Hey!  Nathan Lake writing; hope this finds y'all well and (reasonably) happy!  I am doing great; graduated from high school last month and am working part time at the pizza place.  Got this weekend off, which I did not expect!

I am looking forward to tonight, tomorrow night, the night after that, and especially Monday.  I am going to go to the annual Red, White, and BOOM!  Festival being held downtown; I am going with my family (my mama and daddy, my two little sisters, and our grandma, who lives with us) and my girlfriend, Trysta Gentry.  We plan on listening to some music and watch the fireworks; there are fireworks leading up to the biggest display Nashville has ever seen (that takes place on Monday, the Fourth).  We are also going to see the parade and go to an airshow prior to hanging out at Red, White, and BOOM!

I can't believe how blessed I am.  I look at a mirror now, and I like what I see.  My face looks pretty darn good, compared to how it looked when I started writing in here nearly three years ago.  I still have some work on it, but the major stuff is out of the way; the work that will be done now is all gravy compared to what I'd gone through.  I was born with severe facial deformities and for years people were repulsed by my appearance or stared or merely called me names: horrible, nasty names; the most popular was "The Creature".

I am learning to leave "The Creature" behind and embrace the world as Nathan Lake, Miracle Survivor.  :)

The weather here is sunny and hot.  Typical summertime weather, along with a chance of storms during the hottest part of the day.  As long as the fireworks aren't rained out, then that's fine.  I don't want to have to get to the festival grounds, only to have the fireworks cancelled.  That would make me want to spit nails!  (According to the National Weather Service, there's a chance of storms in the afternoon from Sunday all the way until the extended forecast period, with highs in the upper eighties to lower/mid nineties.  UGH!)

Well, it's about time to head to Red, White, and BOOM!, so I will vamanos for now.  Mama and daddy will pick Krysta up at her house, then we will go to the venue.  I can't wait to see the fireworks tonight or to take in the other happenings!  This is gonna be one fun weekend!!  Until I write again, take care, and may each and every one of you have a very happy and safe Fourth of July weekend, full of family, fun, food, and FIREWORKS!!!!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Nathan.  :)