WHAT DO WE DO WITH TRADITIONS WHEN THEY DON'T FIT ANY MORE
That's been a hard one for us, and not only this year. You see, for several years after Zackary was born he lived with his mommy and daddy at Nana and Papaw's house. His baby bed shared a room with papaw's desk and the room was called the "waffice" (office). The two of them would talk late into the night, and first thing in the morning. Lot's of things were solved during those discussions.
Somehow a tradition evolved around our night time hugs. Zack would climb into Nana's lap and give the sweetest hugs and kisses, called "bedtime lovins", then he would climb up in papaw's lap and play the "kissing game". Papaw would dodge every attempt he made to kiss him, moving at the last minute and sometimes pulling a hat over his face. This frustrated Zack until he would slap both of his chubby hands on papaw's face and squeeze 'till there was no more movement. Everyone dissolved into laughter and went to bed happy.
When mommy and daddy would be at work and papaw would be at home with Nana and Zack, sometimes we would go to McDonald's for lunch. There would inevitably be another kid on the playground bigger than Zack and he would get in trouble. All Zack would say was "MY papaw", and point to Les. Of course he always got an ice cream cone for basically telling the kid, "my papaw is tougher than your papaw".
There were times Zack would walk, holding Nana's hand, and go to C & D Burger for lunch. On the way back we would stop on the bridge and watch for "little frogs" to swim in the 'big ditch that went under the street". A long walk, by the way for young short chubby legs and old short chubby legs. We would make it everyday and then have a nap.
We decorated for birthdays with paper fish, halloween with cute jack-o-lanterns, Thanksgiving with corn and hay and scarecrows, but Christmas was always the most fun. Bright ornaments on the tree with white twinkle lights...a big red bow on top...music boxes older than Zack...lots of presents under the tree (not all for him, but he didn't know that)...and hot chocolate. Hot chocolate was his favorite with blueberry muffins after presents were opened.
Of course there was family, always lots of family. At Nana and Papaw's we had all his aunts, uncles and cousins over for snacks and visiting. Usually one present would be opened by each little one. Then there was his family on daddy's side. Christmas Eve for Grandma Hinkey and at some point on Christmas Day he would see Maw-Maw and Papaw Terry with Uncles Russell and Derrick. Always bringing home more presents, but loving the being with more family.
Then, when Zackary was about five and thought life couldn't get any better, lo and behold a little brother came to the share the lime light, and share it he did. But they seemed to work it out fine between them until one day Zackary had to give Hunter some of his own attention. Standing over Hunter I heard him say, "Look it it's not all about YOU. It use to be all about ME, but not anymore, buck it up." I watched him a little closer for awhile. LOL
Mommy and daddy found them a new house about the same time Hunter joined the family and they moved from Nana and Papaw's house. Leaving all of Nana's furniture, except the chair she watched the Astro's in. He found rooms in his new house for everyone, even Nana and Papaw and didn't understand when we didn't move too. Needless to say, he adjusted but always wanted to spend as much time as possible at "our old house", and he wanted his best friends Abby, Abram and Chey-Chey over to play in his backyard.
Right after they moved into their new house, Zack started Kindergarten in a new school. He loved his school and his teacher, but making new friends was the best part for him. Life settled down for Zack pretty well, mommy took him to school and Nana picked him up. Daddy always got him in the evenings and took him home. Two years passed and life was good for Zack.
Just as summer vacation started in June 2010, something bigger than Zack, or anyone else could ever have imagined happened. His daddy passed away suddenly, leaving only mommy, Zack, Hunter and big brother Dakota to figure this change out. Of course Nana and Papaw, and the whole family at large, were there too but...it wasn't the same. Needless to say, traditions, no life changed faster than anyone could keep up with.
As each day passed, major milestones did too. Father's Day came just a couple weeks after, leaving Zack to wonder who he would give his father's day present to this year, the first day of third grade, Hunter and Zack's birthdays, and Thanksgiving dinner came and went. I watched a young and struggling family start a new life.
I started this blog before Christmas and it has taken me this long to work it out. As we started thinking what we would do to decorate for the holiday, Zackary came to me and said, "Nana, do you think we could do something different this year? Could we combine all our traditions into one and have a really beautiful Christmas House this year?" When I asked him what he thought that would look like he said, "let's get all of the favorite decorations from your house and all of the nativitys and your tree, and all the favorite ones from our house and our tree, and combine them. We have never done that before. We need something different this year, don't you think?" That's what we did and we did
have a beautiful Christmas House.
We talked more about what it should look like, and how to make it the same, but different. Turst me, Zack Dyson has grand ideas and knows how to make them happen.
The first thing he thought we should do, was have the whole family over for a Christmas party, "here in our house". He said, "we need food, eggnog, cookies and all my family". All his family came, aunts, uncles,
and cousins. It was a very good night and we all went to bed later and happier than usual.
My best friend, "maw maw June", came for a visit and made the boys an "angel bell" ornament for the tree. When they missed daddy, they could ring the bell and remember him. It gave them a chance to share their traditions this year with him. Both Zackary and Hunter enjoyed the bell and the new tradition, asking only a couple questions, and loving their daddy.
Christmas morning brought Santa's gifts at the crack of dawn then we had our blueberry muffins, peaches and cream and of course coffee and hot chocolate. After that snack to hold us over, we opened family presents. Then we ate again,
"Father Tim's Christmas Casserole" as we do every year, and everyone took a nap.
On Christmas night, Uncle Tonti prepared a "Cajun Christmas Dinner" with everything Cajun and we did what this family does best, we ate and ate and ate 'til we were stuffed. That tradition will probably never change. ummm.
