We Gather Together

I love holidays–the cooking, the traditions, the music, and don’t even get me started on the food….

But my favorite part about holidays is the family getting together! Clichè or not, I love it when all the brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles and cousins gather at some semi-common location (which, this year, was my hometown) and share laughs, memories, and loads of fabulous food :-)   After dinner, we split off into smaller groups and chat, play, and sing songs around the piano (we are lucky and have two pianists in the family, so my aunt and I switch off so we both get to play and sing!). 

And are the children perfectly behaved the entire time?  No.  Do all the desserts come out perfect, never burned?  Not exactly.  Do the dishes magically do themselves after the 4 kajillion family members go home?  I wish, but nope.  And does the stress level ever drop below 11 in the days right before the big event?  Ummmm….no.  But I am so grateful to have my family close enough that we can share these experiences–sometimes bordering on adventures–together.  Because being with my family, as imperfect as we are, brings me life, love, and true joy.  So my (now post-) Thanksgiving message to you, dear readers, is to enjoy those gathering-together times for what they are:  blessings.  Happy Holidays!