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Hello friends! I recently got to go to Maryland to visit some of my family and I had the sweetest time! If you follow me on Instagram or Snapchat (@misselaini)  you’ve seen some snippets but I thought it would be fun to make a list here of my adventures so you can get a peek into my trip.  🙂

*Flying in the second row with my parents.  (Thanks peanut allergy for the only good thing you give me: pre-boarding.)

*A hazy pink and purple sky with puffy clouds glowing with lightning (it looked like Tinkerbell was trying to talk and it was so pretty).

*Getting to meet my new handsome little nephew! (Hands down the best part of my trip.)

*Going to the Air and Space Museum and getting to see the Discovery space shuttle (I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut so I was in heaven).  Also astronaut suits cost $22 million…each.

*Seeing planes like the ones my grandpa worked on in WWII as well as seeing the Enola Gay which was sobering (the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan).

*Walking down brick sidewalks with people I love in a darling little town.

*A cute little soda pop shop and a candy shop that had candy “through the ages”!

*MY FAMILY! Just being with them and hanging out and laughing and having good conversations or watching TV or laughing at a documentary or running errands.  That is what made it all so sweet.

*A bunch of incredibly nice people throwing a shower for my new nephew that was  thoughtful and blessed our family so much.

*Fireflies! These are the most magical little bugs and they make me ridiculously happy.

*Finally getting to meet in person a lovely friend and her daughter who I’ve been friends with for 5 years because of this blog.

*Picking blueberries with sweet friends!

*Late breakfast times and late dinners where we all lingered around the table.

*Going to the Newseum (a news museum) and seeing the Pulitzer Prize winning photos.  They made me cry.

*The old architecture everywhere you go.

*Seeing a cardinal.  (I have this thing about birds.)

*Watching my dad and brother build a deck table while my mom, sis-in-law, the baby, and I all sat in the shade and ate snacks lol.

*Feeding my nephew his bottle and having him fall asleep on me…bliss. (Plus the way his tiny hand grabs onto your shirt. <3 )

*Celebrating Father’s Day with my dad and my brother (his first time!)

*My wonderful friends Rachel and Hannah driving *hours* to see me and spend some time having adventures (in the rain!) and eating at the yummiest taco place (Chaia for anyone that is wondering).

*Visiting the National Arboretum and seeing the bonsai exhibit (especially watching my dad enjoy this), the huge original columns from the Capitol, and taking pictures of my brother, sis-in-law, and nephew.

*Friends having us over for a tasty dinner and lots of laughs!

*The portrait museum and standing under a hotel awning while it poured buckets.

*Going to my first pro baseball game (in Baltimore) with my family on a perfect day.

*My suitcase making it home…not in one piece, the wheels were literally disintegrating and it’s duct taped but I’ve had that one for 18 years and it’s been to Greece, Dominican Republic, and alllll over the United States.  I’m kinda sad to see it go.)  :'(

There were sooooo many things that made this trip perfect (I could go on and on about it) but ultimately the best thing was being with some of my favorite people (my mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew).  I’m so thankful for family!

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Not even two weeks ago I rose with a crowd of people in a stadium, put my hand over my heart, and listened as the Star-Spangled Banner was sung loud and clear.  In that moment the most delicious chills ran up and down my body.  The baseball stadium was located in Baltimore where the song was originally written.  It was a surreal moment.

I believe the reason though it impacted me so greatly was because I’d been walking around DC, my nation’s capitol, all week.  I’d seen the monuments rising tall.  It’s all quite thrilling.  More than that though as the song was sung I thought about all the people who have died to keep our country free.  Those brave men and women that fought for independence gave everything they had for the freedoms we enjoy today.  It’s a humbling reality.  Freedom isn’t free.

One of the things that I saw in a museum in DC was a map of the world showing the levels of freedom of speech in each country.  Honestly it was shocking.  Very few countries have the level of freedom the United States has.  Freedom isn’t free my friends.  People have fought for it and still do and hopefully will till the end of time.

There was an interactive wall at this same museum where anyone could write what they would give up to feel safe.  Some of the answers scared me.  Several people had said “everything.”  People gave their lives so that we could could have the freedoms we enjoy so please think about that today my fellow citizens as you party and watch fireworks.  Let’s not take our freedoms lightly.  Freedom isn’t free.

“Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”

May we stay brave and free.   Happy 4th of July my friends!

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The best things in life can’t be bought, many in fact are given.  Haven’t you been given something before that made your day?  Maybe someone gave you something as simple but as needed as a smile.

The best moments come in the form of an “I love you” that’s been whispered to you by anther person not just with words but with every time they faithfully helped you even if it wasn’t fun.  It comes in the moment you hear a street musician playing their heart out and a child dancing along beside them.  The best moments come when you’re crying your eyes out and someone gives you a tissue and the warmest hug.  The best moments come when you hear a baby share their laughter with you.  I could go on and on but I do know that some of the best moments in my life have been because someone gave me something (time, energy, resources, love, care…) and when I was able to do the same for someone else.

When we give freely it’s an act of recognizing that we’ve been given much.  It shows that things are meant to be shared to be fully enjoyed.

In just a few days I’ll be turning 28 (June 5th) and for the past few years I’ve wanted to share my birthday with people I love.  That’s only natural right?  Well some of the people I love are my kiddos in India.  I don’t get to be there with them this year but I’m hoping you’ll help me “share” my birthday by giving a small gift of love in the form of a donation.  Can you help my birthday wish come true?  I’d love to raise $250 for my kiddos in India.  That means if just 10 of you give $25 then my wish will come true! 🙂  (But any amount is a good amount!)  Thanks in advance sweet friends. <3  You all are some of the most generous people I’ve had the gift of knowing.

You can donate here! 🙂

EDIT:  If the link doesn’t work please email me at misselaini [@] gmail.com (remove spaces and brackets).

This is for those who gave their very lives for the sake of freedom.  This is to those who made the greatest sacrifice.  Memorial day isn’t about BBQ’s.  Memorial day is for remembering those who died for our country.

“We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.”

~ Moina Michael  

So today I just want to honor those who have died in service to the United States of America.  There really aren’t words enough to express my gratitude.