my favorite day of the year.  I hope he knows what he's promising...boats, beaches, lakes, watermelon, cheeseburgers, sparklers, jet skis, and sweet tea.  That is what the 4th of July is to me.  As my friend, Chris Breslin so eloquently stated on his facebook status yesterday, "Freedom tastes like watermelon."