MARK MY WORD: IN OUR HOUSE, LIFE IS A REGULAR FLAG-WAVING PARADE

It's a grand old flag. Our kids are sold on the Stars and Stripes.

Recently, they unfurled our American flag for an impromptu parade through our basement family room.

Joni and I broke out in song, going through a number of patriotic numbers for our own, informal flag ceremony.

All that was missing was the fireworks, which I'm sure will hit our neighborhood by the Fourth of July.

Of course, exploding fireworks aren't made for in-home flag ceremonies unless you are ready for a major remodeling job.

Fortunately, Becca and Bailey don't need bombs bursting in air or rocket's red glare for their parades.

Becca and Bailey couldn't have imagined all the debate that went on in Washington this week over whether flag burning should be outlawed.

Seven-year-old Becca already has learned how to fold the flag. Three-year-old Bailey is content to parade around in her favorite swimming suit, waving a small flag.

Both girls love parades, particularly the home-grown ones they organize at a moment's notice.

There's no worry about no-parking zones, vehicular traffic or parade permits.

The parades in our house are strictly pedestrian affairs, sure to upstage even "The Brady Bunch."

The national anthem is a family affair at our home. The kids don't expect to play ball. They just like to sing with Joni.

As the dad, my job is to be the audience. After all, there's no point in singing and parading around if you don't have an appreciative audience.

At our home, we don't have to worry about an unruly crowd. I'm always well behaved and I appreciate the sounds of music as well as all that flag waving.

The only protests at our home have to do with bedtime and our children's evening "fights."

Becca and Bailey know how to get on each other's nerves. But even the bickering takes a back seat to patriotism.

When they are on parade, they put aside petty differences and toe-stomping grievances.

It's amazing what a little red, white and blue can do for kids.

Becca and Bailey like those white stars. Fifty seems a lot to kids.

In the early 1800s, Congress didn't have a clue how to arrange the stars.

The Great Star Flag of 1818 had 20 stars arranged in the form of a five-pointed star.

In some cases, the military worked out new designs for the stars when new states entered the Union.

No design was officially set for the 46-star flag used from 1908 to 1912.

Presidential orders fixed the positions of the stars in 1912, 1959 and in 1960. All of this was done without a telescope.

None of this matters to Becca and Bailey. They just know there's nothing like waving the flag even when the parade route extends only to the end of the couch.

~Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.