July 4

Our holiday — no one ever did it as big as us.

Months of saving allowances and birthday money dumped into the brightest and craziest fireworks available. Hours of hard work in the kitchen for our family-famous red, white, and blue cupcakes. Dozens of looks and sighs from our parents at the mess created by our chaotic storm.

All for one night of glory.

Riley filled in for you this year. He forced me to take his birthday money, slaved away in the kitchen, and endured all the parental judgment. He let me chase him with sparklers and screamed through every explosion with me.

It was a great night.

But at the end of it, all I could think was, "I wish he was there."