December is here

     It is December 1st and the holiday season is better than ever. I love this time of year, the semi-cool weather that we are having, the christmas music on the radio, the thoughts of my kids happy faces as they open their christmas presents in 24 more days. I love this time of year, I love spending time with my family and carrying on traditions that we have had since I was a small child. As my family (mom, sisters, and brothers) carry on with our traditions I often forget that I now have a family of my own with no traditions. I often forget that the traditions that I consider "normal" or expected are not the same for my other half and his children. Durand was brought up Jahova Witness so though he doesn't practice this religion he is not use to the holiday traditions that I was raised to be accustomed to. I have never asked him if he wanted to start a new Christmas tradition, I didn't think he really cared, but I think it is time we find something that we would like our kids to say to their kids "we did this when we were little". At Halloween Durand carved his first ever pumpkin, on Thanksgiving he is cooking for me, the kids, my mom, sibblings, and nephews instead of just him and his kids, and on Christmas eve I expect all of us to go to my moms because we grew up going to our grandparents and giving the kids pj's because that is what we did. I never asked how he felt about it and although he doesn't mind he would like to set our own traditions. Growing up and bringing two families with two different histories is hard, however, this is going to be fun. We are going to give our children the experiances I had as a child and some new ones. We are going to show our children what it is like to be part of a strong, close, and loving family. We are going to create love and bonds within them that they will never leave behind. This is what the holidays are all about, this is what parenting is all about. I am grateful for the gifts my mom gave me, the gifts that did not come in gift wrap, that weren't bought in the stores. I am so hopeful that our children will be grateful for the gifts they are unaware of, the gifts of love, connection, and history.