I can’t cook. I know this. But that’s why it started. Because I can’t cook.
Last Fall my mom and I came up with this idea. I had aspirations to become the next Rachael Ray (because that’s what you do when you get married, you become Rachael Ray, right?), so we decided that on Monday nights, my mom and I would make dinner together so that I could learn to cook and the family could come together for a yummy meal. It started out well. Really well, in fact. For quite a few weeks I was a cooking machine. (My particular favorite was the night we made white chicken chili like they do at the Cheesecake Factory, since you’re asking.) Unfortunately, though, due to the craziness of winter, conflicting schedules, and to be completely honest, a growing lack of motivation on my part, our Monday night dinners slowly evaporated.
And I found myself missing it. Badly. Not because I wanted to cook, mind you. No no. I missed that time with my family. I missed catching up with my mom while we cooked. I missed my dad asking us to rate the food and yesterday’s sermon. I missed my brother Caleb chowing down on his plate and giving us a sports update in between bites. And I missed my cousin Alyssa telling us hilarious stories about what her first grade class did that day.
It’s so easy for me to get trapped in this little bubble of my life. But with everything that’s going on in the world, especially the tragedy in Japan, now more than ever I’ve found myself thanking God for blessing me with such an incredible family, that we’re all healthy, and that we have the opportunity to spend time together. I never want to take those gifts for granted. Ever.
Last night was the first night in several months that we had family dinner again. I chatted with my mom about my plans for my business. We rated the steak for my dad (mine was an 8.7). Caleb discussed the missed calls in the Syracuse vs. Connecticut game.
And while the chances of me becoming the next Rachael Ray are pretty slim, Monday night family dinners will live on. Because they should. Because they can. Because they are a gift.
