As our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, I’ve found myself reflecting on what it means to be an American and how my love and gratitude for this country have grown throughout my life. Patriotism wasn’t something that happened all at once for me. It has been built one memory, one experience, and one testimony at a time.
I am old enough to remember America’s Bicentennial in 1976. I was still a young girl, but one memory has stayed with me all these years. My mother sang in a stake church choir, and I remember sitting in the audience as they sang “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Even as a child, something stirred inside me. I felt proud to be an American, and somehow I knew that God had blessed this land. I don’t remember many of the details of that celebration, but I have never forgotten how I felt.
As a child, Fourth of July celebrations meant parades in Richfield or Fillmore while visiting my grandparents. I remember the marching bands, especially the booming bass drums. Their sound was so loud that it frightened me a little. Today, those same sounds fill me with excitement instead of fear.
One of my favorite memories came while Lance and I lived in Topeka, Kansas, while he attended law school (1991–1994). Every Fourth of July, the Jim and Frances Wadley family opened their home for a neighborhood celebration complete with a live brass band, water fights, laughter, and food. It was a wonderful reminder that patriotism is often best expressed in simple gatherings with family, friends, and neighbors.
Years later, patriotism took on new meaning when Lance joined the Air Force. Becoming a military family gave me a much deeper appreciation for those who willingly sacrifice to protect the freedoms we often take for granted.
Then came September 11, 2001.
Like so many Americans, that day changed me. The flag became more than a symbol—it represented courage, sacrifice, unity, and hope. I remember how our nation came together in ways I had never witnessed before. There was kindness. There was patriotism. There was a sense that we belonged to one another. And Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the U.S.A. touched the soul every time it played.
Around that time, Lance and some members from Hill Air Force Base participated in a patriotic assembly at Windridge Elementary. My oldest child, Emily, was in second grade. These second grade teachers (Cindy Garfield and Karen John) did a beautiful job helping their students understand the importance of honoring our country, our flag, and those who serve. It strengthened my own appreciation as well. Instilling patriotism in young Americans was powerful to witness.
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| Patriotic Assembly at Windridge Elementary - September 16, 2001 |
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| LuAnn, Captain Lance Thaxton, Andrew, and Abbey outside of Windridge Elementary following the September 11th partriotic assembly in 2001. |
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| Mrs. Karen John and Mrs. Cindy Garfield and Abbey, when she was in their 2nd grade class. |
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| Abbey following her second grade program, I think 2006. |
Not long afterward, the 2002 Winter Olympics came to Utah, and once again I felt that same spirit of unity and pride.
Another treasure from that season of life was the Why I Love America CD, created through the collaboration of Senator Orrin Hatch and Janice Kapp Perry and performed by the second generation of the Osmonds. Even today, I listen to this album every Fourth of July, around Flag Day, and often near September 11th. Those songs have become part of our family traditions, and I still love every lyric.
Over the years, I’ve also been blessed to visit places where America’s story unfolded.
Around my fortieth birthday, I traveled to Boston, Massachusetts and saw where the Boston Tea Party took place. I visited Paul Revere’s home, the Old North Church, and many historic landmarks that had previously only lived in history books.
During the COVID pandemic, when our original family vacation plans changed, we drove to South Dakota. One of the things we experienced was Mount Rushmore. Seeing those massive granite faces in person was unforgettable.
After Eliza graduated from high school and Abbey graduated from college in 2022, the four of us traveled to Washington, D.C. Lance and I had visited before, but returning with our daughters made the experience even more meaningful. Walking through our nation’s capital, visiting the monuments and memorials, and especially touring George Washington’s beloved Mount Vernon reminded me of the remarkable men and women whose sacrifices shaped this nation. We also stood in long lines for the privilege of seeing the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Standing before those remarkable documents was deeply moving. **add pictures **
One of the most unforgettable experiences our family shared happened during a trip to Europe with Lance, Abbey, Eliza, and me last year. While traveling, we visited several World War II sites that left a lasting impression on each of us.
Walking through an American cemetery in the Netherlands was a sacred experience. Row upon row of white crosses stretched across the peaceful landscape, each one representing a life willingly given in the cause of freedom. It was impossible not to think about the young men who left home, many never to return, so that others they would never meet could live in liberty. **add pictures**
Our visit continued through Bayeux and the beaches of Normandy. Touring the museums and memorials, and standing on the very shores where so many Allied soldiers stormed the beaches on D-Day, stirred my soul in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I found myself imagining the courage, fear, sacrifice, and determination of those who fought there.
Those experiences deepened my gratitude—not only for the brave men and women who defended freedom during World War II, but also for the countless generations who have sacrificed to preserve the liberties we enjoy today. I left with a renewed appreciation that freedom has never been free, and that remembering those sacrifices is one way we honor them.
