Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July, dear Friends! 

For me - an immigrant who came to this country at the young age of 20, not speaking the language, not having any money, not having any education beyond high school, not having any skills - this is a very special day! 

To me the 4th of July represents endless opportunities that the American land graciously offers to those who are willing to work hard, study, learn new things, and overcome their limitations! 

I'm deeply grateful to this country for all the opportunities it has given me! I'm grateful to the American people of different backgrounds and ethnicities who I've met on my journey and who helped me, encouraged me, and motivated me to achieve my American dream! 

Well... now that I think of it...

 I did have one skill when I arrived to America, though back then I didn't think of it as such! 

Can you guess what it was? 

Crochet, of course! 

With the advance of the Internet, that little skill of mine turned into something quite amazing - my own crochet blog, my own pattern shop, my own Youtube channel! 

And for that too, I'm deeply grateful! 

Happy 4th of July! 

P.S. The doily featured in this post is my own design from a few years ago. See it on Ravelry.