Sunday Dinner

I just read an article in Bella Magazine entitled "Bring Back the Sunday Dinner" which brought back some great memories from my childhood.  

When I was growing up Sundays were spent going to church and usually dinner at my grandparents.  Mom-mom did all of the cooking then we all gathered in the dining room for dinner.  The whole family was there - my great grandmother, my grandparents, my aunts (Edythe & Elsie) and my parents.  There was always a lot of talking and sharing of what went on during the week and plans for the upcoming week.  When dinner was done, mom-mom cleaned up with some help and the rest of us either hung out at dining room table playing games & talking or retreated into the living room to watch TV.  My grandparents house was a safe haven for me - of course, there were times when I didn't think that.  See my grandparents lived very close to us so they were also my babysitters when my parents went out.  As the article mentions this was a great way for me to learn our family values. 

A time went on and life changed, my great grandmother passed away, my grandparents moved to a smaller house, my life as a teenager became busy and dinners fell by the wayside.  We gathered at holidays but things were different.  It is funny though, as I sit here writing this blog, I can almost smell mom-mom's pot roast cooking along with her mac and cheese.  The warm traditions that make lasting memories.  

By the time my daughter arrived on the scene, Sunday dinners were a distant memory.  We tried to gather regularly for dinners but life seemed to get in the way.  My grandfather had passed, my grandmother was suffering from Alzheimer's, my parents were divorced and now the work week included Sundays.  Holiday meals became a absolute must as the family size shrunk.  As Sunday dinners went by the wayside - I was convinced that having dinner with my daughter was the way to create memories.  So, most nights, we sat together - just the two of us - talking about the day and having dinner.  Those are the things I now miss.  My daughter is in North Carolina, my mom is in South Jersey, my dad & step-mom are a short distance too.  The moments we do spend together are treasured like priceless jewels.  They don't happen often since life for each of us seems to make us too busy.  

The bonds that were formed during those Sunday/ holiday dinners strengthened our family.  During rough patches, we were there for each other.  During sad times, we cried together. During happy times, we celebrated.  What are the memories that you have as a family?  Do your traditions include a Sunday meal?  If not, why not think about doing it - maybe not every Sunday, but create a tradition that will reinforce your family bonds.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Random thoughts

Good Morning Everyone - today is one of those mornings when I don't have much to say.  AMAZING, right?  LOL.  Just some random thoughts to clear my head.  

Words can't describe the emotions that I had on Monday when I heard about the bombing in Boston at the marathon.  My thoughts quickly reverted to that dreadful morning on 9-11.  The day of the dreadful shooting on the Virginia Tech campus.  The days were similar.  No one was expecting anything this horrific to happen. Lives lost and lives changed forever.  These days brought me to tears of gratitude for the safety of my family and friends.  911 and the VT shootings could have had different impacts on my life as family and close friends were "too close for comfort" to the events of those days.

During times like these, I reflect on all of the blessings in my life.  Whether those blessings have come through trials or whether we see them as precious gifts - we have all been given them.  My blessings include my family - although we don't see each other as often as I would like (life always gets in the way) they are always in my thoughts and prayers.  The people that God has placed in my life for sometimes just a moment, for a season or for a lifetime are a precious gift. The trials of my life include my battle with drugs, my bulimia, cancer that struck and took my grandfather, my Aunts - Edythe & Elsie and Alzheimer's that took my grandmother all helped to shape me into the person that I am today.  The greatest blessing of all is my daughter, Belinda Heldreth and of course my hubby, Rob.  

What are your blessings?  Think about all of the things - good or bad - in your life that have helped to shape and guide you to where you are.  Hug the ones that you love and tell them that you love them.  Reach out to old friends when you are thinking about them instead of waiting for the "perfect moment".  Life is short.  God has a plan for all of us and although we don't know what it is, we need to savor every moment.  Take the good with the bad.  Turn it over to God and he will get you through it.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings... Have a ThirtyOne-derful day.