As an extended Fourth of July weekend, we both took off of work today to celebrate and relax together. Colleen has to work tomorrow, and there is a festival and fireworks at the commercial development across the street tonight. I got up a little earlier and let her sleep in. I went for my haircut and then to the chiropractor to again adjust my annoying left lower back issue. It will hopefully help the pain for a day or two like usual. Then we went to the gym and had good, hard workouts. For some reason I was a bit spent today, probably not eating and sleeping as well as I should these days. Then we went to the pool with my mom for a couple hours. We came home and made a delicious steak dinner. Then we walked across the street to the festival but there wasn’t really a lot for us to do, so we came home and played a game together. We really enjoy games like Rumikub, Uno, and Outsmarted. I keep trying to get her to play Ticket to Ride with me, but she refuses (I should have let her win the first time we played the “train game”). Then my mom, sister, and brother-in-law came over to watch the fireworks with us. The fireworks were amazing, and it was really a perfect night. Today was a great day of family and fun, reflecting and relaxing, and all great reminders of what really matters in life. I am very grateful for all of my blessings, my wonderful family, freedom and opportunities, grace and forgiveness. We are closing in on one year since our engagement, and closely following that is one year from being taken into Federal custody and incarcerated for nearly four months. That was a big shift in me and my outlook, as I realized what I needed to do to make a difference for my future, my family, and my freedom. This was the beginning of my change in heart and mind and how I approach the future as a better person, accepting responsibility for wrongdoing and breaking the law, and having a bigger positive impact moving forward.
