July 4, 2011

Yes, I’m belated about blogging this, but just bear with me. Summer is a new pace and I don’t have my “regular” blogging time.

Twenty years ago on this day, Ed & I had, for lack of a better word, our first date. I arrived in Fountain Valley, CA on June 28, 1991 to serve in S.W.I.M. Because Ed was not only in the youth group at FVCRC, but was also the church secretary for the summer, we saw a lot of each other right away. By July 2 or 3 we had asked the Pastor if it was OK if sort of “hung out”. (Dating was strictly forbidden…”If the chemistry of youth is working it’s magic, keep it low key.”) The Pastor said, “I wondered when the two of you would figure that out.”

On July 4, we spent the day at the beach with the youth group and lots of people from the church. In the evening, the youth group went to Milesquare Park to watch fireworks. I don’t believe Ed & I saw any of the fireworks. We talked through the entire show. In fact, we didn’t even notice when the rest of the youth group snuck away and left us alone. I think we knew then that we would get married someday and therefore, “our first date.”

Here we are, twenty years later:

And here’s the rest of the pictures from what we did on July 4, 2011!

Our dinner picnic on the grass near Zuanich Point Park along Bellingham’s waterfront.

I handed Sarah the camera again for a while. She always takes fun and good pictures!

As we walked around Zuanich Point, we could see downtown, including the Flatiron Building.

And that’s the building with my zoom lens! You can just barely make out the word “LOGOS” on the building with the flag on the top. Up there by that flag is where we were when we watched the Bellingham Bay fireworks.

Zuanich Point is the location of the Haggen Family Fourth Festival. There were a couple bouncy houses and this slide that the girls loved!

Towards evening, many folks were bringing their sailboats and other watercraft out into the bay for firework viewing. I love the water and boats. I might have to put “own a boat” on my bucket list.