Making a List and Checking It Twice

It has been a "List" week in the Chavez home. Juan checked off a few "Finals". I checked off a "Christmas Party". Siena checked off "Sneak a candy bar" and "Learn how to say bebe (baby) and ojo (eye)", plus a couple of other words--I still haven't figured out what they mean.

We have just a little over a week left here on the East Coast this year. We'll get to visit our family for the holidays. There are many things to get ready, but I think we'll manage to get it all done in time.

I've been thinking of traditions a lot lately... especially Christmas traditions. Maybe it's because part of me wants to remember the years past because they were filled with good memories, family being closeby, and always having more than enough. When I was preparing to go to a ward recipe exchange the other night, I was struggling to find a recipe that "represented a Christmas tradition". I thought that since I couldn't think of any, we must not have had very many traditions; I later realized how wrong I was. Juan helped me think of something about an hour before the exchange. It's the simple butter-herb spaghetti his dad always makes for the Christmas Eve dinner. Just the thought of it conjured up the memories of the last three Christmas Eves I have spent with Juan. All good memories (even the year I was throwing up in a Mexican bedroom with sounds of clinking wine glasses and "Saluds" resonating down the hall. Morning sickness.)

Anyway, the first time my father-in-law made that buttered spaghetti, I am sure he wasn't planning on it becoming a tradition; however, it made its way to the table year after year. Food does not have the human capability of giving someone a comforting hug, but it sure can symbolize a memory that you don't want to lose, which is just as warm. That's why it is a tradition, and that's why we love butter-herb spaghetti.

Other traditions that my family has are cutting down our own Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, doing a jigsaw puzzle on Christmas Eve, enjoying a deluxe waffle breakfast on Christmas day, and exchanging gifts. They are all traditions that we look forward to every year, and when the time comes to make them happen once again, we will remember and be grateful for the good memories of past Christmases that we've been blessed with.



p.s. My wonderful Juanito surprised me with this: