Reading between the lines......

Well, the holidays have begun. Nothing I could do to stop them. I don't actually hate the holiday season. It's just so up and down for me. Things just aren't easy. Getting everyone together. Pleasing everyone. Never happens, but (thank the good lord) there are always some bright spots inbetween. And my kids seem to have chosen to remember the good instead of the bad. That's a good thing.

Actually, one of my memories that I know is going to special for years to come was made early this year -- the day before Thanksgiving. Three of my kids are in North Carolina. They called Wednesday to tell me their Thanksgiving Day menu and to check the recipes of mine they had chosen to make. Their friends were making recipes their own mom's usually make. As my kids checked the ingredients and talked about the food we'd had in the past, I realized the phone call wasn't about food. In their own way (maybe without realizing it themselves), they were saying, "Love you, Mom."

I wasn't so quick last year when son #1 called from Oregon to make sure he had my dressing recipe correct. He's a good cook and probably makes better dressing than I do. His call was a way of connecting. Well, now I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe the holidays aren't so bad after all.