When mommy and daddy would be at work and papaw would be at home with Nana and Zack, sometimes we would go to McDonald's for lunch. There would inevitably be another kid on the playground bigger than Zack and he would get in trouble. All Zack would say was "MY papaw", and point to Les. Of course he always got an ice cream cone for basically telling the kid, "my papaw is tougher than your papaw".
There were times Zack would walk, holding Nana's hand, and go to C & D Burger for lunch. On the way back we would stop on the bridge and watch for "little frogs" to swim in the 'big ditch that went under the street". A long walk, by the way for young short chubby legs and old short chubby legs. We would make it everyday and then have a nap.
We decorated for birthdays with paper fish, halloween with cute jack-o-lanterns, Thanksgiving with corn and hay and scarecrows, but Christmas was always the most fun. Bright ornaments on the tree with white twinkle lights...a big red bow on top...music boxes older than Zack...lots of presents under the tree (not all for him, but he didn't know that)...and hot chocolate. Hot chocolate was his favorite with blueberry muffins after presents were opened.
Of course there was family, always lots of family. At Nana and Papaw's we had all his aunts, uncles and cousins over for snacks and visiting. Usually one present would be opened by each little one. Then there was his family on daddy's side. Christmas Eve for Grandma Hinkey and at some point on Christmas Day he would see Maw-Maw and Papaw Terry with Uncles Russell and Derrick. Always bringing home more presents, but loving the being with more family.
Then, when Zackary was about five and thought life couldn't get any better, lo and behold a little brother came to the share the lime light, and share it he did. But they seemed to work it out fine between them until one day Zackary had to give Hunter some of his own attention. Standing over Hunter I heard him say, "Look it it's not all about YOU. It use to be all about ME, but not anymore, buck it up." I watched him a little closer for awhile. LOL
Mommy and daddy found them a new house about the same time Hunter joined the family and they moved from Nana and Papaw's house. Leaving all of Nana's furniture, except the chair she watched the Astro's in. He found rooms in his new house for everyone, even Nana and Papaw and didn't understand when we didn't move too. Needless to say, he adjusted but always wanted to spend as much time as possible at "our old house", and he wanted his best friends Abby, Abram and Chey-Chey over to play in his backyard.
Right after they moved into their new house, Zack started Kindergarten in a new school. He loved his school and his teacher, but making new friends was the best part for him. Life settled down for Zack pretty well, mommy took him to school and Nana picked him up. Daddy always got him in the evenings and took him home. Two years passed and life was good for Zack.
Just as summer vacation started in June 2010, something bigger than Zack, or anyone else could ever have imagined happened. His daddy passed away suddenly, leaving only mommy, Zack, Hunter and big brother Dakota to figure this change out. Of course Nana and Papaw, and the whole family at large, were there too but...it wasn't the same. Needless to say, traditions, no life changed faster than anyone could keep up with.
As each day passed, major milestones did too. Father's Day came just a couple weeks after, leaving Zack to wonder who he would give his father's day present to this year, the first day of third grade, Hunter and Zack's birthdays, and Thanksgiving dinner came and went. I watched a young and struggling family start a new life.
I started this blog before Christmas and it has taken me this long to work it out. As we started thinking what we would do to decorate for the holiday, Zackary came to me and said, "Nana, do you think we could do something different this year? Could we combine all our traditions into one and have a really beautiful Christmas House this year?" When I asked him what he thought that would look like he said, "let's get all of the favorite decorations from your house and all of the nativitys and your tree, and all the favorite ones from our house and our tree, and combine them. We have never done that before. We need something different this year, don't you think?" That's what we did and we did
have a beautiful Christmas House.
We talked more about what it should look like, and how to make it the same, but different. Turst me, Zack Dyson has grand ideas and knows how to make them happen.
The first thing he thought we should do, was have the whole family over for a Christmas party, "here in our house". He said, "we need food, eggnog, cookies and all my family". All his family came, aunts, uncles,
and cousins. It was a very good night and we all went to bed later and happier than usual.My best friend, "maw maw June", came for a visit and made the boys an "angel bell" ornament for the tree. When they missed daddy, they could ring the bell and remember him. It gave them a chance to share their traditions this year with him. Both Zackary and Hunter enjoyed the bell and the new tradition, asking only a couple questions, and loving their daddy.
Christmas morning brought Santa's gifts at the crack of dawn then we had our blueberry muffins, peaches and cream and of course coffee and hot chocolate. After that snack to hold us over, we opened family presents. Then we ate again,
"Father Tim's Christmas Casserole" as we do every year, and everyone took a nap.
On Christmas night, Uncle Tonti prepared a "Cajun Christmas Dinner" with everything Cajun and we did what this family does best, we ate and ate and ate 'til we were stuffed. That tradition will probably never change. ummm.
Zack's cousin Bailey gave each of us a DVD she had made for the whole family. Pics and favorite songs of past years of her uncle Rex as he lived life with the family. Zack sat mesmerized, Hunter jumped up and down and laughed and talked about "my daddy, that's my daddy and me" and the rest of us cried. I think though they were tears we were going to cry that night anyway, but we also got to remember and laugh together as well.
We closed a very full and special day with family gifts one to another. What we shared mostly thourgh out the day and months leading up to the day, is the love this family has for each other.
Life will never be the same for this family and Zack will always be making and facing new traditions, but with the help of our Father in heaven we will make them together and we will always remember the one who loved, laughed and yes argued with great gusto.
Zack and I challenge each of you to cherish the traditions you share with each of your family members and friends,and never take even one of them for granted. This life is a gift, take it and use it, give it away with abandon, never pass up a chance to say "I Love You"...and I do...