That conviction deepened even more a few weeks after our return. Abbey and I learned of a memorial service for World War II hero 1st Lt. George F. “Frankie” Wilson at the Hill Aerospace Museum on Hill Air Force Base, and we felt we needed to attend. **add pictures **
Lt. Wilson was a 22-year-old B-17 pilot who was finally accounted for in late 2024—81 years after giving his life to save his crew in France. On July 8, 1944, his bomber was heavily damaged by anti-aircraft fire. He kept the aircraft stable so his crew could escape, even giving his own parachute to a crewmate in need. He was trapped aboard when the plane crashed and remained missing in action for decades.
His remains were eventually recovered near the very places we had just visited, and he was being honored on the anniversary of his death. The memorial service included a formal military tribute, guest speakers, and bagpipes. We stood at attention as the hearse carrying his casket departed, then followed to the cemetery where we witnessed an honorary flyover and full military honors as he was laid to rest beside his parents at Bountiful Memorial Park Cemetery. It was a deeply moving reminder of sacrifice and service.
That reminder added to my experience earlier this year witnessing the military honors my own father received at his gravesite. **pictures **
This spring, while Lance attended a law course in Virginia, we had the opportunity to visit even more historic sites. We toured Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home, along with the homes of James Madison and James Monroe. It felt especially meaningful to visit these places during the year America celebrates her 250th anniversary. I learned more about how the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution came to be, and I gained a profound appreciation for the courage, vision, and faith of those who established the principles of liberty that continue to bless our country today. **pictures**
Some of my earliest patriotic memories are connected to music.
I remember learning “This Land Is Your Land” in first or second grade. Even then, the words about the redwood forests and purple mountain majesties stirred something inside me. They helped me appreciate the beauty of this land long before I had seen many of those places myself.
I also smile when I think about taking tap dance lessons as a little girl and performing to “Yankee Doodle.” It’s a sweet memory that still makes me smile.
This year, I have intentionally tried to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
I bought a patriotic sweater that I’ve enjoyed wearing on the unseasonabley and cooler June days we had this year.
Our stake recently held a beautiful celebration that reminded me once again of God’s hand in the founding of this nation. Through displays and presentations, I was reminded of the many scriptures in the Book of Mormon that teach about freedom, liberty, and the promised land. I left feeling grateful for the Lord’s guidance throughout history and for His purposes in establishing this nation. **add photo**
I’ve also been reading American Principles of Freedom by Larry Richman and downloaded one of his family home evening lessons.
Lance and I attended the Kaysville/Fruit Heights Patriotic Devotional on the Sunday before Independence Day. It was our first time attending together. I loved sharing that experience and standing together when the orchestra played the Air Force song. **add photo**
When we came home, we began watching a documentary about Thomas Jefferson. Almost immediately, we recognized one of the historians being interviewed—it was the same interpreter who had portrayed Jefferson when we visited Monticello just a few months earlier. Hearing his familiar voice made our visit feel alive again.
Some other ways I celebrated with Lance and others in my famly this semiquincentennial year was to see the new movie Young Washington, which was inspiring and indeed a history lesson for me. I got to go to the Utah Bee's baseball game (at the new stadium in Daybreak) and see some amazing fireworks. On the actual 4th of July, Lance and I had our children and new grandbabies here for a waffle bar breakfast. It was delcious! They stayed and played games and helped us get ready, as Lance and I extended an invite to parents and siblings to come for a BBQ, homemade ice cream, and games later that day. It was a hot day! We had a lot of good food, tested our memories playing the couch game, divided into three teams and did a patriotic photo scavenger hunt, enjoyed the ice cream and some cherry pie while looking at each team's pictures, and then the sack game was played. Faith, family, fun, and freedom - Fourth of July favorites!
As I reflect on these memories, I realize my patriotism has not been built by one event alone. It has grown through childhood songs, family traditions, military service, national tragedy, historic places, inspired leaders, sacred scripture, and countless quiet moments when I have felt that God has truly blessed this land.
I know America is not perfect. Is any nation? But I do know that God has guided its founding, preserved its freedoms, and entrusted each generation with the responsibility to protect those blessings.
Today, Sunday, July 5, 2026, I had the opportunity to join other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States to participate in a unified fast. “All are invited to participate in a unified fast to express gratitude for religious liberty and to pray that it be strengthened throughout the world.” This invitation came for the current Church prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks and his counselors in the First Presidency, President Henry B. Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson.
As we've celebrated 250 years of this remarkable nation, my hope is to continue learning, remembering, and expressing gratitude—not just during one week each July, but throughout the year. I don't think I will live long enough to see the next big celebration
"In God we trust" is still a motto I will live by.
God bless America.
