Thankful for My Part

Honestly the green bean casserole isn't my favorite. But I make it for them.

Cranberries....now we're talking. I make some with pecans and orange zest. I make some covered with sugar.

When my children were small, I thought it was a good idea to start traditions for our family. I thought it was good for them to have small details of celebration to look forward to year after year. I wanted them to know a special way to celebrate our family and the bigger traditions of our culture and our faith.

And that's what I did. We had familiar foods each holiday, we had familiar decorations, watched certain movies, and went to particular events. We found a way to celebrate each holiday and one another.

Now they're older. Adults even. And I'm single.

As the holidays come, I look around to see a different landscape in my home. Some of the traditions that were made for a young family were let go of in their proper time. The timeless traditions, like cooking, hang on.

And I'm thankful for the traditions of the past and those that are still here. I look forward to those traditions of the future that aren't here yet.

No matter what the future holds, I'm thankful for playing a part in a family, a culture, and a faith that values love and tradition.

Oh, and I'm seriously thankful for these yams. Enjoy your family and your traditions today.

LOVE!!!