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It Almost Rained on Our Parade

Every year I am disappointed because neither Faith nor Rob wants to go to the 4th of July Parade in Mandan with me so I end up not going at all. This year was going to be different though. This year I would have a parade date - my dad! Also, I was going to be meeting up with my friend Kristi and her family who sit in the same spot every year. I was so excited to go to the parade!

The night before the big event, Rob and I asked Faith if she wanted to go too. She has only gone to the parade twice and didn't seem to really enjoy it either time. So I was totally expecting her to not want to go again this year. But then she said she did want to go and started asking all sorts of questions about what we were going to see at the parade. Even though she seemed excited, I didn't get my hopes up too high. Sometimes she acts excited about something but when it comes down to actually going through with it, she changes her mind.

Whether she went or not, I was still happy to be going with my dad. Imagine my huge disappointment when this morning while getting ready, I heard what sounded like fireworks outside. It wasn't fireworks though, it was thunder accompanied by lightning and rain. When Faith got up, she had determined she was going to the parade with us but we showed her it was raining outside and told her she probably wouldn't be able to go.

My dad got here around 9:30 and shortly after his arrival, there was a sudden downpour. Me and my dad decided to still chance it but we decided to leave Faith home with her dad. She was very disappointed but at least she could still watch it on TV. As I got ready to say goodbye to her, she looked at me with the saddest face ever and said, "But I want to go too, please mommy." My heart started breaking into a million little pieces and me and Rob decided rain or shine, she was going to the parade.

We quickly got Faith changed into her red, white and blue apparel, gathered our stuff including sweatshirts and an umbrella and hurried down the hallway to the elevator. Then we stepped outside and the clouds miraculously parted and the sun came out. It wasn't going to rain on our parade after all!
Parade goers
My favorite part of the parade - all the pretty horses
Yay for Canada!
What a great message!

One of my favorite floats!
We had so much fun sitting with my friend, Kristi and her family!
Both Grandpa and Faith loved this Kenworth!
Rodeo Clown - The PRCA rodeo is another great event in Mandan over the 4th!

Famous actor James Drury from "The Virginian" waves to the crowd
It wouldn't be a true North Dakota parade without tractors and other farm equipment
Thousands of people lined the streets for the Mandan Parade - a tradition since 1881
 I am so glad Faith came with me and Grandpa to the parade. It was really truly amazing how well she did in the midst of all the noise and people. She only startled when the firetrucks sounded their sirens but then she would laugh and relax again. For some reason she loved the big Kenworth truck - every time it  honked she would scream with excitement at the top of her lungs. She actually seemed disappointed when it ended nearly two hours later. When we got home, she asked, "Can we go to another parade tomorrow?"



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