I was raised in a patriotic family. As in, my father owns every size of the American flag, plastered his car with US Marine Corp bumper stickers, and happily owns a musical USMC bottle opener that plays the Star Spangled Banner. Currently, my parents' home looks like American flag threw up on it–red, white, and blue is covering every crevice of their front porch and lawn. What can I say? They're proud. We're proud. To be Americans.

My father is an immigrant. For many years, he was an illegal immigrant, but after enlisting in the USMC during the height of the Vietnam War, he was granted citizenship. Since then, my father bleeds Red. White and Blue. We've been taught from an early age that we live in a beautiful country; a place for dreamers, believers, and hopers. If given the chance, anyone can carve their destiny…he's done it…and I've done with with help from God.

On this Independence Day 2009, I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud to be following my dreams and I'm proud to inherent my father's musical bottle opener in the near future.

JD and I are off to shoot a wedding day, but yesterday we spent the day in Santa Barbara…enjoying a gorgeous day on a fabulous boat with the Showit“>Showit Team. With many thanks to Sarah Anne, here are a few snapshots of our day…

Happy 4th of July!