FALLING FAR FROM THE TREE
We had everyone in the family home for the holidays this year. Sure was nice to have the whole family there. We had a very nice time and ate lots of good food. That said, I am not sad that the holidays are over.
I look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas every year but I am always glad when they are behind us. Such a busy time of year. I am ready for things to slow down for a little while.
Getting to see everyone is always nice, especially if you’ve lost a few. Losing siblings, or any family member, makes you think differently about the holidays, and wanting all of the rest of us under one roof – if only for a few days.
All the laughter, the hugs, finding out what the kids have been up to from them instead of from their parents; it all makes me happy.
And of course all the delicious food. I have really given my cholesterol medications a run for their money lately. I am craving some rabbit food after all the rich dishes. All of our family gatherings are centered around what we are going to eat. Luckily there are several of us who like to cook so we plan everything. And there are even more who just like to eat.
I am so happy to have had both my brothers marry Mexican girls. Since that happened so many years ago, us Cookes have been treated to such a vast array of Mexican deliciousness. And luckily sister-in-law Christine is from El Paso so her food is more “Southwest” type Mexican food, and sister-in-law Noelia is from Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, and that food is very unusual and delicious. Both types of regional Mexican food are so different than the Tex-Mex food we are all used to. We needed some Mexican girls in the family to spice up the gringos.
After we ate our main Christmas lunch on Christmas Day, I was so full and tired that all I wanted was a nap. But we hadn’t opened our presents or stockings yet so there was no napping for anyone.
And we are definitely a family of nappers. That comes from mom’s side of the family. Dad says that once on Thanksgiving at my maternal Grandmother’s house in Crandall, he suddenly realized that he was all alone at the table. He went to find us, and when he did we were all asleep in front of the TV with a football game on. Over the years we have slowly but surely convinced dad that naps are wonderful things. He now falls asleep at the drop of a hat even when football is on – and that’s saying something because dad loves every sport on television.
Two of my nephews are at that age where they are trying to decide what they want to do with their lives. Will is still in high school, but his brother, Esten, is taking a gap year working with AmeriCorps in California after spending his entire senior year as an exchange student in Germany. The poor thing now has to go to Maui for three months. Hearing him talk about it was fun. He is very excited, as he should be.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but enjoy your family while you still have them—both young and old—because life is short.
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