wild and wonderful: rethinking holidays

Monday, April 1, 2013

rethinking holidays

Holidays are so hard.

I kinda have a sigh of relief as we get through each "first" holiday.

Our first Thanksgiving

(can you tell who was unhappy that day?)

Our first Christmas

Our first Easter

(I know I probably put too much pressure on myself to try and get family pics on these days but I plan, I hope, I want to make a book of our first year together...........some.........day...........when...........I........have..........nothing........else.........to..........do.)

With each holiday, I have to really think about why we do what we do. Because with 4 new kids--from another country, another culture, with memories of birthfamily--everything is new and everything is different. And I have to explain it all to them (why eggs? why stockings? what's in the Pistachio Salad and Turkey and Dressing???)

It's new for my old kids too--I didn't unpack the old Christmas stockings they were used to, I didn't re-use the Easter baskets they have used the past 5 years.

I have had to rethink Santa Claus, Easter eggs, and even the tooth fairy for that matter. It's almost like I get a "re-do" but not really because with the old ones in the mix, there's a balance of keeping some traditions and special things, and introducing new traditions and new special things.

We can't do things like we have always done them because we are not who we used to be.

We are new.

All of us.

We are redefining our whole family.

That includes some grief over changes. It includes some stress as we explain what is to be expected and as we decide what to let go of and what to weave into our new traditions. I am looking forward to when we get past one year of birthdays and holidays.

And I am trying to take some pictures and be thankful in the midst of it all.

Here are a few (to remind me of how blessed we are)